Actium
From Encyclopædia
{ak'-tee-uhm or ak'-shee-uhm} Actium was an ancient town and sanctuary in western Greece, in Acarnania, famous for the naval battle that occurred offshore in the Ionian Sea on Sept. 2, 31 BC. In that decisive battle, the fleet of Octavian (later the Roman
emperor AUGUSTUS) defeated the forces of MARK
Antony and Cleopatra to win
Control of the Roman
world. Actium was on a promontory projecting northward into the Ambracian Gulf; on the opposite promontory Augustus built Nicopolis ("
city of Victory"), near present-day Preveza. Also to commemorate his victory, Augustus enlarged the existing (5th century BC)
temple of Apollo at Actium and established
games in Actium that were held every five years.
