1. Preparing for the Battle of Actium
We have accounts of the preparations for Battle and of the battle itself which are written by people who were alive at the time: Velleius Paterculus, the historian, and poets Virgil, Propertius and Horace. However, writing during the reign of Octavian/Augustus it was not possible in these accounts to present a favourable picture of the role of Cleopatra, no matter how Antony was portrayed.
Cleopatra could never be anything other than the devious and cunning Queen who controlled a weak Antony to do as she wanted. Octavian presented the war as a war against Cleopatra, not Antony. Cleopatra, with her enlarged kingdom and resources, and with her children as kings and queens of the East, or even Caesarion who would succeed her, would be too powerful for Octavian to ignore regardless of Antony. If Antony had returned to Rome as conqueror of Parthia, viewed as likely at the time, Octavian would be inferior to him or worse. Octavian conducted a propaganda war against Cleopatra in which Antony’s constant un-Roman behaviour in the East provided useful material.
Preparing for the Battle of Actium

2. Now read Plutarch Life of Anthony 56.
“When Octavian was well-prepared, there was a decree to wage war against Cleopatra, and to take from Antony the authority which he had given over to the woman. And Octavian added that Antony was under some drug and was not even in control of himself; the Romans, he said, were at war with Mardion, the eunuch and Potheinus, and Iras, the hairdresser of Cleopatra, and Charmion, who was in charge of conducting the most important affairs of state.”
Plutarch Life of Anthony 60
Eventually Antony realised this was inevitable and began to turn his attention away from Parthia, as Octavian had wanted. He started to mobilise his forces to fight.
Now read Plutarch Life of Anthony 56.
Now read Vellieus Paterculus 2.84
Plutarch claims in his Life of Antony 59 and 63 that desertions were the result of Cleopatra’s presence.
One of Antony’s first acts was to divorce Octavia in 32 BC. This further helped Octavian in his claim that the war he was fighting was a foreign one. Antony, on the other hand, could not say this to his soldiers who were being asked to fight Romans in another civil war.
Octavian then seized Antony’s will which was kept by the Vestal Virgins in Rome. Despite the illegal and unprecedented action, Octavian read it out in the Senate. Antony confirmed the
kingdoms he had given to Cleopatra and her children. He declared Caesarion was the true son of Caesar. He also requested that when he died he should be buried in Alexandria with Cleopatra. It was understood from this that Antony might make Alexandria the capital of the Empire if he won and turn the rest of the Empire over to Cleopatra. There was no way of knowing if any of what Octavian said was true. In any case the Senate believed it.
Antony chose to wait in Greece
for Octavian to come to him
rather than attack Italy.
Cleopatra stayed with Antony.
Plutarch (see passage 56)
claims that Canidius was bribed
to argue for her staying.
TASK
Plutarch describes the first moves towards war with Octavian: what part does Cleopatra take in this?
Read Plutarch Life of Antony 58: how does Octavian use Antony’s relationship with Cleopatra as propaganda against Antony?
Octavian
Antony & Cleopatra