The Battle of Actium

Quick.

How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

When you do, you probably think about soldiers, bloody battles, or the movie Gladiator, right?

Those are all understandably famous, but the Roman Empire was more than just a chapter in a history book or inspiration for an award-winning blockbuster.

The impact of the Roman Empire is felt today in countless ways, and yet, our everyday lives might be very different if one ancient Roman battle had gone another way.

Maybe, just maybe,

we'd all be thinking about the Egyptian Empire instead.

On today's episode, the Battle of Actium.

This is a twist of history.

It's March 15, 44 BC, and 39-year-old Mark Antony hurries across the stone plaza on his way to the Curia of Pompey, where the Roman Senate meets.

Antony is one of two elected consuls of Rome.

He presides over the Senate and oversees the army, where he's second in command only to his dear friend, Julius Caesar.

As Antony approaches the entrance, he feels a tug on the back of his ceremonial toga.

He turns around, and there he finds a man he knows by reputation, a man who is no friend of Caesar's.

The man strikes up a conversation with Antony and leads him back into the plaza away from the Senate chamber.

The man's intentions seem innocent enough at first, but as the conversation continues, Antony begins to wonder if this might be an intentional trick designed to keep Antony from entering the Senate chambers.

Trouble has been brewing in Rome ever since Caesar was elected dictator for life four years earlier.

To some Romans, this is just a reward for a beloved leader.

But to other Romans, ones who are proud of their 500 years of democracy, the idea of one man ruling godlike over land stretching from Spain to Turkey to northern Africa just doesn't sit right.

And some, of course, just want Caesar's power for themselves.

Up until now, the discontent has been all talk.

But now, Antony suddenly gets the feeling that the reason he's being led away from the Senate is that the people talking have decided to take action.

This is hardly the first time Mark Antony has seen political violence.

In fact, he was shaped by it.

His bloodline includes a number of legendary orators and military officers who met violent and untimely ends.

Both of his grandfathers and his uncle were murdered by political rivals and their heads were nailed outside the Roman Forum.

Eight-year-old Antony struggled after his father's death.

He had a brilliant mind, but without a strong male role model, he grew into a troubled young man, notorious for drinking and womanizing.

Eventually, he racked up sizable gambling debts before he fled Rome and joined the military.

The structure of military life suited Antony, especially when he served as a cavalry commander under the famed general Julius Caesar.

Caesar was a charismatic visionary leader who was decisive on the battlefield.

He treated his men with respect and inspired unwavering loyalty in return.

For the first time since he was a child, Antony Antony saw up close what it meant to be a strong, honorable man.

Together, Caesar and Antony captured much of present-day Europe, and Antony gained a reputation as a brilliant strategist on the battlefield.

Earlier this year, Antony was elected consul and was proud to serve at his friend's side.

But discontent was slowly brewing in the Senate.

And now, Antony's worst fears are about to be confirmed.

The doors to the Senate chamber burst open and men shout the terrible news.

Julius Caesar has been assassinated.

A cold weight drops in Antony's chest.

His friend is dead, which means all of Rome is in danger.

The man Antony was speaking to disappears into the crowd of hundreds of frightened citizens.

Just moments before, these people have been going about their daily lives.

Now, they're running away in fear.

Antony pushes through them, trying desperately to reach the Senate chamber.

He frantically searches for a friendly face, anyone who can tell him what happened and who is responsible.

He's already thinking about revenge.

Then, a senator named Marcus Junius Brutus appears on the Senate steps, holding a blood-stained dagger.

Brutus and Caesar used to be allies.

In fact, Caesar recently appointed Brutus to a special office overseeing the Roman courts.

But Brutus was unhappy with Caesar's growing power.

Brutus raises his hands and urges calm in the plaza.

He tells the crowd that Caesar is dead, but it's not a tragedy.

It's a new beginning for Rome.

Rage rises inside Antony, but before he can act, he hears screaming and the pounding of feet on the cobblestones.

He looks up to see thousands of Romans flood the plaza from a nearby theater.

They're not here to celebrate.

People are terrified that this could be the start of a civil war.

Everyone is desperate to get home.

Antony decides to run.

He takes off down the street, pausing only to swap his toga for a slave's tunic.

He needs to stay alive tonight.

Tomorrow, he can figure out the future of Rome.

Five days later, Antony is once again on the steps of the Senate.

But this time, he's standing next to the dead body of his best friend.

The tens of thousands of Romans in front of him are somber and still.

This is the funeral for Julius Caesar.

Antony has spent the last several days negotiating with Brutus and his supporters.

The public was outraged at Caesar's death, which shocked the conspirators.

They expected to easily step into power, but instead, they were scrambling to avoid being arrested or killed.

In exchange for mercy, Brutus agreed not to interfere with Antony holding a public funeral for Caesar in the center of Rome.

Antony wants the people of Rome to mourn their fallen leader, and he also wants to be seen carrying Caesar's torch into the future.

Antony steps forward to address the crowd.

He starts his speech by reminding the crowd of all the ways Caesar made their lives better.

He expanded Roman citizenship, built libraries, and introduced a new solar calendar so the harvest festivals align with the correct season.

And most importantly, he brought peace to a violent city.

Antony pledges to preserve all of Caesar's reforms.

He cares about the well-being of the Roman people.

Brutus and the other assassins say they were saving democracy, but what's democratic about killing someone in cold blood?

Cheers of approval sweep through the crowd.

Everyday Romans didn't care if Caesar was a dictator.

They loved him regardless.

And now, they love Antony for preserving his legacy, exactly as he hoped.

Then, Antony pulls out a scroll and announces he will read from Caesar's will.

Everyone is curious about Caesar's final wishes, especially who he picked to inherit his large fortune.

He has no biological children, at least not officially.

His longtime mistress, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, has a young son named Caesarian whom she claims is the son of Caesar, but Caesar never publicly claimed the boy as his own.

Antony desperately wants to be named Caesar's heir.

but it's not about the money, it's the power.

Whoever Caesar picks will automatically be seen as his natural successor in the eyes of the Roman people.

Antony unrolls the scroll, saying a silent prayer that he will find his name on the document.

He scans to the bottom to find the identity of Caesar's successor, and his heart stops.

He squints as he takes in the words.

Surely he's reading it wrong.

Because what's written on this paper doesn't make any sense.

The name isn't Mark Antony.

It's not even Caesarian.

It's a name most people in the crowd have never even heard before.

Antony clears his throat and announces Caesar's heir.

Gaius Octavianus.

Confused whispers race through the crowd.

Antony racks his brain to place the name, then finally he remembers.

Gaius Octavianus is Caesar's grandnephew, but he's nothing but a boy.

An 18-year-old kid everyone just calls Octavian.

Antony's chest tightens.

He thought of Caesar as a father, but apparently Caesar didn't think of Antony as a son.

If there is, however, a small silver lining amidst Antony's disappointment, it's this.

No one knows Octavian.

He's not even in Rome.

He's off doing military training on the Balkan peninsula.

Octavian might be inheriting Caesar's wealth.

but Antony can still win over the Roman people.

He scans the will, hoping to find something that will make everyone forget they ever heard the name Octavian.

Then he spots it.

He quiets the crowd for another even bigger announcement.

Antony informs them that Caesar has pledged to give every Roman citizen 75 drachmae, equivalent to two months' wages.

This is an unheard-of gift.

The crowd erupts with love for their fallen leader.

Antony seizes opportunity.

Octavian might be Caesar's legal heir, but Antony is the one standing in front of the Roman people, and he can turn the crowd's mourning into his own weapon.

Antony motions to his servants who carry out a bulky covered object and place it on a wooden platform over the crowd.

Antony pulls up the shroud, revealing a wax sculpture of Caesar's murdered torso, showing all of his 23 stab wounds.

With tears in his eyes, Antony lifts up the bloody toga Caesar was wearing when he was killed.

He commands the crowd to look at the blood and the wounds.

Evil men have murdered their hero, and Antony wants those men punished.

The crowd's love for Caesar quickly transforms into hatred for his killers.

The funeral is now a riot, and Mark Antony lit the fuse.

Roman citizens charge into the Senate chamber where Caesar was killed and set it on fire.

Others take to the streets, searching for conspirators to punish.

They find one, a man named Sina, and literally tear him limb from limb.

Sadly, this Sina is an innocent man who just happens to share a name with the conspirator.

But it doesn't matter.

The crowd is out for blood.

A group takes Caesar's wrapped corpse from the steps of the Senate and carries it to the forum.

There, they build a funeral pyre out of wood, benches, even cloth from togas they rip off their own bodies.

They lay Caesar's body on the wood and set it aflame.

It's a spontaneous outpouring of grief and anger.

A funeral fit for a god and a king.

Antony watches his friend's body burn, and the crowd watches too, transfixed.

Antony is certain the crowd has forgotten about Octavia, but he most certainly has not.

It's a hot July day four months after Caesar's assassination, and tens of thousands of Romans are gathered in the forum to watch a gladiator contest.

The event is part of the funeral games organized to honor Julius Caesar.

Two men square off in the center of the arena.

Their short swords clash against metal shields.

They fight for their lives until finally, one man falls.

The victor turns to the viewing platform and raises his sword to salute the man who sponsored these games.

The man who has been so committed to upholding Caesar's legacy.

However, the man is not Mark Antony.

It's Octavian.

Octavian soaks up the cheers of the crowd.

Just a few months ago, none of them knew his name.

But now, Octavian is a hero.

After Caesar's funeral, Brutus and his conspirators fled Rome, seeking safety in the eastern corners of the Republic.

Mark Antony quickly assumed control of Caesar's estates and finances.

Octavian would not arrive in Rome for several weeks, and there were lots of assets to untangle in the meantime.

But secretly, Antony wanted to stop the boy from gaining anything that might make him more powerful.

So Antony spent much of Caesar's fortune on himself, paying foreign princes to align with him in amassing a personal bodyguard of over 6,000 men.

When Octavian finally reached Rome, Antony refused to relinquish the remainder of the fortune to him.

Octavian was furious.

He wanted what he was owed, and it was clear that Antony was making a power play to weaken him as a rival.

Octavian needed to fight back.

He couldn't physically intimidate Antony.

Octavian was a young, skinny kid with curly blonde hair.

Antony was a 40-year-old general.

But Octavian was politically savvy well beyond his years and knew how to make people like him.

He heard about how Antony whipped up the crowd at Caesar's funeral into an angry frenzy.

There's no way young Octavian could wield rage better than a battle-tested general.

Instead, Octavian would win over the Roman people with love.

His first order of business was to make good on Caesar's bequest of 75 drachmae to every Roman citizen.

Antony had spent or tied up all of Caesar's funds, so Octavian sold his personal properties and borrowed funds so that he, not Antony, could pay the Roman people what they were owed.

And he was right.

The Roman people loved him for it.

Now, at the forum, Octavian looks out on the crowd of Romans as they cheer the next set of gladiators.

Just then, a young boy seated near him cries out and points to the sky.

All around the arena, Romans look up.

The gladiators drop their weapons.

Octavian tips his head back to see what has so captivated the crowd.

It's a comet, in the bright of day, blazing a path across the sky.

Some men exclaim in fear.

Others flee the stadium.

In ancient Rome, comets are bad omens said to predict death or war.

But Octavian is not afraid, he's inspired.

He smiles because he already knows how to spin this.

He'll tell the people that the comet is a sign that Caesar has joined the gods in the afterlife.

This makes Caesar a god, and as his heir, Octavian is now the son of a god.

And that's a distinction Antony will never be able to claim, no matter how many battles he wins.

It's the spring of 41 BC, three years after Caesar's death, and Mark Antony stands on the dais in a much smaller forum, addressing the people of Tarsus, a city on the southern coast of present-day Turkey.

He is here to celebrate.

The Roman Republic is finally rid of the evil tyrants who killed Caesar.

After Brutus and his conspirators fled, they gathered an army in the east.

Their goal was to march into Rome to retake the city for themselves.

Antony nobly joined forces with Octavian to stop Caesar's murderers from gaining power.

Now, the two men are jointly ruling the Roman Republic.

Antony has chosen to control the East, which gives him a larger territory with more resources.

Octavian, always the political maneuverer, controls the West, which includes Rome itself, the seat of the government.

But secretly, Antony can't stand sharing power.

So now, he's touring his new lands in the hopes of securing money and soldiers for what he knows the future will hold.

An eventual showdown with Octavian and a fight for singular control of Rome.

But as Antony speaks to the people of Tarsus, he can see the audience growing distracted.

Whispers ripple through the crowd, heads turn, people stand, then begin to stream outside.

Antony looks to one of his aides for an explanation.

The man looks sheepish as he tells Antony what has captured the city's attention.

The Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, has arrived.

This is a surprise for the people of Tarsus, but Antony knew she was coming.

That's because he invited her.

Egypt is a very wealthy client kingdom of the Republic.

They're allowed to rule themselves in exchange for providing resources and military support to Rome.

Technically, Egypt falls under Antony's domain.

but Cleopatra is fickle and powerful, not to mention rich.

If Antony can ensure that she sides with him over Octavian, he'll have practically unlimited resources for his future war.

Antony leaves the stage and follows the crowd to the river.

There, moving slowly toward the city center, is Cleopatra's giant royal barge, propelled by silver oars.

She sits on a golden throne flanked by young boys who are cooling her with colorful fans.

He thinks to himself that she looks just like Aphrodite, goddess of love.

Later that night, Antony boards Cleopatra's barge for dinner.

He had originally invited her to join him at his villa, but Cleopatra refused.

If Antony wants a meeting, it'll be on her turf.

Antony approaches the lavish banquet table where the 28-year-old ruler is holding court.

He catches a whiff of her sweet perfume carried by the breeze.

Cleopatra is famously beautiful and charming, but Antony is prepared to defend against her feminine wiles.

The first words out of his mouth are a command.

He's preparing for a war against Octavian and needs Egyptian troops by his side.

Cleopatra will provide them along with anything else Antony requires.

Cleopatra studies Antony with cool confidence.

After a long silence, she asks what makes him so sure he can beat Octavian.

Antony laughs at the question.

Octavian is an unserious, incompetent child who can easily be overpowered with enough soldiers.

This doesn't satisfy Cleopatra.

She wants to know Antony's plan.

Where will he put his camps?

How will he move his troops?

Has he even thought about his supply chain?

Antony raises an eyebrow.

These are excellent questions, the kind that usually come from a general.

Now he's beginning to understand why his friend Caesar was so devoted to Cleopatra.

She's not just a beautiful woman.

She's a brilliant strategist.

Antony joins her at the banquet table.

They eat, drink, and talk late into the night.

And when Cleopatra leaves Tarsus to return home to Alexandria, Antony follows.

He's in love.

A year later, in November of 40 BC, Mark Antony enters an opulent townhouse on the Palatine Hill in Rome.

He's wearing an elaborate crimson-striped toga and a wreath of myrtle on his head.

Today is his wedding day.

He takes his place on the dais and looks at the woman next to him, whose face is hidden beneath a red veil.

He looks down to her tunic, cinched with a leather belt that is secured with elaborate ceremonial knots.

Antony will be untying those later tonight.

This is his future bride, but it's not Cleopatra.

He takes the woman's hand and nods to the man giving her away.

The man is Octavian, and the woman is his sister, Octavia.

Mark Antony is about to be permanently joined to his enemy.

Octavian nods back at Antony.

He never thought he would be calling the old general brother-in-law, but when his sister's husband died a few months prior, Octavian, of course, saw a political opportunity.

He knew Antony was building an army aided by Egyptian money.

The western part of the Republic, the region Octavian ruled, had fewer resources than Antony's east.

He needed to buy more time to secure troops and supplies.

So he had pitched Antony an idea.

If Antony married Octavia, then Antony's future son would rule over the entire United Republic, and there would be no need for a war.

The marriage would be purely a business transaction.

He wouldn't have to leave Cleopatra, just keep Octavia close by for appearance's sake.

This was key.

Octavian's sister is an intelligent, savvy woman.

Joining her to Antony means that Octavian will have his own personal spy at the right hand of his enemy.

He'll know Antony's plans and troop movements well in advance, and maybe Octavia can even engage in a little sabotage.

Octavian offers his new brother-in-law a sincere smile.

The old man doesn't know what's coming.

It's autumn of 34 BC, six years after Antony's marriage to Octavian's sister, and Antony sits on a golden throne next to the woman he loves most in the world, Cleopatra.

He's still married to Octavia, but their union has been a resounding failure, from both their perspectives.

She and Antony have two daughters, so there's no male heir to inherit Rome.

And Antony has no real affection for Octavia and keeps his distance from her, so she hasn't been able to spy or sabotage.

Three years ago, Antony Antony reconnected with Cleopatra and has been by her side in Alexandria ever since.

As a result, Antony and Octavian's uneasy alliance is inching closer to full-blown war.

And so today, Antony wants to make sure the future of his true family, his Egyptian family, is secure.

He is dressed in Greek robes, not Roman ones, in the style of Dionysus, god of wine.

Cleopatra wears a robe inspired by the Egyptian goddess Isis.

On smaller thrones before them are their children, six-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and two-year-old son.

Cleopatra's 13-year-old son with Julius Caesar, Caesarean, is also present.

The royal household, royal guard, and the most powerful Alexandrian citizens stand before them.

Antony tells the crowd of all the lands he and Cleopatra have conquered together, from the northern Arabian Peninsula all the way to Armenia.

This land is rightfully part of the Roman Republic, but Antony wants to bestow it to his children.

This will make Egypt the rightful center of a new empire, one that can overshadow Rome.

East will finally have conquered West.

He gives his daughter and sons their own parts of the kingdom, making them a queen and kings in their own right.

Next, it's Cleopatra's turn.

Antony declares her queen of kings and gives her control of Cyprus and the fertile Baca Valley in present-day Lebanon.

This gives Egypt complete control of the eastern Mediterranean.

But Antony is not done.

He summons Caesarian to stand next to him and presents the boy to the audience as the one true son of Julius Caesar.

He will rule alongside his mother and carry out Caesar's legacy.

The Egyptian crowd is delighted by the news.

The young boy's parentage has long been an open secret, but this is the first time it's been acknowledged publicly.

Julius Caesar's legacy and the future of the Roman Republic Republic now runs directly through Egypt.

Antony knows that once word reaches Rome, Octavian will be furious.

Octavian's relationship to Caesar is the source of all his political power.

Antony wants to sever that association and provoke Octavian into fighting back.

Antony is done playing politics.

He's ready to settle this on the battlefield.

He just needs Octavian to make the first move.

In the late summer of 32 BC, Octavian stands in front of the Roman Senate detailing all the ways Mark Antony has disgraced Rome.

It started two years ago in Alexandria, when he broke up the eastern portion of the Roman Republic and bequeathed it to his children with Cleopatra, and, even worse, insisted that Caesarian was the true heir of Julius Caesar.

The senators gasp in shock and dismay.

This is the first they've heard about the ceremony.

Octavian assures them that everything he said is true.

It's all detailed in Antony's will, which was recently discovered.

That's a lie, of course.

Octavian heard about the ceremony from some Roman men who defected from Egypt.

But at first, he didn't want to act on it.

Whoever struck first risked angering Roman citizens who only wanted peace.

But then, More than six months ago, Antony officially divorced Octavia, and the last drop of goodwill goodwill between the two men evaporated.

Octavian started quietly preparing for war.

He knew Antony was a legendary commander on the battlefield, so his best chance would be to attack by sea.

Octavian looked to an old friend for help, the master naval commander, Marcus Agrippa.

Now, he just needs the Roman Senate to do his dirty work and declare war.

Octavian raises his hands to quiet the senators.

He repeats his sincere concern for the future of Rome.

It's dangerous that one of its leaders is off playing pharaoh in Egypt, wasting Roman money on his own indulgences.

They've all heard the stories, like the time Cleopatra dissolved an expensive pearl in vinegar and drank it, just to show she could.

Or how Antony erected statues of himself and Cleopatra at the Acropolis, the holiest temple in Athens.

And worst of all, Octavian has heard that Antony wants to move the the capital of the Republic from Rome to Alexandria.

The senators roar with anger.

Octavian smiles to himself.

That's another lie, but who cares?

He has the senators eating out of the palm of his hand.

Octavian calls for the Senate to take a vote.

He knows that many of them are old friends of Antony, but surely they can all agree that the true enemy here is Cleopatra.

the foreign temptress who is out to turn the entire Mediterranean into an extension of Egypt.

Rome has fought foreign powers before and can do it again.

One by one, the senators raise their hands, and Rome is officially at war.

It's one year later, the summer of 31 BC, and Mark Antony stands atop a lookout point near Actium, a small town on the coast of Greece.

From here, he can see a camp full of his soldiers on the banks of a small strait that flows into the Ionian Sea.

To the north, about five miles away, he can just make out Octavian's army camp and his naval ships anchored off the western coast.

For the past year, this has been Antony's base of operations.

His goal is to defeat Octavian in the east, Antony's home soil, so he can make his triumphant return to Rome as the unquestioned ruler of the Republic.

He originally wanted to fight on land, but when he heard that the naval mastermind Agrippa was working with his enemy, he set about gathering ships.

He and Cleopatra currently have 500 vessels, all safely hidden in a nearby harbor.

This strait is the only access point, and Antony's men have complete control over it.

Octavian will be forced to attack through the strait, where Antony's ground troops can easily overpower Octavian's ships.

Land beats sea.

It's a foolproof plan.

His ships have been in this harbor for months, but Octavian has refused to attack.

Instead, he and Agrippa have launched surprise attacks on Antony's supply chain, disrupting much-needed shipments of fresh water, food, and troops.

With their supply chain destroyed, Antony's troops have grown hungry.

To make matters worse, they are camped on the low ground of the southern peninsula.

It's better for protecting the harbor, but it's full of mosquitoes.

Antony's men are running out of food, water, and reinforcements, not to mention they're literally being eaten alive and falling ill with deadly diseases.

They can't wait any longer.

Octavian has forced his hand, and Antony must act.

Antony leaves the lookout point and walks back to camp, through rows of soldiers' tents, to his commander's tent in the center.

He opens the leather flap and enters.

Inside the space is luxurious, set for dinner, complete with silver flatware.

His commanders sit waiting.

And of course, Cleopatra.

Antony addresses the group.

They've run out of time.

Their supply lines on land are compromised, and Octavian's ships have set up a naval blockade of their harbor.

If they don't figure out a way to get out of Actium, their forces will be destroyed for good.

Antony asks his men for options.

Some commanders want to retreat to the east, away from Octavian's ships.

In that direction, the harbor opens into a gulf that connects them to central Greece.

There they can regroup and continue the fight on land.

Others want to sail to the west and fight Octavian in the open water of the Ionian Sea.

Finally, Cleopatra speaks up.

Neither of these plans solves their supply chain problem.

Their troops are weak and in no state to win any battle against Octavian's forces, whether on land or sea.

They need to figure out a way to escape and sail to Egypt, where they can rest, resupply, and figure out their next move.

Antony agrees with Cleopatra about one thing.

His troops are in no state to fight on land.

That means retreating to the east is out.

That only leaves sailing to the west, but should they prepare to fight in the Ionian Sea, or do they try to sail directly south into the Mediterranean and make a hasty escape to Egypt?

That's when a thought occurs to Antony.

Why not both?

A few days later, Antony walks along the harbor surveying his fleet.

He comes upon a warship anchored near the shore, sitting empty, and there he stops.

With a sigh, Antony nods to one of his soldiers standing nearby.

Obediently, the soldier approaches the ship with a burning torch and lights it on fire.

Antony's heart breaks watching the beautiful vessel be destroyed, but he knows it's for the best.

He's done the math, and while he and Cleopatra have 500 ships, they only have enough healthy men to sail 230 of them.

Antony can't risk Octavian capturing their empty ships, so he's ordered them to be burned.

Antony knows he's going into battle at a disadvantage.

His spies have informed him that Octavian has a fleet of 400 ships that can be fully manned with a healthy crew.

So he's preparing to fight, but he's also thinking about escape.

Antony watches as his soldiers load masts and sails onto his 230 warships.

This is highly unusual.

During battle, Roman warships are powered by hundreds of rowers who sit in tears below deck.

It's a lot of work, but it's also more reliable and agile than relying on the wind.

Sails are only used for long sea voyages, or if a ship wanted to break away from a battle and set sail for Egypt.

Antony worries his troops might desert him if they think he's planning to run from the fight, so he's fabricated a story about a windy weather forecast to cover his tracks.

Later that night, Antony sneaks out of his commander's tent and heads back to the harbor.

There, in the dark of night, Cleopatra's most trusted men are loading her riches onto her ships.

This is a sure sign they may never return to Actium, so it's imperative no one sees.

It's been 13 years since the assassination of Julius Caesar, years in which Antony has engaged in an endless power struggle with an inexperienced, ambitious upstart.

And soon, there will only be one man left standing.

At dawn on September 2, 31 BC, Antony gives the order to load his men men onto their ships.

Approximately 20,000 soldiers and 2,000 archers march on board.

40,000 infantrymen will wait on land in case the battle reaches shore.

The soldiers don their iron helmets and chainmail armor.

They're ready for battle, but they know they're outnumbered.

Word has it that at this very moment, Octavian is loading 40,000 men onto his ships, a force twice the size of Antony's.

But the men follow their commander's order.

Readying themselves for hand-to-hand battle in the open sea, they grab their shields, javelins, and shortswords and board all 230 warships.

Below deck, the rowers grab their oars.

Many are slaves who didn't choose to join this fight, but nevertheless, they prepare to push off.

Antony makes the rounds and delivers a rousing battle speech.

Their enemy, Octavian, is nothing more than a spoiled child who lucked into a kingdom and leaves his fighting to braver, smarter men.

But together, Antony's army is fighting for the legacy of Julius Caesar and for control of the land and riches of the vast Roman Republic.

This is a fight for the future of the world.

Then, Antony gives the signal and his ships push off.

The rowers move in unison, and Antony's 230 ships glide through the straits and get into position in the Ionian Sea facing west, away from the shoreline.

Antony's not sure if they will ever return.

At the same time, Octavian and his 400 ships push off from the northern peninsula.

He doesn't offer a rousing speech.

Octavian isn't worried.

His men don't need inspiration.

They have food, water, and supplies, all things that Antony's men lack.

Antony's ships row farther out to sea and line up about a mile from Antony's fleet.

They face east towards the Greek coast.

Both navies are divided into three groups.

Octavian leads the right flank, the traditional spot for the commander.

This puts him on the south end of the fight.

He has ordered Marcus Agrippa to command the left flank in the north.

This puts him directly across from Mark Antony.

It's the best of both worlds for Octavian.

He gets to command from a place of honor, while Antony faces off against his strongest naval commander.

It's nowhere near a fair fight.

Agrippa has 260 ships spread out in a wide arc of 8,000 yards.

That's more than double Antony's 120 vessels lined up across 5,000 yards.

Agrippa has Antony outnumbered and outflanked, but Octavian knows Agrippa won't attack.

They've come up with a strategy.

Stay as far back as possible and wait for Antony's men to exhaust themselves by rowing out into open water for an attack.

But as Octavian sits and waits, he notices that Antony's ships aren't moving.

For the next two hours, the two sides stare each other down across a mile of open sea.

On the deck of his ship, floating off the coast of Actium, Greece, Mark Antony stares down Octavian's naval fleet.

He knows the largest ship directly across from him is captained by the legendary strategist Agrippa.

But right now, Agrippa isn't making a move.

Neither is Antony.

They're at a standstill, facing off against each other, with a mile of open water between them.

Antony's men have been tired and hungry for weeks.

He doesn't want to exhaust them more than necessary.

So Antony is waiting for wind, praying that it will naturally push his ships closer to Agrippa's.

The odds are still stacked against him, but Antony has a secret weapon.

Cleopatra's 60 Egyptian ships have formed a second line, a rear guard behind Antony's ships closer to the coast.

Their job is to attack any of Agrippa's vessels that manages to break through Antony's line.

After hours of waiting, around 12 o'clock noon, a faint breeze begins to blow.

On his ship, Antony orders his men to their battle stations.

Then, when the wind is just right, they begin to row.

His ships advance on Agrippa's fleet.

But Antony's men don't row straight west.

He orders them north.

With the wind in their favor, Antony's ships can row above Agrippa's fleet, surround the enemy, and gain the upper hand.

At least, that's the hope.

Unfortunately for Antony, Agrippa is a naval genius, and he has the exact same idea.

Antony watches as Agrippa's rowers match his ship's movements, stroke for stroke.

But Agrippa's men aren't starving, and his ships are smaller and faster.

They quickly outpace Antony's fleet.

Agrippa's line slowly curves and now Antony's right flank is surrounded.

On the south end of the battle, Octavian watches as enemy ships make their approach.

Finally, some action.

Octavian orders his rowers to stroke, but they're not headed towards the enemy.

Instead, Octavian's men row backwards, further away from shore.

From his lookout point on deck, Octavian notices that, just as he predicted, the enemy ships are slowing down.

Octavian has them right where he wants them.

He orders his ships to change direction, and soon they have Antony's left flank completely surrounded.

As the battle spreads, a huge gap begins to open in the middle of Antony's fleet.

This is the break Octavian has been waiting for.

Now, it's time to attack.

Back on his ship, Antony yells frantic commands at his men.

Enemy ships are approaching and they need to man their weapons.

Then,

crunch.

A stone ball makes contact with the side of Antony's wooden ship.

His men yell out, they're being hit with catapult projectiles.

The soldiers race to their own wooden catapults and start launching stones.

Antony has an advantage here.

His ships are larger and taller.

Now that they're close, they can rain fire down on their enemies.

Antony's men launch stone after stone, barely waiting to see which ship they make contact with.

Elsewhere on deck, archers scramble into position and javelin throwers pick up their long, sharp staffs.

Everywhere Antony looks, projectiles are flying.

The sea is so packed with ships that it's hard to tell the two sides apart.

He watches a catapult launch on deck next to him.

The ball sails through the air and makes contact with one of his own ships.

Then, a large jolt shudders through Antony's body.

He loses his balance and drops to the deck.

His men yell out.

Agrippa's ship just ran straight into them.

Antony pulls himself to the railing and looks out at Agrippa's vessel.

It's small and reinforced with iron.

The prowl of the ship is made of bronze and weighs half a ton.

And now, it's being used as a battering ram.

Antony watches the enemy rowers pull their vessel backwards, then quickly change direction.

The soldiers on deck crouch down, anticipating contact.

The ship speeds back towards Antony and bam, it rams his ship again.

Antony staggers as his ship crunches under the impact, but they're not dead yet.

He orders his men to throw grappling hooks at the enemy vessel.

The metal pierces the wood on the deck and sides.

The two ships are now tied together.

Antony gives the signal for his men to lower a plank and board Agrippa's ship.

He watches as his soldiers race into battle.

Broadswords clash against shields.

Arrows fly through the air.

Men jump into the water, willing to risk their lives swimming to shore rather than face certain death on board.

The battle is getting desperate.

Then, something catches Antony's eye on the horizon.

There in the distance are the purple sails of Cleopatra's ship.

She's found an opening through the middle of the battle and is putting their backup plan into action.

She's sailing for Egypt.

Antony knows the same thing Cleopatra does.

They can't win this fight.

Their only hope is escape.

Antony leaves his warship and boards a smaller, faster vessel.

His men raise their sails and steer for Cleopatra's ships.

Antony climbs off his ship onto one of Cleopatra's and they set their course for Egypt.

Behind him, most of Antony's fleet is too damaged to follow.

But the ones that are able raise their sails and throw their weapons into the sea to make themselves lighter.

Octavian's fleet can't catch them.

Antony and Cleopatra's maneuver caught him by surprise, and there's no way his rowers can compete with the power of the wind.

All in all, about 80 of Antony's original 230 warships make the break for Egypt.

The rest of the vessels are captured or destroyed by Octavian.

Back at Antony's camp, tens of thousands of infantrymen watch as their leader leaves them behind.

By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the battle of Actium is over.

Octavian is victorious, but Antony and Cleopatra have escaped with their lives.

At least, for now.

It's a year after the Battle of Actium in the eighth month of 30 BC.

Today, Octavian is camped with his troops in the desert outside of Alexandria.

Ever since Actium, Octavian has lived with the shame of letting Cleopatra and Antony escape.

A few months ago, he decided to finish the job.

He sailed for Egypt and began a long, slow march across the country, easily capturing towns along the way.

Antony's stranglehold on the country was clearly slipping.

Now it's time for the death blow.

After Actium, Octavian showed himself as the singular ruler of Rome.

And now, with unrivaled power, he's no longer afraid of fighting Antony on land.

He's no longer afraid of fighting Antony at all.

Octavian has his enemy in his sights.

It's just a matter of when to strike.

Later that day, Antony collapses into a chair and sends a servant for wine.

He's inside the royal palace of Alexandria.

and the sense of utter defeat fills his mind.

Octavian is closing in, and this time, there's nowhere left to run.

He needs to talk to Cleopatra.

He sends one of his slaves to fetch her, then downs another goblet of wine.

He tries to calm his anger.

Cleopatra will have a plan.

She always does.

But before long, the slave returns with terrible news.

Queen Cleopatra has killed herself.

Antony drops to his knees in disbelief.

His grief is deep and immediate.

If he doesn't have Cleopatra by his side, there's no point in living.

He picks up his sword and hands it to the slave.

Antony wants the man to kill him.

It's the only way to end his suffering.

The slave refuses and instead kills himself rather than his master.

Antony is out of options.

He takes his sword and stabs it into his stomach.

The pain radiates through his body.

Blood pours onto the stone floor.

Antony falls onto his couch, but he's not dead.

He cries out in agony.

Cleopatra's secretary hears his screaming and comes running.

He finds Antony, injured and near death, and asks if he would like to be taken to Cleopatra.

Antony can hardly believe what he hears.

Cleopatra

is alive?

The secretary confirms it.

Cleopatra didn't kill herself.

It was all a ruse.

When she heard Octavian was camped nearby, she left the palace and hid in a nearby mausoleum.

Then, her servants spread the rumor that she was dead so Octavian wouldn't come looking for her.

And now that rumor has Antony at death's door.

But even through his agony, Antony can't help but feel pride in the woman he loves.

As always, Cleopatra is two steps ahead.

and he needs to see her one last time.

A group of servants carry him to the mausoleum.

As they lay him on the cold stone, Antony sees Cleopatra's beautiful face as she leans over him.

Her eyes are full of tears, and she erupts in grief.

She tears her clothes, beats her breasts, and smears Antony's blood over her body.

With the last of his strength, Antony squeezes her hand to calm her.

He tells her to remember all the joy they share.

Cleopatra helped make him one of the most powerful men in the history of the world, and for that, he will always be grateful.

He knows Octavian will reach Alexandria soon, and Cleopatra should do everything in her power to save herself.

She can't let Octavian disgrace her, no matter what.

He watches her nod through her tears as she makes the promise.

Then she buries her head in his chest and holds him, until finally, Mark Antony dies in his lover's arms.

A week later, Cleopatra anxiously waits in her apartment in the royal palace.

Octavian knows she's alive, and he's coming to see her for the first time since Antony's death.

Cleopatra has no time for heartbreak.

If she wants to live, she needs to win over her former enemy.

If she throws her support behind Octavian, maybe he won't have her executed for joining forces with Antony.

He might even let her keep ruling Egypt.

It's the only card she has left to play.

She's applied her perfume, and when Octavian enters her chambers, Cleopatra fawns over him.

She shows him letters from Julius Caesar and tells Octavian how much he reminds her of that great man.

She's sure Octavian will be magnanimous in victory.

Egypt and Rome have always been great friends.

There's no reason that needs to change now.

But for once, Cleopatra has met a man impervious to her charms.

Octavian informs her of his plans.

She won't be staying in Egypt.

He will bring her to Rome, march her through the streets as his conquest, and publicly execute her.

After Octavian takes his leave, Cleopatra's face hardens.

There's no way she's going to Rome to be disgraced.

She'll stay in Egypt, even if it means she has to die here.

A few days before Octavian is scheduled to take her to Rome, Cleopatra's plan is in place.

Octavian grants her permission to throw an elaborate final dinner in Antony's honor.

When a farmer arrives with a large basket for Cleopatra, his guards intercept the suspicious delivery.

But when they look inside, they find only a delivery of figs for the party.

The night of the dinner, Cleopatra eats, drinks, and celebrates.

Then, when the meal is over, She sends everyone away except her two most faithful servants.

Behind closed doors, Cleopatra takes the lid off of the basket of figs to reveal a venomous snake waiting underneath them.

She sits on her golden sofa, arranges her royal robes just so, and offers her arm to the snake.

The snake bites her, and poison courses through her body.

The pain is unbearable, but Cleopatra welcomes it.

Better the pain of death than the pain of humiliation.

Finally, Cleopatra dies, and with her, the last of Egypt's independence.

Octavian returned to Rome as a singular, all-powerful ruler.

Antony and Cleopatra were defeated, and Egypt was now officially a part of Rome.

Octavian wanted a way to mark a new era of Rome, so the Senate voted to give him a new title, Caesar Augustus, meaning the exalted Caesar.

He would be the first citizen of Rome, the single ruler above all.

Finally, he had all the power he ever wanted, and he wasted no time using it.

He abolished public elections and personally selected all of Rome's senators and magistrates.

He had the power to pass or veto any legislation on a whim, as well as supreme military power over Rome and its territories.

The Roman Senate had no authority over him.

Democracy was dead.

The Roman Empire had been born.

Caesar Augustus proved himself a savvy and popular ruler.

Under his direction, Rome transformed the ancient world.

New roads crisscrossed Europe.

Aqueducts brought fresh water to city centers.

Obelisks and sundials helped everyday people measure time down to the hour.

And above all, his rule marked the beginning of of the Pax Romana, a 200-year era of peace and prosperity in which the Roman Empire ruled the globe.

After Caesar Augustus died in 14 AD, the people of Rome sought a way to honor their great leader.

His victory over Mark Antony and the establishment of the Roman Empire happened in the eighth month of the solar calendar, so the people renamed it in his honor, August.

So the next time you look at a calendar, check your watch, or even fill up a glass of water, spare a thought for Caesar Augustus and the Empire be created.

From Balin Studios, this is a twist of history.

A quick note about our stories.

They're all heavily researched, but some details and scenes are dramatized.

A Twist of History is hosted by me, Joel Blackwell, executive produced by Mr.

Balin and Zach Levitt.

Our head of writing is Evan Allen, produced by Perry Kroll.

This episode was written by Margaret LeBron.

Story editing by Luke Baratz and Aaron Land.

Sound design and audio mixing by Colin Lester Fleming.

Post-production supervision by Jeremy Bone and Cole Lacasio.

Research and fact-checking by Abigail Shumway, Camille Callahan, Evan Beamer, Alex Paul, Patricia Nicole Florentino, Calvin Riley-Holgate, Matt Gilligan, Matt Teemstra.

Production coordination by Delena Corley and Samantha Collins.

Artwork by Jessica Klogston-Kiner and Robin Vane.

Thanks for listening to A Twist of History.

You can listen to more of me over at the Let's Read podcast and Let's Read YouTube channel.

See you next time.