Which figure forms part of the later triumvirate with Antony and Octavius?

• A. Julius Caesar
• B. Lepidus
• C. Brutus
• D. Cassius

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is understanding the Second Triumvirate in Rome’s history. After Julius Caesar’s death, Antony and Octavius joined with Lepidus to form a formal alliance to consolidate power and defeat Caesar’s legal heir. This Second Triumvirate was legitimized by law and allowed the three of them to govern the Roman world and redistribute provinces. Lepidus acted as the third member and initially controlled Africa, but over time he was sidelined by the other two as their rivalry grew. Julius Caesar, by contrast, is associated with the earlier First Triumvirate, not the later one. Brutus and Cassius were leaders of the conspiracy that killed Caesar and fought against Antony and Octavius later, rather than forming part of the triumvirate.