>Though he was an able military commander and proved a useful partisan of Caesar, Lepidus has always been portrayed as the least influential member of the Triumvirate

> Lepidus was rewarded with the consulship in 46 after the defeat of the Pompeians in the East. Caesar also made Lepidus magister equitum ("Master of the Horse"), effectively his deputy. Caesar appears to have had greater confidence in Lepidus than in Mark Antony to keep order in Rome, after Antony's inflammatory actions led to disturbances in 47.[...] > > [...] > > As soon as Lepidus learned of Caesar's murder, he acted decisively to maintain order by moving troops to the Campus Martius. He proposed using his army to punish Caesar's killers, but was dissuaded by Antony and Aulus Hirtius. Lepidus and Antony both spoke in the Senate the following day, accepting an amnesty for the assassins in return for preservation of their offices and Caesar's reforms. Lepidus also obtained the post of pontifex maximus, succeeding Caesar. > > [...] > Antony and Lepidus now had to deal with Octavian Caesar, Caesar's great-nephew, who had been adopted by Caesar in Caesar's will. Octavian was the only surviving commander of the forces that had defeated Antony at Mutina (modern Modena). The Senate instructed Octavian to hand over control of the troops to Decimus Brutus, but he refused. Antony and Lepidus met with Octavian on an island in a river, possibly near Mutina but more likely near Bologna, their armies lined along opposite banks. They formed the Second Triumvirate, legalized with the name of Triumvirs for Confirming the Republic with Consular Power (Triumviri Rei Publicae Constituendae Consulari Potestate) by the Lex Titia of 43. With the triumvirs in possession of overwhelming numerical superiority, Decimus Brutus' remaining forces melted away, leaving the triumvirs in complete control of the western provinces.

Octavian was the junior partner, being twenty years old at the time. Lepidus ended up handing his legions over to Octavian while he stayed back in Italy to run the state while the other two fought the last of the opposing faction in Greece.

Just like that 3rd tenor ol’ whats-his-name

HBO's Rome is a great show worth watching. Kind of like game of thrones, but with some basis in reality. They take a lot of liberty with things but it can give you some basic understanding of that era. But just like GoT it's amazingly well cast & acted, even a few future GoT actors are in it.

Season 1 follows Caesar from Gaul to his fall.

Season 2 covers the resulting Triumverate & eventual civil war.

Came here to say this! Dude was the Jose Carreras of the Second Triumvirate

Enrico Palazzo

I like how important aspects and turning points in this part of history are portrayed as misunderstandings and accidents occurring to the two protagonists rather than the historical narrative we otherwise know. Because they could indeed have happened this way. We don’t actually know.

too soon.

The Triumvirate in resurgent. The fighting is anew.