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Legatus Marcus Antonius M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N
Bust of Mark Antony (Vatican Museums)
Born	January 14, 83 BC Rome, Roman Republic
Died	August 1, 30 BC (aged 53) Alexandria, Ptolemaic Kingdom
Allegiance	Roman Republic
Years of service	54–30 BC
Rank	General
Commands held	Roman army
Battles/wars	Gallic Wars Caesar's civil war Battle of Pharsalus Roman-Parthian Wars Antony's war on Parthia Post-Caesarian civil war Battle of Mutina Liberators' civil war Battle of Philippi Final War of the Roman Republic Battle of Actium
Other work	Consul of the Roman Republic 44 BC and 34 BC, Master of the Horse, Quaestor, Augur, Tribune

These articles cover Ancient Rome and the fall of the Republic

Mark Antony, Cleopatra VII, Assassination of Julius Caesar, Pompey, Theatre of Pompey, Cicero, First Triumvirate, Roman forum, Comitium, Rostra, Curia Julia, Curia Hostilia

Mark Antony (Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N)^{[note 1]} (January 14, 83 BC – August 1, 30 BC) was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, Antony formed an official political alliance with Octavian (the future Augustus) and Lepidus, known to historians today as the Second Triumvirate.

The triumvirate broke up in 33 BC. Disagreement between Octavian and Antony erupted into civil war, the final war of the Roman Republic, in 31 BC. Antony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium, and in a brief land battle at Alexandria. He and his lover Cleopatra committed suicide shortly thereafter. His career and defeat are significant in Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

A member of the Antonia clan (gens), Antony was born on January 14, 83 BC.^{[note 2][1][2]} He was the homonymous and thus presumably the eldest son of Marcus Antonius Creticus (praetor 74 BC, proconsul 73–71 BC) and grandson of the noted orator Marcus Antonius (consul 99 BC, censor 97–6 BC) who had been murdered during the Marian Terror of the winter of 87–6 BC.^[3]

Antony's father was incompetent and corrupt, and according to Cicero, he was only given power because he was incapable of using or abusing it effectively.^[4] In 74 BC he was given imperium infinitum to defeat the pirates of the Mediterranean, but he died in Crete in 71 BC without making any significant progress.^[5][3][4] Creticus had two other sons: Gaius (praetor 44 BC, born c.83 BC) and Lucius (quaestor 50 BC, consul 41 BC, born c.81 BC).

Antony's mother, Julia, was a daughter of Lucius Caesar (consul 90 BC, censor 89 BC). Upon the death of her first husband, she married Publius Cornelius Lentulus (consul 71 BC), an eminent patrician.^[6] Lentulus, despite exploiting his political success for financial gain, was constantly in debt due to the extravagance of his lifestyle. He was a major figure in the second Catilinian conspiracy and was extrajudically killed on the orders of Cicero in 63 BC.^[6]

Antony lived a dissipate lifestyle as a youth, and gained a reputation for heavy gambling.^[5] According to Cicero, he had a homosexual relationship with Gaius Scribonius Curio.^[7] There is little reliable information on his political activity as a young man, although it is known that he was an associate of Clodius.^[8] He may also have been involved in the Lupercal cult, as he was referred to as a priest of this order later in life.^[9]

In 58 BC, Antony travelled to Athens to study rhetoric and philosophy, escaping his creditors. The next year, he was summoned by Aulus Gabinius, proconsul of Syria, to take part in the campaigns against Aristobulus II in Judea, as the commander of a Gallic cavalry regiment.^[10] Antony achieved important victories at Alexandrium and Machaerus.

Supporter of Caesar[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

In 54 BC, Antony became a staff officer in Caesar's armies in Gaul and Germany. He again proved to be a competent military leader in the Gallic Wars, but his personality quirks caused disruption. Antony and Caesar were the best of friends, as well as being fairly close relatives. Antony made himself ever available to assist Caesar in carrying out his military campaigns.

Raised by Caesar's influence to the offices of quaestor, augur, and tribune of the plebeians (50 BC), he supported the cause of his patron with great energy. Caesar's two proconsular commands, during a period of ten years, were expiring in 50 BC, and he wanted to return to Rome for the consular elections. But resistance from the conservative faction of the Roman Senate, led by Pompey, demanded that Caesar resign his proconsulship and the command of his armies before being allowed to seek re-election to the consulship.

This Caesar would not do, as such an act would at least temporarily render him a private citizen and thereby leave him open to prosecution for his acts while proconsul. It would also place him at the mercy of Pompey's armies. To prevent this occurrence Caesar bribed the plebeian tribune Curio to use his veto to prevent a senatorial decree which would deprive Caesar of his armies and provincial command, and then made sure Antony was elected tribune for the next term of office.

Antony exercised his tribunician veto, with the aim of preventing a senatorial decree declaring martial law against the veto, and was violently expelled from the senate with another Caesar adherent, Cassius, who was also a tribune of the plebs. Caesar crossed the river Rubicon upon hearing of these affairs which began the Republican civil war. Antony left Rome and joined Caesar and his armies at Ariminium, where he was presented to Caesar's soldiers still bloody and bruised as an example of the illegalities that his political opponents were perpetrating, and as a casus belli.

Tribunes of the Plebs were meant to be untouchable and their veto inalienable according to the Roman mos maiorum (although there was a grey line as to what extent this existed in the declaration of and during martial law). Antony commanded Italy whilst Caesar destroyed Pompey's legions in Spain, and led the reinforcements to Greece, before commanding the right wing of Caesar's armies at Pharsalus.

Administrator of Italy[link]

When Caesar became dictator for a second time, Antony was made Master of the Horse, and in this capacity he remained in Italy as the peninsula's administrator in 47 BC, while Caesar was fighting the last Pompeians, who had taken refuge in the province of Africa. But Antony's skills as an administrator were a poor match for his generalship, and he seized the opportunity of indulging in the most extravagant excesses, depicted by Cicero in the Philippics. In 46 BC he seems to have taken offense because Caesar insisted on payment for the property of Pompey which Antony professedly had purchased, but had in fact simply appropriated.

Conflict soon arose, and, as on other occasions, Antony resorted to violence. Hundreds of citizens were killed and Rome itself descended into a state of anarchy. Caesar was most displeased with the whole affair and removed Antony from all political responsibilities. The two men did not see each other for two years. The estrangement was not of long continuance, with Antony meeting the dictator at Narbo (45 BC) and rejecting the suggestion of Trebonius that he should join in the conspiracy that was already afoot. Reconciliation arrived in 44 BC, when Antony was chosen as partner for Caesar's fifth consulship.

Whatever conflicts existed between the two men, Antony remained faithful to Caesar but it is worth mentioning that according to Plutarch (paragraph 13) Trebonius, one of the conspirators, had 'sounded him unobtrusively and cautiously...Antony had understood his drift...but had given him no encouragement: at the same time he had not reported the conversation to Caesar'. On February 15, 44 BC, during the Lupercalia festival, Antony publicly offered Caesar a diadem. This was an event fraught with meaning: a diadem was a symbol of a king, and in refusing it, Caesar demonstrated that he did not intend to assume the throne.

On March 14, 44 BC, Antony was alarmed when Cicero told him the gods would strike Caesar.^{[citation needed]} Casca, Cicero and Cassius decided, in the night before the Assassination of Julius Caesar, that Mark Antony should stay alive.^[11] The following day, the Ides of March, he went down to warn the dictator but the Liberatores reached Caesar first and he was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. In the turmoil that surrounded the event, Antony escaped Rome dressed as a slave; fearing that the dictator's assassination would be the start of a bloodbath among his supporters. When this did not occur, he soon returned to Rome, discussing a truce with the assassins' faction. For a while, Antony, as consul, seemed to pursue peace and an end to the political tension. Following a speech by Cicero in the Senate, an amnesty was agreed for the assassins.

Then came the day of Caesar's funeral. As Caesar's ever-present second in command, co-consul and cousin, Antony wanted to give the eulogy. Brutus and Casius were reluctant at first, but Brutus decided it would be harmless, Cassius disagreed. In his speech, he made accusations of murder and ensured a permanent breach with the conspirators. Showing a talent for rhetoric and dramatic interpretation, Antony snatched the toga from Caesar's body to show the crowd the stab wounds, pointing at each and naming the authors, publicly shaming them.

During the eulogy he also read Caesar's will, which left most of his property to the people of Rome: whatever Caesar's real intentions had been, Antony presumably meant to demonstrate that contrary to the conspirators' assertions, Caesar had no intention of forming a royal dynasty.^{[citation needed]} Public opinion turned, and that night, the Roman populace attacked the assassins' houses, forcing them to flee for their lives.

Enemy of the state and triumvirate[link]

Roman aureus bearing the portraits of Mark Antony (left) and Octavian (right). Struck in 41 BC, this coin was issued to celebrate the establishment of the Second Triumvirate by Octavian, Antony and Marcus Lepidus in 43 BC. Both sides bear the inscription "III VIR R P C", meaning "One of Three Men for the Regulation of the Republic".^[12]

Antony, left as sole Consul, surrounded himself with a bodyguard of Caesar's veterans and forced the senate to transfer to him the province of Cisalpine Gaul, which was then administered by Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, one of the conspirators. Brutus refused to surrender the province and Antony set out to attack him in the beginning of 43 BC, besieging him at Mutina.

Encouraged by Cicero, the Senate denounced Antony and in January 43 they granted Octavian imperium (commanding power), which made his command of troops legal and sent him to relieve the siege, along with Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus, the consuls for 43 BC. In April 43, Antony's forces were defeated at the Battles of Forum Gallorum and Mutina, forcing Antony to retreat to Transalpine Gaul. However, both consuls were killed, leaving Octavian in sole command of their armies.

When they knew that Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius were assembling an army in order to march on Rome, Antony, Octavian and Lepidus allied in November 43 BC, forming the Second Triumvirate to stop Caesar's assassins. Brutus and Cassius were defeated by Antony and Octavian at the Battle of Philippi in October 42 BC. After the battle, a new arrangement was made between the members of the Second Triumvirate: while Octavian returned to Rome, Antony went on to govern the east. Lepidus went on to govern Hispania and the province of Africa. The triumvirate's enemies were subjected to proscription including Mark Antony's archenemy Cicero who was killed on December 7, 43 BC.

Antony and Cleopatra[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Antony and Cleopatra, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1883).

Antony summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus in October 41 BC. There they formed an alliance and became lovers. Antony returned to Alexandria with her, where he spent the winter of 41 BC – 40 BC. In spring 40 BC he was forced to return to Rome following news of his wife Fulvia's involvement in civil strife with Octavian on his behalf. Fulvia died while Antony was en-route to Sicyon (where Fulvia was exiled). Antony made peace with Octavian in September 40 BC and married Octavian's sister Octavia Minor.

The Parthian Empire had supported Brutus and Cassius in the civil war, sending forces which fought with them at Philippi; following Antony and Octavian's victory, the Parthians invaded Roman territory, occupying Syria, advancing into Asia Minor and installing Antigonus as puppet king in Judaea to replace the pro-Roman Hyrcanus. Antony sent his general Ventidius to oppose this invasion. Ventidius won a series of victories against the Parthians, killing the crown prince Pacorus and expelling them from the Roman territories they had seized.

Antony now planned to retaliate by invading Parthia, and secured an agreement from Octavian to supply him with extra troops for his campaign. With this military purpose on his mind, Antony sailed to Greece with Octavia, where he behaved in a most extravagant manner, assuming the attributes of the Greek god Dionysus in 39 BC. But the rebellion in Sicily of Sextus Pompeius, the last of the Pompeians, kept the army promised to Antony in Italy. With his plans again disrupted, Antony and Octavian quarreled once more. This time with the help of Octavia, a new treaty was signed in Tarentum in 38 BC. The triumvirate was renewed for a period of another five years (ending in 33 BC) and Octavian promised again to send legions to the East.

But by now, Antony was skeptical of Octavian's true support of his Parthian cause. Leaving Octavia pregnant with her second child Antonia in Rome, he sailed to Alexandria, where he expected funding from Cleopatra, the mother of his twins. The queen of Egypt lent him the money he needed for the army, and after capturing Jerusalem and surrounding areas in 37 BC, he installed Herod as puppet king of Judaea, replacing the Parthian appointee Antigonus.

Antony then invaded Parthian territory with an army of about 100,000 Roman and allied troops but the campaign proved a disaster. After defeats in battle, the desertion of his Armenian allies and his failure to capture Parthian strongholds convinced Antony to retreat, his army was further depleted by the hardships of its retreat through Armenia in the depths of winter, losing more than a quarter of its strength in the course of the campaign.

Meanwhile, in Rome, the triumvirate was no more. Octavian forced Lepidus to resign after the older triumvir attempted an ill-judged political move. Now in sole power, Octavian was occupied in wooing the traditional Republican aristocracy to his side. He married Livia and started to attack Antony in order to raise himself to power. He argued that Antony was a man of low morals to have left his faithful wife abandoned in Rome with the children to be with the promiscuous queen of Egypt. Antony was accused of everything, but most of all, of "going native", an unforgivable crime to the proud Romans. Several times Antony was summoned to Rome, but remained in Alexandria with Cleopatra.

A map of the Donations of Alexandria (by Mark Antony to Cleopatra and her children) in 34 BC.

Again with Egyptian money, Antony invaded Armenia, this time successfully. In the return, a mock Roman Triumph was celebrated in the streets of Alexandria. The parade through the city was a pastiche of Rome's most important military celebration. For the finale, the whole city was summoned to hear a very important political statement. Surrounded by Cleopatra and her children, Antony ended his alliance with Octavian.

He distributed kingdoms between his children: Alexander Helios was named king of Armenia, Media and Parthia (which were never conquered by Rome), his twin Selene got Cyrenaica and Libya, and the young Ptolemy Philadelphus was awarded Syria and Cilicia. As for Cleopatra, she was proclaimed Queen of Kings and Queen of Egypt, to rule with Caesarion (Ptolemy XV Caesar, son of Cleopatra by Julius Caesar), King of Kings and King of Egypt. Most important of all, Caesarion was declared legitimate son and heir of Caesar. These proclamations were known as the Donations of Alexandria and caused a fatal breach in Antony's relations with Rome.

While the distribution of nations among Cleopatra's children was hardly a conciliatory gesture, it did not pose an immediate threat to Octavian's political position. Far more dangerous was the acknowledgment of Caesarion as legitimate and heir to Caesar's name. Octavian's base of power was his link with Caesar through adoption, which granted him much-needed popularity and loyalty of the legions. To see this convenient situation attacked by a child borne by the richest woman in the world was something Octavian could not accept. The triumvirate expired on the last day of 33 BC and was not renewed. Another civil war was beginning.

The Battle of Actium, by Lorenzo Castro, 1672, National Maritime Museum, London.

During 33 and 32 BC, a propaganda war was fought in the political arena of Rome, with accusations flying between sides. Antony (in Egypt) divorced Octavia and accused Octavian of being a social upstart, of usurping power, and of forging the adoption papers by Caesar. Octavian responded with treason charges: of illegally keeping provinces that should be given to other men by lots, as was Rome's tradition, and of starting wars against foreign nations (Armenia and Parthia) without the consent of the Senate.

Antony was also held responsible for Sextus Pompeius' execution with no trial. In 32 BC, the Senate deprived him of his powers and declared war against Cleopatra – not Antony, because Octavian had no wish to advertise his role in perpetuating Rome's internecine bloodshed. Both consuls, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Gaius Sosius, and a third of the Senate abandoned Rome to meet Antony and Cleopatra in Greece.

In 31 BC, the war started. Octavian's loyal and talented general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa captured the Greek city and naval port of Methone, loyal to Antony. The enormous popularity of Octavian with the legions secured the defection of the provinces of Cyrenaica and Greece to his side. On September 2, the naval battle of Actium took place. Antony and Cleopatra's navy was destroyed, and they were forced to escape to Egypt with 60 ships.

Octavian, now close to absolute power, did not intend to give them rest. In August 30 BC, assisted by Agrippa, he invaded Egypt. With no other refuge to escape to, Antony committed suicide by stabbing himself with his sword in the mistaken belief that Cleopatra had already done so. When he found out that Cleopatra was still alive, his friends brought him to Cleopatra's monument in which she was hiding, and he died in her arms.

Cleopatra was allowed to conduct Antony's burial rites after she had been captured by Octavian. Realising that she was destined for Octavian's triumph in Rome, she made several attempts to take her life and was finally successful in mid-August. Octavian had Caesarion murdered, but he spared Antony's children by Cleopatra, who were paraded through the streets of Rome. Antony's daughters by Octavia were spared, as was his son, Iullus Antonius. But his elder son, Marcus Antonius Antyllus, was killed by Octavian's men while pleading for his life in the Caesareum.

Aftermath and legacy[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Cicero's son, Cicero Minor, announced Antony's death to the senate. Antony's honours were revoked and his statues removed (damnatio memoriae). Cicero also made a decree that no member of the Antonii would ever bear the name Marcus again. “In this way Heaven entrusted the family of Cicero the final acts in the punishment of Antony.”^[13]

When Antony died, Octavian became uncontested ruler of Rome. In the following years, Octavian, who was known as Augustus after 27 BC, managed to accumulate in his person all administrative, political, and military offices. When Augustus died in 14 AD, his political powers passed to his adopted son Tiberius; the Roman Principate had begun.

The rise of Caesar and the subsequent civil war between his two most powerful adherents effectively ended the credibility of the Roman oligarchy as a governing power and ensured that all future power struggles would centre upon which of two (or more) individuals would achieve supreme control of the government, rather than upon an individual in conflict with the Senate. Thus Antony, as Caesar's key adherent and one of the two men around whom power coalesced following his assassination, was one of the three men chiefly responsible for the fall of the Roman Republic.

Marriages and issue[link]

Antony had been married in succession to Fadia, Antonia, Fulvia, Octavia and Cleopatra, and left behind him a number of children. Through his daughters by Octavia, he would be ancestor to the Roman Emperors Caligula, Claudius and Nero.

1. Marriage to Fadia, a daughter of a freedman. According to Cicero, Fadia bore Antony several children. Nothing is known about Fadia or their children. Cicero is the only Roman source that mentions Antony’s first wife.
2. Marriage to first paternal cousin Antonia Hybrida Minor. According to Plutarch, Antony threw her out of his house in Rome, because she slept with his friend, the tribune Publius Cornelius Dolabella. This occurred by 47 BC and Antony divorced her. By Antonia, he had a daughter:
   • Antonia, granddaughter of Gaius Antonius Hybrida, married the wealthy Greek Pythodoros of Tralles.
3. Marriage to Fulvia, by whom he had two sons:
   • Marcus Antonius Antyllus, murdered by Octavian in 30 BC.
   • Iullus Antonius, married Claudia Marcella Major, daughter of Octavia.
4. Marriage to Octavia the Younger, sister of Octavian, later Augustus; they had two daughters:
   • Antonia Major, married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 16 BC); maternal grandmother of the Empress Valeria Messalina and paternal grandmother of the Emperor Nero.
   • Antonia Minor, married Nero Claudius Drusus, the younger son of the Empress Livia Drusilla and brother of the Emperor Tiberius; mother of the Emperor Claudius, grandmother of the Emperor Caligula and Empress Agrippina the Younger, and maternal great-grandmother of the emperor Nero.
5. Children with the Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, the former lover of Julius Caesar:
   • The twins Alexander Helios & Cleopatra Selene II. Selene married King Juba II of Numidia and later Mauretania; the queen of Syria, Zenobia of Palmyra, is reportedly descended from Selene and Juba II.
   • Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Descendants[link]

Through his youngest daughters, Antony would become ancestor to most of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the very family he had fought unsuccessfully to defeat. Through his eldest daughter, he would become ancestor to the long line of kings and co-rulers of the Bosporan Kingdom, the longest-living Roman client kingdom, as well as the rulers and royalty of several other Roman client states. Through his daughter by Cleopatra, Antony would become ancestor to the royal family of Mauretania, another Roman client kingdom, while through his sole surviving son Iullus, he would be ancestor to several famous Roman statesmen.

1. Antonia, born 50 BC, had 1 child

A. Pythodorida of Pontus, 30 BC or 29 BC – 38 AD, had 3 children

I. Artaxias III, King of Armenia, 13 BC – 35 AD, died without issue

II. Polemon II, King of Pontus, 12 BC or 11 BC – 74 AD, died without issue

III. Antonia Tryphaena, Queen of Thrace, 10 BC – 55 AD, had 4 children

a. Rhoemetalces II, King of Thrace, died 38 AD, died without issue

b. Gepaepyris, Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom, had 2 children

i. Tiberius Julius Mithridates, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 68 AD, died without issue

ii. Tiberius Julius Cotys I, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis I, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 90 AD, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Sauromates I, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Cotys II, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, had 1 child

i. Rhoemetalces, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 153 AD, had 1 child

i. Eupator, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 174 AD, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Sauromates II, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 210 AD or 211 AD, had 2 children

i. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis II, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 227 AD, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis III,King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 227 AD

ii. Tiberius Julius Cotys III, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 235 AD, had 3 children

i. Tiberius Julius Sauromates III, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 232 AD

ii. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis IV, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 235 AD

iii. Tiberius Julius Ininthimeus, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 240 AD, had 1 child

i. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis V, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 276 AD, had 3 children

i. Tiberius Julius Pharsanzes, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 254 AD

ii. Synges, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 276 AD

iii. Tiberius Julius Teiranes, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 279 AD, had 2 children

i. Tiberius Julius Sauromates IV, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 276 AD

ii. Theothorses, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 309 AD, had 3 children

i. Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis VI, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 342 AD

ii. Rhadamsades, King of the Bosporan Kingdom, died 323 AD

iii. Nana, Queen of Caucasian Iberia, died 363 AD

i. Rev II of Iberia

ii. Aspacures II of Iberia

c. Cotys IX, King of Lesser Armenia

d. Pythodoris II of Thrace, died without issue

2. Marcus Antonius Antyllus, 47 BC – 30 BC, died without issue

3. Iullus Antonius, 43 BC – 2 BC, had 3 children

A. Lucius Antonius, 20 BC – 34 AD, had 2 children

I. Marcus Antonius Primus, 30/35 AD – after 81 AD

II. Antonia Postuma, born 34 AD

B. Gaius Antonius

C. Iulla Antonia, born after 19 BC

4. Prince Alexander Helios of Egypt, born 40 BC, died without issue (presumably)^[14]

5. Cleopatra Selene, Queen of Mauretania, 40 BC – 6 AD, had 2 children

A. Ptolemy, King of Mauretania, 1 BC – 40 AD, had 1 child

I. Drusilla, Queen of Emesa, 38 AD – 79 AD, had 1 child

a. Gaius Julius Alexio, King of Emesa, had 1 child

i. Gaius Julius Fabia Sampsiceramus III Silas, King of Emesa, had at least 1 child^[15]

B. Princess Drusilla of Mauretania, born 5 AD or 8 BC

6. Antonia Major, 39 BC – before 25 AD, had 3 children

A. Domitia Lepida the Elder, c. 19 BC – 59 AD, had 1 child

I. Quintus Haterius Antoninus

B. Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, 17 BC – 40 AD, had 1 child

I. Nero (see line of Antonia Minor below)

C. Domitia Lepida the Younger, 10 BC – 54 AD, had 3 children

I. Marcus Valerius Messala Corvinus

II. Valeria Messalina, 17 AD or 20 AD – 48 AD, had 2 children

a. (Messalina was the mother of the two youngest children of the Roman Emperor Claudius listed below)

III. Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix, 22 AD – 62 AD, had 1 child

a. a son (this child and the only child of the Claudia Antonia listed below are the same person)

7. Antonia Minor, 36 BC – 37 AD, had 3 children

A. Germanicus, 16 BC or 15 BC – 19 AD, had 6 children

I. Nero Caesar, 6 AD – 30 AD, died without issue

II. Drusus Caesar, 7 AD – 33 AD, died without issue

III. Caligula, 12 AD – 41 AD, had 1 child;

a. Julia Drusilla, 39 AD – 41 AD, died young

IV. Agrippina the Younger, 15 AD – 59, had 1 child;

a. Nero, 37 AD – 68 AD , had 1 child;

i. Claudia Augusta, Jan. 63 AD – April 63 AD, died young

V. Julia Drusilla, 16 AD – 38 AD, died without issue

VI. Julia Livilla, 18 AD – 42 AD, died without issue

B. Livilla, 13 BC – 31 AD, had three children

I. Julia, 5 AD – 43 AD, had 4 children

a. Gaius Rubellius Plautus, 33 AD – 62 AD, had several children^[16]

b. Rubellia Bassa, born between 33 AD and 38 AD, had at least 1 child^[17]

i. Octavius Laenas, had at least 1 child

i. Sergius Octavius Laenas Pontianus

c. Gaius Rubellius Blandus

d. Rubellius Drusus

II. Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus, 19AD – 37 AD or 38 AD, died without issue

III. Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus II Gemellus, 19 AD – 23 AD, died young

C. Claudius, 10 BC – 54 AD, had 4 children

I. Claudius Drusus, died young

II. Claudia Antonia, c. 30 AD – 66 AD, had 1 child

a. a son, died young

III. Claudia Octavia, 39 AD or 40AD – 62 AD, died without issue

IV. Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, 41 AD – 55 AD, died without issue

8. Prince Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt, 36 BC – 29 BC, died without issue (presumably)^[14]

Artistic portrayals[link]

Works in which the character of Mark Antony plays a central role include:

Dramas[link]

• William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, and the films made from these two plays (played by Marlon Brando and Robert Speaight, respectively).
• John Dryden's All for Love
• The 1934 film Cleopatra (played by Henry Wilcoxon)
• The 1963 film Cleopatra (played by Richard Burton)
• The TV series Xena: Warrior Princess (played by Manu Bennett)
• The HBO/BBC TV series Rome (see Mark Antony (character)) (played by James Purefoy)
• The Capcom Video Game Shadow of Rome, in which he is depicted as the main antagonist
• The 1999 film Cleopatra (played by Billy Zane)
• The 2005 TV mini series Empire (played by Vincent Regan)
• Giles Coren portrayed Mark Antony in the sixth episode of the second series of The Supersizers Eat (aired BBC One, 9:00 pm Monday July 27, 2009)
• BBC One docudrama Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (played by Alex Ferns)
• The 2010 EA video game Dante's Inferno as a boss alongside a giant Cleopatra in the second circle of hell (lust), his last words to Cleopatra are "you said we'd be together for eternity" before disappearing.

Novels[link]

• Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series, Antony is portrayed as a deeply flawed character, a brave warrior but sexually promiscuous, often drunk and foolish, and a monster of vanity who loves riding in a chariot drawn by lions.
• The Memoirs of Cleopatra, a novel by Margaret George
• Conn Iggulden's Emperor novels

Poetry[link]

• Constantine P. Cavafy's poem The God Abandons Antony, a hymn to human's dignity, depicts the imaginary last moments of Mark Antony while he sees his fortunes turning around.
• Lytle, William Haines (1826–1863), Antony and Cleopatra

Notes[link]

References[link]

Wikinews has related news: Egyptian archaeologist finds artifacts which may lead to Cleopatra's tomb

Primary sources[link]

• Dio Cassius xli.–liii
• Appian, Bell. Civ. i.–v.
• Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico and Commentarii de Bello Civili
• Cicero, Letters and Philippics
  • Orations: The fourteen Philippics against Marcus Antonius ~ Tufts University Classics Collection
• Plutarch, Parallel Lives (Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans)
  • Plutarch's Parallel Lives: "Antony" ~ Internet Classics Archive (MIT)
  • Plutarch's Parallel Lives: "Life of Antony" – Loeb Classical Library edition, 1920
  • Plutarch's Parallel Lives: "The Comparison of Demetrius and Antony" ~ Internet Classics Archive (MIT)

Secondary sources[link]

• Babcock, C.L. (1965). "The early career of Fulvia". American Journal of Philology 86: 1–32. 
• Charlesworth, M. P.; Tarn, W. W. (1965). Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 
• Eyben, Emiel (1993). Restless youth in ancient Rome. Psychology Press. ISBN 0-415-04366-2. 
• Gowing, Alain M. (1992). The Triumviral Narratives of Appian and Cassius Dio. Michigan Monographs in Classical Antiquity. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 
• Huzar, Eleanor G. (1978). Mark Antony: A Biography. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-0863-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=Pos8_zvVYDUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=biography&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HzMfT8a1KsSc2AXTouyTDw&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
• Jones, A.M.H. (1938). The Herods of Judaea. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 
• Lindsay, Jack (1936). Marc Antony, His World and His Contemporaries. London: G. Routledge & Sons. 
• Scullard, Howard Hayes (1984). From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome from 133 BC to AD 68. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-02527-3. 
• Southern, Pat (1998). Mark Antony. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1406-2. 
• Syme, R. (1939). The Roman Revolution. Oxford: Clarendon. 
• Weigall, Arthur (1931). The Life and Times of Marc Antony. New York: G.P. Putnam and Sons. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5J8OAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+life+and+times+of+mark+antony&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rdkjT4v1DOjS0QWj0tDNCg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=the%20life%20and%20times%20of%20mark%20antony&f=false. 
• Suerbaum, Werner (1980). "Merkwürdige Geburtstage". Chiron (10): 327–355. 
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links[link]

Media related to Marcus Antonius at Wikimedia Commons

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2008)

Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony performs at the White House's "Fiesta Latina", South Lawn, October 13, 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Marco Antonio Muñiz
Born	(1968-09-16) September 16, 1968 (age 43) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Latin, salsa, pop, Latin pop, dance-pop, freestyle (early)
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	RMM Records & Video, Columbia, Sony Music Latin
Website	www.marcanthonyonline.com

Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally by his stage name Marc Anthony, is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and three-time Latin Grammy–winner has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads.

Anthony has won numerous awards and his achievements have been honored through various recognitions. He was the recipient of the 2009 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Chair's Award. He also received the "2009 CHCI Chair's Lifetime Achievement Award" on September 16, 2009.^[1] Anthony holds the record having the most number-one singles on the Billboard Tropical Songs.^[2]

Anthony is a minority owner/limited partner of the Miami Dolphins NFL team.^[3]

Early life[link]

Marco Antonio Muñiz, known professionally by his stage name Marc Anthony, born in New York City to Guillerminna, a housewife, and Felipe Muñiz, a musician and hospital lunchroom worker.^[4] Anthony is of Puerto Rican descent, and his parents named him after Mexican singer Marco Antonio Muñiz. Anthony grew up in East Harlem as the youngest of 7 children.^[5][6] He was raised Roman Catholic.^[7]

Singing career[link]

Muñiz began his career as a session vocalist for freestyle and Underground New York house music acts. After changing his name to avoid confusion with his namesake, Anthony worked as a songwriter and backing vocalist for pop acts including Menudo and the Latin Rascals. His first album was a freestyle music record, "Rebel", in 1988 on Bluedog Records. That same year he wrote and produced "Boy I've Been Told" for fellow freestyle artist Sa-Fire. Then in 1989, he sang backup vocals for Ann-Marie on the freestyle club hit, "With or Without You" produced by Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry. A year later, 1990, with Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry, Marc wrote and whispered a duet with Chrissy I-eece, called "You Should Know By Now". In 1991, he sang backing vocals on another freestyle track by Edmond^{[disambiguation needed ]} titled "Come Back To Me". In 1992, still working with Todd Terry, he provided vocals for "Love Change" which is on the flip-side of a 12" vinyl released by Elan and The Powermachine titled "Here's Your Hat", production of Todd Terry. At the same time, he collaborated with music producer Little Louie Vega, who featured the singer on many another freestyle-flavored club hits "Ride On The Rhythm" and the "When The Night Is Over" album, which featured the Freestyle classic "Time". In 1992, Vega and Anthony opened for Latin bandleader Tito Puente at New York's Madison Square Garden. After 1992, he changed his style from freestyle to salsa and other Latin styles.

RMM Records[link]

Otra Nota (1993) Anthony was initially reluctant to become a salsa musician and declined an offer to make a salsa album when Ralph Mercado, president of RMM Records, asked him. Anthony was in a taxi when he heard Juan Gabriel's hit song, "Hasta Que Te Conocí" which influenced him to change his mind and ask Mercado if he could record it as a salsa tune.^[8] Inspired by the music of Tito Puente, Rubén Blades and Juan Gabriel, Anthony released his Spanish-language debut, Otra nota, in 1993. Anthony performed at the Radio y Musica Convention hosted by Alfredo Alonso.^[9] "Si Tu No Te Fueras", "El Ultimo Beso", "Palabras Del Alma", The album also included a cover of Bread's song, "Make It with You". Subsequent tours throughout the Americas, including an opening slot for Blades, established Anthony as one of the new stars in salsa. In 1994, he was featured in La India's album Dicen Que Soy, on the song "Vivir Lo Nuestro".

His 1995 follow-up, Todo a su tiempo, won Anthony a Billboard award for Hot Tropical Artist of the Year. The album was also nominated for a Grammy with songs like "Te Conozco Bien", "Hasta Ayer", "Nadie Como Ella", "Se Me Sigue Olvidando", "Te Amare", and "Llegaste A Mi". The album has sold more than 800,000 copies and has become established gold in the US and in Puerto Rico.

Anthony's next Spanish language album, Contra la Corriente, was followed by the television special Marc Anthony: The Concert from Madison Square Garden, broadcast on HBO on Valentine's Day 2000. The special was nominated for Music Special of the Year from TV Guide. The album's song "Y Hubo Alguien" became his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks Chart and the first by a salsa musician.^{[citation needed]} The album became the first salsa album to enter the English language Billboard 200 chart.^{[citation needed]} After an ongoing battle with RMM, he severed ties with Ralph Mercado and left the label in 1999.^{[citation needed]}

Move to Sony[link]

Anthony subsequently recorded the duet "No Me Ames" with Jennifer Lopez on her album On the 6, giving her an assist in her Spanish language crossover attempt.

In 1999, riding the crossover wave of Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin in the Anglophone market, Anthony, working with producers Walter Afanasieff, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea, and Rodney Jerkins, released an English-language, self-titled album with the US Top 5 single "I Need to Know", and the Spanish version, "Dímelo". His song "You Sang To Me" was featured in Runaway Bride. A dance version was remixed by Dutch producer Rene Van Verseveld. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard album chart, and six weeks later went platinum; it eventually was certified triple platinum.The song "I Need To Know" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

	"¿Ahora Quién?" (2004) noicon Sample of the first single from his 2004 album "Amar Sin Mentiras".
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

In 2001, he debuted another salsa album, Libre, which was certified gold with songs like "Celos", "Este Loco Que Te Mira", and "Viviendo". The album spent 14 weeks at the number-one spot on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The year after that, he made another English-language album, Mended.

In June 2004, Anthony released a Latin pop album, Amar Sin Mentiras. The following month, he reintroduced its songs with a danceable salsa rhythm in another album, Valio La Pena. The song "Escapémonos" was a duet with Jennifer Lopez. In the 2005 Latin Grammy Awards, his Amar Sin Mentiras won best Latin Pop Album of The Year, and his Valió La Pena won Best Tropical Album of the Year. Lopez and Anthony performed "Escapémonos" at the 2005 Grammy Awards.

Marc Anthony in 2006

On July 11, 2006, Anthony released Sigo Siendo Yo, a Spanish greatest-hits album. On May 2010 realized "Iconos" – as tribute of old Latin songs by artists such as José Luis Perales, Juan Gabriel and José José.^[10]

Acting career[link]

Anthony played supporting roles in projects including 1995's Hackers, and 1996's Big Night and The Substitute. He appeared with Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican pop singer Ednita Nazario in Paul Simon's 1998 stage musical, The Capeman, which ran for 68 performances. He had a role in Martin Scorsese's 1999 drama Bringing Out the Dead, and in 2001, opposite Salma Hayek, was in the film In the Time of the Butterflies. In Man On Fire (2004), Anthony, opposite Denzel Washington, played a wealthy businessman who hires a former U.S. Marine to protect his daughter from kidnappers in Mexico City. In 2007, Anthony starred in El Cantante, a biographical drama about the life of salsa music legend Héctor Lavoe, who died in 1993 from AIDS complications. Anthony's then-wife, Jennifer Lopez, narrated the story and portrayed Lavoe's wife. The film, released in August 2007, received strong reviews. In 2010, Anthony guest-starred in two episodes of the TNT medical drama "HawthoRNe" as a detective and the title character's (Jada Pinkett Smith) love interest. He was later named the executive music producer of the show.^{[citation needed]} Anthony worked with ex-wife Lopez and director-choeographer Jamie King in late 2011 on a Latin talent series created by Simon Fuller, called Q'Viva! The Chosen. It follows Lopez and Anthony as they travel across 21 countries to find new talent.^[11]

Appearances[link]

This section, except for one claim, needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

He appeared at the Movies Rock concert along with his wife Jennifer Lopez in 2007 where he performed Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson".

Anthony sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" when Oscar De La Hoya fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC Super Welterweight title.

On September 21, 2001 he also sang the national anthem at Shea Stadium in the first game after the attack on the World Trade Center. On September 28, 2008, he sang the national anthem again at Shea Stadium for the New York Mets final regular season game. Also in 2001 he appeared in the 30th anniversary concert celebration 30 years of Michael Jackson's music. On September 11, 2011, he once again sang the national anthem at Citi Field in remembrance of the 10 year anniversary of the attacks.

On October 12, 2009, Anthony sang the national anthem as the Miami Dolphins played their fifth regular season game against the New York Jets.

In 2010, Anthony appeared alongside Pitbull on the Cypress Hill single "Armada Latina" for their latest album, Rise Up.

On June 25, 2010, Anthony performed as part of a tribute concert to Michael Jackson on CBS News' The Early Show.^[12]

In August, 2010, Anthony guest-starred in two episodes of the television series HawthoRNe as Detective Nick Renata.

On November 11, 2010 Anthony performed his cover of "Y Como Es El" along with the original singer José Luis Perales at the Latin Grammys.

On June 12, 2011 Anthony performed "The Star Spangled Banner" before Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals.

On July 22, 2011 Anthony appeared on the Pitbull single "Rain Over Me" for Pitbull's latest album, PlanetPit

Personal life[link]

In 1994, Anthony's ex-girlfriend Debbie, a NYC police officer, gave birth to their daughter Ariana.

Marc married former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres on May 9, 2000 in Las Vegas. They have two sons, Cristian Marcus Muñiz (February 5, 2001) and Ryan Adrian Muñiz (August 16, 2003). There were many problems in the marriage, and the couple separated in early 2002. They later reconciled and renewed their vows in a formal ceremony on December 7, 2002 at San Juan's Cathedral in Puerto Rico. The rocky marriage came to an end in October 2003 with Dayanara filing for divorce in January 2004. To help in her recovery from the divorce, Dayanara traded her engagement ring for a diamond-encrusted Cartier watch and wrote the book Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce.

When his divorce proceedings began, Anthony was spotted with long-time friend Jennifer Lopez. Prior to his first marriage and her second, they had briefly dated. Lopez and Anthony recorded a duet in 2004, for Lopez's film Shall We Dance?. Lopez and Anthony married on June 5, 2004, less than a week after his divorce was finalized. Guests had been invited to an "afternoon party", unaware they were attending a wedding.^[13] In February 2005, Lopez said about the marriage, "Everyone knows. It's not a secret."^[14] Months later, Anthony's daughter appeared in Lopez's video^[15] "Get Right".

Lopez gave birth to their children, twins Emme Maribel Muñiz and Maximillian David Muñiz on February 22, 2008. People (magazine) paid $6 million for the first photos of the twins.^[16][17] As of at least January 2008, Anthony and his family reside in Brookville, New York, on Long Island.^[18]

In 2009, Anthony and Lopez purchased a stake in the Miami Dolphins. They joined several personalities in buying small stakes in the club, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Venus and Serena Williams, and Fergie.^[19]

Anthony and Lopez separated in July 2011, and Anthony filed for divorce on April 9, 2012.^[20] Even though they are separating, their upcoming international talent show, "Q'Viva! The Chosen" and Kohl's fashion and home lines will go as planned.^[21]

Discography[link]

External audio
	You may listen to Marc Anthony's interpretation of Hernandez' "Preciosa" here
	and "Lamento Borincano" here

Studio albums[link]

• 1991: When the Night is Over
• 1993: Otra Nota
• 1995: Todo a Su Tiempo
• 1997: Hasta Que Te Conoci
• 1997: Contra la Corriente
• 1999: Marc Anthony
• 2001: Libre
• 2002: Mended
• 2004: Amar Sin Mentiras
• 2004: Valió la Pena
• 2006: Sigo siendo yo
• 2007: El Cantante
• 2010: Iconos

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

See also[link]

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal
	Music portal
	Latin America music portal
	Film portal

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Marc Anthony

• Official Website
• Marc Anthony at Billboard.com
• Marc Anthony at the Internet Movie Database

Jennifer Lopez
Lopez arriving at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards in August 2004
Born	Jennifer Lynn Lopez (1969-07-24) July 24, 1969 (age 42) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, businesswoman, dancer, recording artist
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Ojani Noa (1997–98) Cris Judd (2001–03) Marc Anthony (2004–present, divorce filed)
Partner	David Cruz (1984–94)
Children	2
Relatives	Lynda Lopez (sister)
Signature
Website
www.jenniferlopez.com www.jenniferlopezonline.com

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969) is an American actress, businesswoman, dancer and recording artist. Often referred to as J.Lo, she is reportedly the highest earning actress of Latin descent.^[1][2] Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, she enrolled in singing and dancing classes as a child and grew up in a musically influenced household. She started her career as a fly girl on the television comedy program In Living Color and a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson. Lopez gained recognition in the action-thriller Money Train (1995). Her first leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), which was her breakthrough role, earning her an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress and Golden Globe nomination. She earned her second ALMA Award for her performance in Out of Sight (1998), which made her the highest-paid Latin actress. She has since appeared in various films including The Cell (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Shall We Dance? (2004), Monster-in-Law (2005), The Back-up Plan (2010) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012).

In 1998, Lopez began recording her debut album and released On the 6 (1999), which spawned the hit singles "If You Had My Love" and "Waiting for Tonight". Her second album J.Lo (2001) reached number one on the Billboard 200 the same week her film The Wedding Planner led the box office, becoming the first person to achieve a number one film and album in the same week. It spawned the number-one single "I'm Real" which spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and "Love Don't Cost a Thing". She released J to tha L–O! The Remixes (2002), which became the first number-one remix album in the United States. Her third and fourth studio albums, This Is Me... Then (2002) and Rebirth (2005) reached number two. In 2007 she released her first full Spanish album Como ama una Mujer. Returning to music in 2011, she released her seventh album Love?, which spawned her most successful single "On the Floor", one of the best-selling singles of all time.

By 2010, Lopez had amassed estimated sales of over 55 million records worldwide,^[3] Billboard ranked her as the 27th Artist of the 2000s decade.^[4] In 2010, Lopez became a member of the judging panel for the American reality television competition American Idol.^[5] She was selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.^[6] She led People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics" in February 2007.^[7] That year, Lopez made the Forbes magazine's list of "The 20 Richest Women In Entertainment," ranking ninth.^[8] In 2012, Forbes placed her number one on their list of "100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the World".^[9] She has appeared multiple times on The Hollywood Reporter's Annual Actress Salary List, and is the highest-paid Latin actress in Hollywood.^[10]

Lopez also has a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement.^[11] She has worked with L'Oreal since 1999.^[12] A fashion icon, several of her dresses have received considerable media attention, most notably the Jungle green Versace dress which she wore at the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2000—voted the fifth most iconic red carpet dress of all time.^[13][14] Lopez advocates for human rights and vaccinations, and is a supporter of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In 2011 she was named the most "Beautiful Person" by People magazine in its annual issue.^[15] As of 2012, her net worth is estimated to be $250 million—she has been named one of the wealthiest and most influential Hispanics in the United States.^[16] Lopez's personal life has also garnered media attention, particularly her high profiled relationships.

Life and career[link]

1969–94: Childhood and early work[link]

Castle Hill, The Bronx: the neighborhood in which Lopez was born and raised.

Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969^[17] in the Castle Hill neighborhood of The Bronx, New York. The middle child of Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez,^[18] she has an elder sister, Leslie, and a younger sister, Lynda (born June 14, 1971). David worked the night shift at the Guardian Insurance Company, before becoming a computer technician at the firm, while Guadalupe was a homemaker. When Jennifer was born, the Lopez family was living in a small apartment. A few years later, her parents had saved up enough money to be able to purchase a two-story house, which was considered a big deal for the relatively poor family.

By the age of five, Lopez began taking singing and dancing lessons. She toured New York with her school when she was seven years old.^[19] Her parents stressed the importance of work ethic and being able to speak English. They encouraged their three daughters to put on performances at home, singing and dancing in front of each other and their friends so that they would stay "out of trouble".^[19] Raised as a Roman Catholic;^[20][21][22] Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all-girls Preston High School.^[23] In school, Lopez did gymnastics, ran track on a national level and was a member of the school's softball team.^[24] She excelled athletically rather than academically, competing in national track championships.^[19] In 1984, at age fifteen she began dating David Cruz, her first boyfriend.

While attending her final year of high school, Lopez learned about a film casting that was seeking several teenage girls for small roles. She auditioned and was cast in My Little Girl (1986), an low-budget film co-written and directed by Connie Kaiserman.^[25] Lopez acted as Myra, a young woman at a center for troubled girls. After she finished filming her role in the film, Lopez knew that she wanted to become a famous movie star. To please her parents, though, she enrolled in Baruch College, only to drop out after one semester. She told her parents her dream of becoming a movie star, but they ensisted that it was a "really stupid" idea and that "no Latinos did that". The differences in opinions led Lopez to move out of their family home and into an apartment in Manhattan. During this period, Lopez performed in regional productions of the musicals: Jesus Christ, Superstar! and Oklahoma. From there, she was hired for the chorus in a Golden Musicals of Broadway, which toured Europe for a period of five months. She was unhappy with the role, as she was the only member of the chorus not to have a solo. She later got a job on the show Synchronicity in Japan, where she acted as a dancer, singer and a choreographer.^[26]

Lopez gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1991. She applied for the job after one of the cast members was unavailable to continue with the show. Out of two thousand applicants, Lopez made it to the finals. She became the runner-up, but eventually received the role when the winner was unable to accept the job. She moved with Cruz to Los Angeles to film the series and remained a regular cast member until 1993 when she decided to pursue an acting career. After her departure from the show, Lopez became a backup dancer for Janet Jackson; also making an appearance in her 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes".^[27][28][29] Lopez received her first professional acting gig in the direct-to-video drama film Lost in the Wild (1993), co-starring alongside Lindsay Wagner and Robert Loggia.^[30] In 1993 and 1994 Lopez starred as Melinda Lopez in the CBS television series Second Chances and its spin-off Hotel Malibu. Both shows ran for only a brief period, receiving negative reviews.^{[31][32][33][34]}

[edit] 1995–98: Selena and first marriage

Lopez's received her first high-budget film role in Gregory Nava's 1995 drama My Family, playing the character of Young Maria in the 1920s.^[35] After starring alongside Jimmy Smits and Edward James Olmos in My Family, which earned her a Independent Spirit Award nomination, Lopez starred in the action film Money Train, opposite Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.^[36][37][38] In 1996, she reportedly beat out Ashley Judd and Lauren Holly for the supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy Jack starring Robin Williams.^[39] She then starred opposite Jack Nicholson in Bob Rafelson's well-received noir thriller Blood and Wine (1996).^[23]

Lopez's first big break came in 1996, when she was chosen to play the title role in Selena, a biopic of the Tejano pop singer Selena.^[23] Despite having previously worked with the film's director on My Family, Lopez was subjected to an intense auditioning process before she was cast in the film.^[41] Lopez played Selena in her twenties, while Rebecca Lee Maza played Selena in her younger years.^[42] During pre-production, Mexican-American activists were highly critical that Jennifer Lopez, a New York City native born to Puerto Rican parents, was selected to play Selena. They preferred an actress with Mexican roots. However, after seeing Lopez's portrayal of Selena, they revised their opinions and were more accepting of Nava's decision.^[43] Lopez earned widespread outstanding reviews and praise from critics for her portrayal of Selena. Kenneth Turan from Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan while giving the film a mixed review, he wrote that Selena was not just a celebration of Selena's life, but the actress who played her.^[44] Joe Baltake said that Lopez was "is sensational in the title role" and complimented her for pulling off lip-syncing to Selena's original tracks as her own, as she was not a trained singer at the time.^[45] She garnered multiple awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy".^{[citation needed]}

On February 22, 1997, Lopez married Cuban-born Ojani Noa, who she met while he worked as a waiter in a Miami restaurant; they were divorced by January 1998.^[46] Later that year, Lopez appeared in two major films. She starred in the horror film Anaconda alongside Ice Cube and Jon Voight, playing the role of Terri Flores, a director who is shooting a documentary while traveling through the Amazon River.^[47] Despite being a modest box office hit, the film was critically panned.^[48] Lopez then starred as the leading actress in the neo-noir film U Turn, which is based on the book Stray Dogs, starring alongside Sean Penn and Billy Bob Thornton.^[23] In 1998, she had one of her most acclaimed roles, starring opposite George Clooney in Out of Sight, Steven Soderbergh's adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel.^[23][49] Cast as a deputy federal marshal who falls for a charming criminal, Lopez won rave reviews for her performance and in the process she became the first Latina actress to earn over $1 million for a role.^[50][51] That same year, she provided the voice for Azteca on the computer-animated film Antz.^[52][53] Around this time, Lopez started dating rap mogul Sean Combs. Combs allegedly showered Lopez with diamonds and jewelry, the inspiration for her 2000 hit, "Love Don't Cost a Thing".^[54]

[edit] 1999–2001: On the 6, J.Lo, The Wedding Planner and second marriage

	"If You Had My Love" noicon a 22-second sample of Lopez's debut single—"If You Had My Love"—which shot to number one in the United States, commencing Lopez's musical career
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

By May 1999, publicity for Lopez's debut album had begun and the news spread fast.^[55] Lopez's debut album On the 6, a reference to the 6 subway line she used to take growing up in Castle Hill,^[23] was released on June 1, 1999, and reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. Her debut single, "If You Had My Love" was released on May 21, 1999, and reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of June 12, 1999.^[56][57] The song stayed on the chart for a total of 25 weeks.^[57] It was proceeded by the release of "Waiting for Tonight", which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a dance club hit.^[58] Prior to the release of "Waiting For Tonight" as a single, a Spanish language Latin-flavored ballad with Marc Anthony "No Me Ames" was released and failed to chart on major charts.^[55][56] On the 6 featured guest artists such as Big Pun and Fat Joe on the track "Feelin' So Good", which had moderate success on the Billboard Hot 100, however failed to reach the top 50. "Let's Get Loud", the final single, earned Lopez a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Dance Recording" category of the 2001 Grammy Awards.^[59] "Waiting for Tonight" was nominated for the same category the previous year.^[60] "No Me Ames" received two nominations at the 2000 Latin Grammy Awards – "Best Pop Duo/Group with Vocal Performance" and "Best Music Video". In addition, Lopez was nominated for more awards then any other at the 1999 The Billboard Music Video Awards, scoring seven nominations in total, leading the likes of Christina Aguilera.^[61]

On February 23, 2000, Lopez showed up to the 42nd Grammy Awards with Combs wearing a plunging exotic green Versace silk chiffon dress, which became known as the "Green Versace Jungle Dress" by Lopez. The dress, known for its low cut neck that extended before her navel and its open back, caused much controversy and garnered media attention. Images of Lopez in the green dress were downloaded from the Grammy website 642,917 times in just 24 hours after the event.^[62] Lopez was surprised by the enormous media coverage, declaring in an interview: "It was a nice dress. I had no idea it was going to become such a big deal."^[63] Versace later revealed that the dress was the turning point of her career, saying that the media now had confidence in her own work, after the death of Gianni Versace.^[63] With the release and promotion of On The 6 over, Lopez had successfully converted herself from film star to pop star within 12 months.^[64] Around this time, Lopez's fans started to dub her as "J.Lo". Lopez then starred opposite Vincent D'Onofrio, in the psychological thriller film The Cell, released on August 18, 2000.^[65] She portrayed Catherine Deane, a child psychologist who uses virtual reality to enter into the minds of her patients to coax them out of their comas. The film was released in August 2000 and became a box-office success, opening at number one.^[49][66]

By August 2000, Lopez had begun work on her sophomore album.^[67][68] J.Lo was released on January 23, 2001, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, exceeding sales of 270,000 copies in its first week.^[69][70] In addition, the album dethroned The Beatles from the top spot.^[70] At the same time, her romantic comedy film, The Wedding Planner, which she starred in alongside Matthew McConaughey led box office receipts,^[71][72] making Lopez the first female to have a film and an album at number one in the same week.^[23][69][71] J.Lo was more urban oriented than On the 6. The lead single, "Love Don't Cost a Thing", was her first number-one single in the United Kingdom and took her into the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.^[73] She followed it up with "Play" which gave her another top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number three in the UK.^[74] The album's third single "I'm Real" reached number one on the Hot 100, as well as spending over a year on the chart, with a total of 62 weeks.^[74] "I'm Real" was controversial for using a sample of the song "Firecraker"; which singer Mariah Carey had wanted to sample first. It was later shockingly announced that Carey's ex husband, Tommy Mottola had instructed record executive Irv Gotti to give Lopez the sample before Carey, and Lopez was unaware of this.^[75] "Ain't It Funny" was released; however it did not receive proper commercial promotion in the United States therefore ineligible for charting on the Hot 100. To capitalize on this, Lopez asked The Inc. Records (then known as Murder Inc.) to remix both songs ("I'm Real" and "Ain't It Funny), which featured rap artists Ja Rule (on both) and Cadillac Tah (on the "Ain't It Funny" remix). "Ain't It Funny (murder remix)" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks, and led Radio Airplay and Pop Songs charts.^[74] On July 24, 2001, She re-released J. Lo on her 32nd birthday with the remix of "I'm Real" as a bonus track. Also, "Si Ya Se Acabó" was released in Spain, due to the success "Que Ironia." In 2001, Lopez performed on tour on the Let's Get Loud "Live in Puerto Rico" Concert. J.Lo has sold 4 million copies in the United States alone. On September 27, 2004, a box set was released by Epic Records featuring On The 6 and J.Lo combined.^[76]

Lopez next role was in a supernatural romance film, Angel Eyes which disappointed at the box office and garnered mixed reviews.^[77] Lopez's boyfriend, former back-up dancer Cris Judd—who she met on the set of the video for "Love Don't Cost a Thing"—proposed to her at a barbecue^[78] and they were married on September 29, 2001.^[79] They traveled to Italy for their honeymoon, and later stayed at the home of designer and a longtime friend of Lopez's, Donatella Versace.^[78]

[edit] 2002–03: J to tha L-O! The Remixes, This Is Me... Then and Bennifer

Following the success of the re-release of J.Lo, Lopez decided to devote an entire album to the remix effort, releasing J to tha L–O! The Remixes, on February 5, 2002. This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first remix album in history to debut at the top on the chart, selling over 150,000 copies in its opening week.^[80][81] Featured artists on J to tha L–O! The Remixes include P. Diddy, Fat Joe, and Nas, and the album included rare dance and hip hop remixes of past singles. It is the third all-time biggest-selling remix album in history, after Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, The Beatles' Love and Madonna's You Can Dance, having sold a total of 1.5 million copies as of October 2010.^[82] In addition, it dethroned Alan Jackson's Drive from 3 consecutive weeks at the number-one spot on the chart.^[83][84] J to tha L-O: The Remixes sold 624,000 copies within its first month, and stayed in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for a month, too.^[85] It remained the only album to debut at number one in the United States for nearly 10 years, until Justin Bieber's remix effort in 2011 debuted at the top spot with similar opening sales.^[86] "I'm Gonna Be Alright" which was previously on her J.Lo album was released as a single; impacting the charts by July 2002 and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.^[74][87] "I'm Gonna Be Alright" spent 23 weeks on the chart.^[74] The track "Alive" written by Jennifer and Cris Judd was released as a single from the remix album.^[88]

In May 2002, she starred in the thriller film Enough as Slim, a woman abused by her husband and on the run from him. The film garnered negative reviews;^[89] however the fight scene at the finale of the movie was praised.^[90] In addition, the film was considered a "kick-butt, female empowerment" movie.^[91]

In June 2002, Lopez filed for divorce from her husband Cris Judd when she began publicly dating actor Ben Affleck.^[92] Judd's father, Larry Judd blamed Affleck for the break up of his son's marriage. He told New York Daily News that Judd was the "best thing that happened to [Lopez]" and thought that "Mr. Affleck would honor a married women. [They'd] be happier if they just told the truth."^[93] Lopez and Affleck announced their relationship at her thirty-second birthday.^[94] They were engaged months later.^[95][96] The media dubbed them "Bennifer" during their relationship, and became a prominent supercouple in the media.

Lopez released her third studio album, This Is Me... Then, on November 26, 2002. Unlike previous albums, it was more R&B oriented and much of its lyrical structure were about her relationship with her fiancé, Affleck.^[97] The songs from the album, in particular the fifth track, "Dear Ben" detailed her romantic relationship with Affleck.^[97] The album sold over 310,000 copies in its first week, Lopez's highest first-week sales to date, and reached two on the charts in the United States, and was on the charts for a total of forty weeks.^[98] Prior to its release, the album's lead single "Jenny from the Block" was released. It reached 3 on the Hot 100, and was known for its controversial music video featuring Affleck. The song is about Lopez remaining modest and intoning her childhood roots vowing she wishes to remain simple despite her diamonds.^[97] "All I Have", a duet with LL Cool J served as the third single from This Is Me... Then. It became Lopez's fifth song to top the Hot 100 charts.^[74] "I'm Glad" and "Baby I Love U!" were released as the final singles from This Is Me... Then, both commercial disappointing, failing to match the success of her previous singles; however the music video for "I'm Glad" received four nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards the following year. The video recreated scenes from the 1983 film Flashdance, leading to a lawsuit over copyright infringement, which was later dismissed.^[99][100] This Is Me... Then has sold over 2.5 million copies to date in the United States, her last album to reach over a million copies in sales in that country.^[82]

After the release of This Is Me... Then, Lopez took time away from music to focus on films. After two consecutive critical and commercial failures in the films Enough and Angel Eyes, Lopez bounced back with the box office hit Maid in Manhattan, released on December 13, 2002. Her character, Marisa Ventura, is a struggling single mother who lives in the Bronx and makes her living cleaning rooms in a super-luxurious Manhattan hotel, and gets mistaken for a socialite by a princely politician, who she falls in love with.^[101] Maid in Manhattan was a box-office hit, opening at number one. The New York Times compared the film's storyline to her 2002 song, "Jenny from the Block", commenting, "In her new single, 'Jenny From the Block', Jennifer Lopez declares that despite her enormous wealth and global fame, she has not lost touch with her roots."^[102]

Lopez and Ben Affleck eventually succumbed to overexposure from the media, however, which caused public interest in their romance to result in less admiration and negatively affected their careers.^[103][104] Gigli, a film which Lopez starred as a lesbian opposite Affleck, was released on August 1, 2003. The film was considered a box office failure, and is often considered one of the worst films ever made.^[105][106] Once again she starred in another movie with Affleck, Jersey Girl, but only grossed $36 million at the box office and received poor reviews.

Lopez and Affleck canceled their wedding, which had been scheduled for September 14, 2003 on the Californian Coast, citing the media's interference with the event as the reason.^{[107][108][109]} Months later their wedding was canceled once again, four days before the event. Lopez was seen without her ring,^[110] and it was later confirmed that the 18-month romance ended on January 20, 2004, just three days after Affleck returned to Los Angeles from the Sundance Film Festival.^[111]

[edit] 2004–05: Shall We Dance?, third marriage and Rebirth