CLEOPATRA- CLOPATRA- THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE (4)

Question 1

What were the causes of the war between Octavian and Antony

Answer 1

Antony’s treatment of Octavia
The Donations of Alexandria
Political slander and propaganda
Antony’s will
Cleopatra’s image in Rome
Political ambition of Antony and Octavian

Question 2

Why was Antony’s treatment of Octavia important

Answer 2

Antony snubbed Octavia’s attempt to help him in Athens, and this insulted Octavian and positioned Egypt against Rome

Question 3

Why were The Donations of Alexandria important

Answer 3

The Donations were explained as a weak Antony betraying his Roman roots, giving away Roman land to his foreign family at Cleopatra’s command

Question 4

Why was Political slander and propaganda important

Answer 4

The two triumvirs often accused eachother of wrong-doing, insulting one another with lies

Question 5

Why was Antony’s will important

Answer 5

Two of Antony’s supporters deserted him and revealed to Octavian Antony’s will. According to the will, Antony was to be buried in Alexandria, and Caesarion to be recognised as Caesar’s heir

Question 5

Why was Cleopatra’s image in Rome important

Answer 5

Octavian convinced the people that Cleopatra was to blame for Antony’s downfall- Octavian could now declare war on a foreign queen, as opposed to a fellow Roman

Question 6

Why was Political ambition of Antony and Octavian important

Answer 6

Both men strived for absolute power, and were not happy to share it.

Question 7

When did the Senate declare war on Egypt?

Answer 7

32 BC

Question 8

How many ships, infantrymen and cavalrymen did Antony and Cleopatra have?

Answer 8

500 ships, 100,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry

Question 9

How many ships, infantrymen and cavalrymen did Octavian have?

Answer 9

250 ships, 80,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry

Question 10

Who led the Octavian forces

Answer 10

Marcus Agrippa

Question 11

Which town did the Octavian forces take?

Answer 11

Metone

Question 12

When did the Battle of Actium take place?

Answer 12

2 September 31 BC

Question 13

What happened in the battle?

Answer 13

At midday, Antony’s left wing began to move forward
Octavian, commanding the right wing ordered his ships to move backwards to draw Antony’s out
Agrippa attempted to envelop Antony’s right flank
This forced Antony’s general, Publicola, to help Antony on the right
However, these manoeuvres left a gap in the centre
Cleopatra and her fleet quickly fled through the gap, catching the favourable wing
Antony followed cleopatra, and fled from the battle
The remaining army surrendered at 4 pm, losses of 5000 men and 300 captured ships
Octavian burned the remainder of Antony’s fleet. Antony’s 19 legion land army was shocked by his flight and deserted

Question 14

Velleius Paterculus

Answer 14

Roman historian, writing very rhetorically and hyperbolically, written in AD 30

Question 15

Who does Paterculus favour

Answer 15

Octavian- lived in the time of Tiberius and so flatters Octavian

Question 16

Who does Virgil favour?

Answer 16

Octavian- he is depicted leading his men, the Gods and Rome into battle- Caesar watched over him
Antony is depicted as leading a band of barbarians into the battler, and his Egyptian wife.

Question 17

What were the reasons for Antony losing the war?

Answer 17

Poor timing- Antony would have been able to amass a large army and take Octavian by surprise if he had begun the war earlier, fighting on his own terms, instead of being stuck at Actium
Underestimating Octavian and Agrippa- Antony had underestimated Agrippa when they flanked him from the south; he also decided to fight at sea as he thought it would better impress Cleo
Poor preparations- Antony’s force had been blockaded for months by Octavian, and his men were weakened by food shortage and disease. He therefore entered the battle weakened