★ Battle of Actium Issue ★

OCTAVIAN. Denarius (30-29 BC). Uncertain Italian mint, possibly Rome.

Obv: Bare head right.
Rev: IMP - CAESAR.
Naval and military trophy facing, composed of helmet, cuirass, shield, and crossed spears, set on prow of galley right; crossed rudder and anchor at base.

RIC² 265a; CRI 419.

After Caesar's assassination and the defeat of the Republicans in 42 at Philippi, Mark Antony began to reorganize the East while Octavian took care of the West. Relations between the two men had never been great however Octavian married his younger sister Octavia to Mark Antony who, after an initial split, returned to Egypt to Cleopatra. Moreover, rumors circulated that Antony wanted to leave the Roman lands that belonged to him to the queen and her children. Octavian, who already had the senate on his side, needed a pretext to be allowed to declare war. He somehow managed to get his hands on the donations of Alexandria that were part of Mark Antony's will and brought the document to the senate, convincing it to start the conflict. Antony and Cleopatra relied on 230 ships and 23 legions of soldiers and intended to depart from Ephesus to reach Italy, but they were stopped by the advance of Octavian, who sailed to Dalmatia with 100 ships and 24 legions. Meanwhile, Agrippa went to the Peloponnese with 300 war galleys to block enemy supplies, then established an important base at Patras and joined Octavian. Mark Antony reached the entrance to the Gulf of Acarnania, occupying the southern peninsula, ('actio' = 'promontory'). The decisive battle was fought on September 2, 31 BC. When Cleopatra realized that the battle was turning against them, she decided to flee with her ships in the direction of Egypt, followed by Antony, leaving the rest of the fleet without its commander and forcing it to surrender.

Condition: Good very fine.

Weight: 3.75 g.
Diameter: 20 mm.