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Which major political conflicts occurred during Virgil’s lifetime?

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Ancient Roman mosaic showing the poet Virgil seated and writing, flanked by the muses Clio and Melpomene, displayed in a decorative border. — Virgil Virgil (centre) holding a scroll with a quotation from the *Aeneid* and flanked by the muses Clio and Melpomene, mosaic, early 3rd century ce; in the Bardo National Museum, Tunis, Tunisia.

During the lifetime of the Roman poet Virgil, the Roman Republic experienced a period of intense political turmoil and calamitous civil conflict. Key conflicts included:

Marius and Sulla: The civil war between Gaius Marius and Sulla set the stage for the instability that characterized Virgil’s youth.1
Caesar and Pompey: A major struggle for supreme power occurred between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great.1
The Civil Wars: Following Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon, a series of civil wars persisted for decades. These conflicts included the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE, which led to the displacement of farmers as veteran soldiers were resettled.12
The Final Conflict: The era of civil strife concluded with the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, where Augustus defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra, ushering in the Augustan Age.12

Virgil, who remained a private scholar, was deeply affected by the fear and hatred of these wars, themes which are reflected in his poetry as he sought to celebrate the peace and stability established under Augustus.12