On March 15, Caesar's nephew was far from Rome. At the end of 45 BC, Caesar had sent him abroad to further his education and prepare for the future expedition against Parthia.
For four months, Octavian had lived with a group of friends and attendants in Apollonia on Macedonia's western coast. The city occupied a strategic position along Via Egnatia, which crossed the Greek peninsula all the way to the Aegean Sea. Since Apollonia had once been treated generously by Caesar, its people warmly welcomed his nephew.
During the winter, Octavian received voice training and practiced public speaking. There was no amplification equipment in that era, and even so, not everyone could hear him. Messengers were needed to proclaim his words from afar.
One day, while he was training with cavalry composed of non-citizens, a letter from his mother informed him that Caesar had been assassinated. She had written it on March 15 itself. It contained only the basic details of the assassination; the messenger knew little more, having left Rome immediately after receiving the letter and rushed there with utmost urgency. Octavian's mother urged him to return to Italy at once and keep as low a profile as possible.
News of Caesar's assassination soon spread. Military tribunes and centurions from the legions stationed nearby came to visit Octavian, expressing their sympathy and fury toward the assassins. They also pledged their support, and some even said they were willing to accept his command and march on Rome. At the very least, all six legions stationed in Macedonia had been raised by Caesar after the Battle of Pharsalus. Every officer's original appointment and subsequent promotion had required Caesar's approval.
War in the East was renowned for its rich profits. The benefits Caesar had granted them in the past left them deeply