It was a naval engagement fought between the forces of Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.

Antony was inevitably perceived by Octavian and the majority of the Roman Senate as the leader of a separatist movement that threatened to break the unity of the Roman Republic.

After years of loyal cooperation with Octavian, Mark Antony started to act independently, eventually raising the suspicion that he was vying to become the sole master of Rome.

Thereafter, Octavian started a propaganda war, denouncing Antony as an enemy of Rome, asserting that he was seeking to establish a personal monarchy over the entire Roman Empire on the behalf of Caesarion, completely circumventing the Roman Senate.

Octavian complained that Antony had no authority for being in Egypt ; that his execution of Sextus Pompeius was illegal ; that his treachery to the king of Armenia disgraced the Roman name ; that he had not sent half the proceeds of the spoils to Rome according to his agreement ; that his connection with Cleopatra and the acknowledgment of Caesarion as a legitimate son of Julius Caesar were a degradation of his office and a menace to himself.

Octavian was not behind in his strategic preparations.

But, by the publication of Antony's will, which had been put into his hands by the traitor Plancus, and by carefully letting it be known at Rome what preparations were going on at Samos, and how entirely Antony was acting as the agent of Cleopatra, Octavian produced such a violent outburst of feeling that he easily obtained Antony's deposition from the consulship of 31, for which he had been designated, and a vote for a proclamation of war against Cleopatra, well understood to mean against Antony, though he was not named.

But during these months not only was Agrippa continuing his descent upon Greek towns and coasts, but in various cavalry skirmishes, Octavian had so far prevailed that Antony abandoned the north side of the strait and confined his soldiers to the southern camp.

Under cover of darkness some 19 legions and 12, 000 cavalry fled before Antony was able to engage Octavian in a land battle.

Some of the victorious fleet went in pursuit of him ; but Octavian himself visited Greece and Asia, and spent the winter at Samos ; though he was obliged to go for a short time to Brundisium to settle a mutiny and arrange for assignations of land.

The queen was allowed to believe that she would be well treated, for Octavian was anxious to secure her for his triumph.

C. Cornelius Gallus was advancing from Paraetonium ; and Octavian himself landed at Pelusium, with the connivance it was believed of Cleopatra.

The queen was shortly afterwards brought from this place to the palace and vainly attempted to move Octavian to pity.

According to Vincent Scramuzza and others, Claudius began work on a history of the Civil Wars that was either too truthful or too critical of Octavian.

The first part-stone amphitheatre in Rome was inaugurated in 29 – 30 BCE, in time for the triple triumph of Octavian ( later Augustus ).

However, on his death in 25 BC, Galatia was incorporated by Octavian Augustus into the Roman Empire, becoming a Roman province.

October 8 BC ) was an ally, friend and political advisor to Octavian ( who was to become the first Emperor of Rome as Caesar Augustus ) as well as an important patron for the new generation of Augustan poets.

He first appears in history in 40 BC, when he was employed by Octavian in arranging his marriage with Scribonia, and afterwards in assisting to negotiate the treaty of Brundisium and the reconciliation with Mark Antony.

He was vicegerent of Octavian during the campaign that led to the battle of Actium, when, with great promptness and secrecy, he crushed the conspiracy of Lepidus the Younger ; during the subsequent absences of his chief in the provinces he again held the same position.

At Samos, Octavian received a message from Cleopatra with the present of a gold crown and throne, offering to abdicate in favour of her sons.

At the Marschallin's suggestion, Ochs has Octavian act as his Rosenkavalier, and present the ceremonial silver rose to Sophie.

At the battle of Actium, hexaremes were present in both fleets, but with a notable difference: while in the fleet of Octavian they were the heaviest type of vessel, in the fleet of Mark Antony they were the second smallest, after the quinqueremes.

Allan Octavian Hume and Stuart Baker noted that the stronghold of the species was north of the Ganges and west of the Brahmaputra, mainly in Maldah, Purnea, Madhubani and Purulia districts of present day Bihar.

* Octavian Paler ( 1926 – 2007 ), writer and publicist, former student of the present “ Radu Negru ” National College, class of 1945 ;

After a warm welcome by Caesar's soldiers at Brundisium, Octavian demanded a portion of the funds that were allotted by Caesar for the intended war against Parthia in the Middle East.

Antony, who had found himself generally deserted, after vainly attempting to secure the army stationed near Paraetonium under Pinarius, and sending his eldest son Antyllus with money to Octavian and an offer to live at Athens as a private citizen, found himself in the spring attacked on two sides.

Despite a victory at Alexandria on 31 July 30 BC, more of Mark Antony's men deserted, leaving him with insufficient forces to fight Octavian.

Antony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium, and in a brief land battle at Alexandria.

Brutus and Cassius were defeated by Antony and Octavian at the Battle of Philippi in October 42 BC.

His heirs Mark Antony and Octavian confronted the assassins of Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus and Cassius, at the Battle of Philippi in the plain to the west of the city during October in 42 BC.

In his theoretical works he defended monarchy, or at least a mixed monarchy / oligarchy and, in his own political life, he generally opposed men trying to realise such ideals, like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Octavian.

The biographical tradition says that Virgil and Maecenas took turns reading the Georgics to Octavian upon his return from defeating Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.

* Octavian crosses the Strait of Otranto and lands with an army ( 15 legions ) at Panormus in Dalmatia.

* Winter – Octavian ( thirty-two years old ) takes court at Samos.

The internal turbulence that plagued Rome at this time can be seen as the last death throes of the Roman Republic, as it finally gave way to the autocratic ambitions of powerful men like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Octavian.

* July – August – Antony is again at the head of a large army, Octavian enters Rome in force without opposition.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, angry at Octavian, wrote a letter to Brutus explaining that the forces of Octavian and Marcus Antonius were divided.

* July – Mark Antony lands with an army ( 28 legions ) in Illyria, left Octavian ill at Dyrrachium and marched to Amphipolis.

Antony links up with Norbanus and Saxa at Amphipolis, Octavian arrives on a litter 10 days later.

* Octavian claims Cleopatra's treasure in the mausoleum at the Temple of Isis ; he pays the salaries of his veteran legionaries and gives them land in Italy.

He married Cleopatra according to the Egyptian rite ( a letter quoted in Suetonius suggests this ), although he was at the time married to Octavia Minor, sister of his fellow triumvir Octavian.