Page 21 - History of War - Issue 18-15

FAMOUS OPERATION: THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM

All the ships left behind by Antony THE AFTERMATH OF ACTIUM
were either captured or sunk
WHILE HIS MEN LOYALLY FOUGHT TO THE END,
ANTONY ABANDONED HIS FLEET AT ACTIUM, AND
WITH IT HIS REPUTATION AND CHANCE TO RULE
ROME FROM THE EAST
As a battle, Actium wasn’t actually that spectacular: full of idling, false
starts and delays. Had Antony seized his chance months earlier and
taken Octavian and Agrippa’s troops in a land battle, he’d have been
victor easily. Historian Plutarch, who is more interested in Octavian’s
moral superiority than tactics, weapons and battle plans, assures us
that Antony was too besotted with Cleopatra to succeed, and that he
arrogantly desired to meet Octavian at sea.
The consequences of Actium are more impressive: they were and
are literally the stuff of Hollywood, as Cleopatra subsequently cut a
deal with Octavian in which she betrayed Antony and manoeuvred him
into killing himself. She then cheated Octavian of his triumphal prize
of a defeated queen to display in Rome with her own dramatic suicide.
With Antony defeated and Egypt annexed (after the battle of
Alexandria in 30 BCE, where all of Antony’s ships sailed out to meet
d simply joined his side), Actium became a pivotal
Roman history, signifying Octavian’s victory over the last
vals, bringing to an end a century of civil war, and taking
Roman empire. The way that Rome would be ruled
ver.
3 BATTLE LINES ARE SET 4 ANTONY BOOSTS MORALE
Octavian’s line of ships faces his enemy’s, with the left wing Antony rallies his troops as his 500 ships face the Roman fl eet:
led by Agrippa and the right by Octavian himself. He plans they can rely on their weight even if they lack the manpower to
to surround Antony’s ships and fi ght at close quarters with reach ramming speed. Octavian fears direct engagement with
swords and shields, as if on land besieging a town. Antony these juggernauts, as clashes would easily shear off the prows of
draws his ships tightly together, hoping to lure Octavian the lighter-weight Roman ships. Cleopatra’s navy supports Antony’s
closer and drive his ships against the shore. to the rear.
5 MORNING: HOURS OF WAITING
The fleets sit idle until midday, when the tides make the wings
on the lines slowly drift, creating gaps in each line. Thanks to a
defector, Octavian knows Antony’s strategies; his ships stay out
of range, while he orders his right wing to row backwards, to lure
Antony into deeper water.
6 THE SHIPS ENGAGE
As the fl eets come within range of each other, Octavian’s ships sail
in quickly to fi re volleys of darts at the enemy, then row away with
as much speed as possible. Antony’s ships have iron grappling
hooks that can be launched and used to pull the boats together.
7 MISSILE FIRE
Wicker shields protect Antony’s men from the blows of spears
and poles, and the Romans fi re fl aming missiles into his ships. He
retaliates by ordering his catapults to fi re on the Romans, from
high up in wooden towers on the ships.
8 CLEOPATRA CHANGES THE PLAN
In the heat of battle, Cleopatra’s ships suddenly cruise forward,
heading towards the Roman lines. She soon gives the signal to
retreat, which Antony doesn’t see. In the confusion, Antony thinks
the Egyptians are panicking due to defeat; he abandons his fl eet
to join her.
9 ANTONY’S NAVY FIERCELY BATTLES ON
Unaware that their general has left, Antony’s forces fi ercely continue

the battle, firing missiles and clashing with swords as the enemy
boards their ships. Some boats are set on fire, others concede and

“SOME BOATS ARE SET ON FIRE, throw their weapons overboard as they try to set sail to escape.
10
OTHERS CONCEDE AND THROW THEIR For several hours Antony’s fleet fight valiantly against Octavian,
THE LEADERLESS SURRENDER
WEAPONS OVERBOARD AS THEY TRY but unwillingly surrender after a sudden gale batters the ships.
300 ships are captured or sunk and 5,000 men lost. The remaining
TO SET SAIL TO ESCAPE” generalssurrenderthateveningwhentheyrealiseAntonyreallyhas
abandoned them.

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