In an early scene, Octavian suggests killing a number of wealthy people to claim their land and fortunes. He offhandedly suggests they will have to come up with a legal excuse. Antony and Lepidus seemed shocked by this suggestion. This tactic was known as proscription and had been used widely during the reign of Sulla, approximately 30 years before the events depicted. It would not have been a shocking suggestion to Antony or Lepidus. In fact, the three of them spent quite some time drawing up a list of victims. Antony personally demanded that Cicero be included on the list as payback for earlier betrayals.
Prologue: "In 44 BC the tyrant Julius Caesar was stabbed to death outside the senate. A year later, Rome stands on the brink of civil war between those who want to restore power to the people and those who want it for themselves. Everything is about to change for everyone."