War of Actium
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The Last war of the Roman Republic (32–30 BC) was fought fought between Mark Antony (assisted by Cleopatra), and Octavian. In 32 BC, Octavian convinced the Roman Senate to declare war on the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Her lover and ally Mark Antony, who was Octavian's rival, gave his support for her cause.
History
Mark Antony and Cleopatra saw powerful allies in each other. In the winter of 41 BCE, she arranged a sumptuous tour of Egypt by boat, to show Antony the wealth of her country and the power she held as its ruler. A romantic and political relationship followed.[1]
Cleopatra increased her kingdom's territory, and started a political propaganda alongside her lover, in Egypt and beyond. She hoped to create a Ptolemaic federal empire, with Alexandria at its center. However, while Mark Antony focused on Egypt, Octavian carefully gained military and political ascendency over him in Rome.[2]
Octavian managed his own propaganda campaign, and succeeded. The Roman people hated Mark Antony and Cleopatra. To avoid the censure still inherent in attacking a fellow Roman, Octavian simply declared war against Egypt. The powerful Egyptian fleet, led by Cleopatra as well as Mark Antony's forces, were defeated in 31 BCE in Actium, after which Antony committed suicide. Octavian arrived in Egypt in 30 BCE, to formalize his victory.[3]
With Antony dead and her fate sealed, Cleopatra made her final stand in Alexandria, where she trained Caesarion to fight when the time comes. On 12 August 30 BCE, as Octavian's army seized Alexandria, Cleopatra survived an assassination attempt by one of Octavian's messengers and had her killed.[4] Later, Cleopatra watched as her son trained with a soldier and was knocked down. She comforts her son by telling him that every defeat is a chance to learn towards a victory. They were then interrupted by the sight of fires in the distance, as Octavian closed in further.[5]
As Octavian rapidly approached, Cleopatra was confronted one last time by Amunet back at her palace in the city. There, her former servant implored her to resign to Octavian's victory, to which the pharaoh acquiesced on the condition that Amunet take Caesarion with her and train him as a Hidden One. Amunet handed her a poison by which to commit suicide and left with Caesarion. Once Cleopatra was certain that her son was gone and far away, she thanked her servant Akila before consuming the poison. Within mere moments, Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt, was dead.[6]
Appearances
- Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Origins comic
References
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt: Cleopatra & Antony
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt: A New Egyptian Empire?
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt: War With Rome
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – Issue #01
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – Issue #02
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – Issue #04