Battle of Actium - Essay I wrote for the external on significant historical figures. Can\'t remember PDF

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Essay I wrote for the external on significant historical figures. Can't remember the essay question I picked but got a Merit in the exam...

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Battle of Actium Practice Essay. (91396) Conflict: In popular imagination, many famous Greeks and Romans are associated with particular episodes of conflict, whether in a foreign war, at times of civil unrest, or in the courtroom. Analyse the actions of a significant historical figure that you have studied in ONE episode* of conflict in his or her career. In your answer, you should: 

 

Discuss the origin(s), key events, and outcomes of this episode of conflict, with particular focus on the actions of your chosen historical figure and the sociopolitical world in which he or she lived. Evaluate the extent in which the fame of this figure is determined by this particular episode of conflict. Provide primary source evidence in support of your argument.

*an episode (in this case) refers to a particular battle or specific political crisis or trial, not an extended conflict over a lengthy period of time.

The Battle of Actium was the decisive confrontation of the final war of the Roman Republic. This battle was between Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC. Octavian and Mark Antony were originally allies who had formed the Second Triumvirate after the assassination of Octavian’s grand-uncle, Julius Caesar. The power vacuum that was left by Caesar’s assassination led to a fierce struggle for supremacy between these two strong ambitious men. After the Battle of Actium, Octavian became the undisputed master of the Roman world. This battle is also seen as the end of the Roman Republic for good and the beginning of the Roman Empire. The Battle of Actium originated from the fallout of the Second Triumvirate and the Battle of Philippi. Mark Antony, after the Battle of Philippi, took the east and headed to Egypt and in a short time fell in love with Cleopatra and her with him. Cleopatra had a son, Caesarion, by Julius Caesar. Antony started to abandon his Roman duties, had three children with Cleopatra, although he was currently married to Octavian’s sister, Octavia Minor. In 33 BC, Antony divorced Octavia and then went on to claim that Caesarion, not Octavian, was the true legitimate heir to Julius Caesar, calling Caesarion the “King of Kings”. Seeing this as pretext to legitimate war against Antony, Octavian began to spread propaganda throughout Rome. Octavian depicted Antony as someone who had abandoned his Roman roots, and who was aiding a foreign despot in her ambition to enslave Rome. He then went on to persuade the Senate to declare war on Cleopatra knowing, naturally, that Antony would be drawn into battle. (Cassius Dio, 50)Antony no longer had any authority as the Triumvirate had expired in 33, so no action was needed to be taken against him. Another reason for the declaration of war may have been that it was discovered that Antony had committed treason: he wanted to give Cleopatra Roman land. Octavian did not want this to appear as a civil war, as he had already declared the end of civil war after the defeat of Sextus Pompeius. On the morning of September the second 31 BC, Antony and Cleopatra’s fleets met Octavian’s fleet outside the Gulf of Actium in Greece. Antony and Cleopatra’s fleets consisted of 500 vessels and 70,000 infantry whereas Octavian’s fleet consisted of 400 ships and 80,000 infantry. Antony’s ships

were large quinqueremes which were built primarily for ramming and sinking opponent’s vessels. His ships, however, were seriously undermanned due to a malaria outbreak which had struck his crews. Octavian’s ships, on the other hand, were smaller and fully manned with healthy crews. Antony set up camp at Actium. Octavian arrived from the north and, by occupying Patrae and Corinth, also managed to cut Antony’s southward communications with Egypt via the Peloponnese. Desertions by some of his allies, such as one of his generals, Quintus Dellius, who took all of Antony’s battle plans over to Octavian and lack of provisions soon, forced Antony to take action. Antony took Cleopatra’s advice to employ the fleet. He drew up his ships outside the bay, facing west, with Cleopatra’s squadron behind. The naval battle that ensued was hotly contested, with each side trying to outflank each other. It became apparent that the battle was not going well for Antony. Cleopatra with her 60 ships raised sail and left the battle for Open Ocean. Antony then broke off from the battle and with a few ships managed to follow her, in which they both fled to Alexandria. The rest of Antony’s fleet that was left behind soon gave up and promptly surrendered. (Res Gestae 25) It is still unsure why both Cleopatra and then Antony left the battle. Some say that Antony lost his nerve when he saw that Cleopatra was leaving the fight. Others claim that this action was pre-planned if the battle was to start going toward Octavian’s side, it is said that Antony wanted to break away, and with Octavian and Agrippa strengthening the wings of their navy to prevent Antony from outflanking them, he ordered the main attack towards the weakened centre. Antony had won a tactical victory while at the same time suffered a strategic defeat. He had lost his army, his reputation as an honest commander who would never abandon his men, and lost any chance to win the war. In 30 BC, Octavian pursued his enemies to Egypt. When he laid siege to Alexandria, Mark Antony and Cleopatra committed Suicide. Antony anticipated being executed and Cleopatra wanted to avoid being let in Chains at a Roman Triumph. Later on in that year, Octavian had Caesarion murdered stating that “two Caesars are one too many”, as well as ordering the execution of Antony’s oldest son, whom he considered the only threat. (Cassius Dio, 51) Octavian returned to Rome in 29 BC as complete master of the Roman world. Octavian was now the undisputed master of the Roman world. Rome triumphed over the east and Egypt became a province of Rome in which Octavian was in charge. He gained much wealth, making him able to pay the soldiers and therefore assure their loyalty. When Octavian had Cleopatra’s son killed, he ended a 4,000 year old tradition in Egypt. The line of Pharaohs ended with Cleopatra’s death, and Egypt was annexed into the Roman Empire led by Octavian. During the empire, the province of Egypt would serve as private property of the emperor and the source of Rome’s valuable grain supplies. On the 16th of January 27 BC, Octavian became the first emperor of Rome and was given the names: Augustus, meaning ‘the revered’, and Princeps Civitatis, meaning ‘the first citizen’. Augustus established a new constitutional framework known as the Principate, which was somewhat a continuation of the former Republic of Rome and would last until 284 AD. After many years of civil war preceding Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, Augustus’’ rule would bring about an era of peace known as the Pax Romana. The Battle of Actium became an important part of the imperial propaganda. Monuments to commemorate Octavian’s victory were erected in several cities, but the largest one was founded on the site of his camp on the northern peninsula: a new city called Nicopolis, ‘victory town’. (Cassius Dio, 51) There was a relief from Palestrina that commemorates the end of the civil war, but at the same time covers up what really happened. The crocodile is the symbol of Egypt, as if the war was a fight against a foreign enemy. But it was, of course, a civil war: Roman was fighting against Roman. Overall, Octavian gained fame, power, wealth, and success through the Battle of Actium. His success from the Battle of Actium led him to being the first Emperor of the Roman Empire as well as later on his rule led to the era of peace, Pax Romana....