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Why did Julius Caesar appoint Mark Antony master of the horse?
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Mark Antony
Mark Antony, detail of a marble bust; in the Vatican Museum.
Julius Caesar appointed Mark Antony as master of the horse (magister equitum) in 48 BCE to serve as his second-in-command and to maintain order in Italy while Caesar was away.12
The position of master of the horse was historically established as a subordinate role to the dictator, who held supreme military command during emergencies. By appointing Antony to this post, Caesar entrusted him with the administration of the Italian peninsula following the Battle of Pharsalus. However, Antony struggled to maintain stability in this role and was reportedly removed from the position in 47 BCE.21