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ACTIUM (mod. Punta)

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Originally appearing in Volume V01, Page 159 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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ACTIUM (mod. Punta) , the See also:ancient name of a promontory in the See also:north of See also:Acarnania (See also:Greece) at the mouth of the Sinus Ambracius (Gulf of See also:Arta) opposite See also:Nicopolis, built by See also:Augustus on the north See also:side of the strait. On the promontory was hn ancient See also:temple of See also:Apollo Actius, which was enlarged by Augustus, who also, in memory of the See also:battle, instituted or renewed the quinquennial See also:games called Actia or Ludi Actiaci. Actiaca Aera was a computation of See also:time from the battle of Actium. There was on the promontory a small See also:town, or rather See also:village, also called Actium. See also:History.—Actium belonged originally to the Corinthian colonists of Anactorium, who probably founded the See also:worship of Apollo Actius and the Actia games; in the 3rd See also:century it See also:fell to the Acarnanians, who subsequently held their synods there. Actium is chiefly famous as the site of Octavian's decisive victory over See also:Mark Antony (2nd of See also:September 31 B.C.). This battle ended a See also:long See also:series of ineffectual operations. The final conflict was provoked by Antony, who is said to have been persuaded by See also:Cleopatra to retire to See also:Egypt and give battle to See also:mask his See also:retreat; but lack of provisions and the growing demoralization of his See also:army would sufficiently See also:account for his decision. The fleets met outside the gulf, each over 200 strong (the totals given by ancient authorities are very conflicting). Antony's heavy battleships endeavoured to dose and crush the enemy with their See also:artillery; Octavian's See also:light and See also:mobile See also:craft made skilful use of skirmishing See also:tactics. During the engagement Cleopatra suddenly withdrew her See also:squadron and Antony slipped away behind her.

His See also:

flight escaped See also:notice, and the conflict remained undecided, until Antony's See also:fleet was set on See also:fire and thus annihilated. AUTHORITIES—Die See also:Cassius, 50.12-51.3 ; See also:Plutarch, See also:Antonius, 62-68 ; Velleius Paterculus, ii. 84-85. C. See also:Merivale, History of the See also:Romans under the See also:Empire, iii. pp. 313-325 (See also:London, 1851); V. Gardthausen, Augustus and See also:seine Zeit, i. pp. 369-386, ii. pp. 189-201 (See also:Leipzig, 1891) : G. Ferrero in the Revue de See also:Paris, See also:Mar. 15, 1906, pp. 225-243; J.

Kromayer, in See also:

Hermes, xxxiv. (1899), pp. 1-54. (M. O. B.

End of Article: ACTIUM (mod. Punta)

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