Katie Miller
10/10/02
The Battle of Actium
I. Background Information
A. Octavian has declared war on Cleopatra
B. Antony sets up a northen base on the Ionia Sea at Corcyra
C. Chain of stations spanning from Corcyra to coast of north Africa
a. Actium
b. The island of Leucas
c. Patrae
d. The island of Zacynthus
e. Methone
f. Cape Taenarum
g. Crete and Cyrenaica
D. Antony and Cleopatra move their base from Athens to Patrae
II. Methone's Downfall
A. Spring-arrival of Octavian's fleet
B. Antony underestimates Octavian's boldness
C. Importance of Methone's position
a. Harass other naval stations
b. Threaten supply ships
c. Sparta and Eurycles
D. Decisive stage in the war
III. Move to Actium
A. Ocatavian sets up camp on northern side
B. Antony and Cleopatra move from Patrae to Actium
IV. Antony decides to initiate battle
A. Octavian's surprise attacks on Antony's fleet
B. Agrippa's success at Leucas and Patrae
C. Antony's troops trapped inside the Gulf of Ambracia
D. Octavian refuses battle
V. Antony's breakout attempt
A. Early August
B. Poor conditions-troops are beginning to deflect
C. Dispatches a land force
a. Commanded by himself, Dellius, and Amyntas
b. The "goal" was to get reinforcements from Macedonia
and Thrace and to contact his allies in Dacia
c. Draw attention away from Sosius and the fleet
VI. Council of War
A. Talk of another break out
B. Under Cleopatra's influence decides to attempt a break out by
sea
VII. Antony prepares for the battle
A. Orders sails to be placed on the ships
B. Burns all but 230 of his ships
VIII. Battle of Actium
A. September 2, 31 B.C.
B. Faces off with Octavian's fleet
C. Both fleets are weak in the center and strong on either side
D. Octavian lures Antony into open water
E. Cleopatra escapes
F. Antony abandons his ship and escapes after Cleopatra
G. Most of Antony's fleet is already beaten
a. cannot follow Antony
b. surrender to Octavian
H. Antony and Cleopatra are defeated and sail to Egypt
I. Soon afterwards both Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide
IX. What was Antony's intent
A. Escape, not victory
a. sails
b. follows Cleopatra
X. Sources
A. Dr. Gregory Daughetry, Professor of Classics, Randolph-Macon
College
B. Grant, Michael. Cleopatra. Phoenix Press. London England.
1972
C. Baker, G.P. Augustus: The Golden Age of Rome. Cooper Square
Press, NY. 2000.
D. Fuller, Major-General J.F.C. A Military History of the World.
Minerva Press. U.S. 1954
E. Gabriel, Richard A. and Donald W. Boose, Jr. The Great Battles
of Antiquity: A Strategic and Tactical Guide to Great Battles that
Shaped the Development of War. Greenwood Press. Westport, Connecticut.
1994.
F. http://www.ehistory.com/world/articles/ArticleView.cfm?AID=16