Why did Mark Antony need Cleopatra VII's support?

Mark Antony’s alliance with Cleopatra VII was driven by both personal affection and strategic necessity. As a Roman triumvir governing the eastern provinces, Antony required Egypt as a vital source of funds and supplies to support his military ambitions, specifically his planned campaign against Parthia.123

In exchange for this support, Cleopatra sought to restore the former boundaries of the Ptolemaic kingdom, leveraging her influence with powerful Roman commanders to aggrandize her territory. Their partnership was mutually beneficial, with Antony establishing his headquarters in Alexandria to manage his eastern interests. However, this alliance ultimately became a political liability; Antony’s rival, Octavian, used the relationship to fuel propaganda in Rome, portraying Antony as a man who had abandoned Roman interests to favor a foreign queen.243