Actium, Battle of

Naval battle in which Octavian defeated the combined fleets of Mark Antony and Cleopatra on 2 September 31 BC to become the undisputed ruler of the Roman world (as the emperor Augustus). The site of the battle is at Akri, a promontory in western Greece.

Antony had encamped in Greece with a powerful force of infantry and cavalry, and was waiting for Octavian's smaller force to attack. However, engagements on land proved indecisive and in the meantime Octavian's naval commander Marcus Agrippa had managed to cut off Antony's supply route by sea, despite commanding a fleet of only 400 ships against Antony's 500. Antony and Cleopatra could have escaped overland to continue the fight but Cleopatra demanded to return to Egypt by sea and they were defeated in the ensuing sea battle. Having unsuccessfully requested peace terms, they fled to Egypt but Octavian pursued them the following year. Alexandria surrendered without a fight and they committed suicide.