Which figure was a member of the Second Triumvirate alongside Octavian and Mark Antony, who later lost power?

• A. Lepidus
• B. Octavius/Octavian
• C. Augustus
• D. Garrisons

Answer: (A)

Lepidus was the third member of the Second Triumvirate, joining Octavian and Mark Antony after Caesar’s death to stabilize the new political order. He controlled the western provinces, notably Africa, but his influence was always secondary to the two rising leaders. As Octavian and Antony drifted toward rivalry, Lepidus was gradually sidelined; in 36 BCE Octavian forced him to surrender his command and retire from public life. He never regained real power after that, making him the one who ultimately lost power among the trio. The other member who would become emperor is Octavian, who took the name Augustus and kept control, while Garrisons is not part of this historical context.