AC'TIUM, ak'shistm, now ARRI. A town and primontory on the west coast of Greece at the entrance of the Ambraeian Gulf, now the Gulf of Arta. It is memorable for the sea fight which took place near it September 2d, 31 n.c„ between 6etavius (afterward the Emperor Augustus) and Marens Antonius. These two had for some time ruled the Roman world jointly, the former in the west, the latter in the east. It now came to a struggle for the sole sovereignty. The two armies were encamped on the opposite shores of the gulf. Octavius had 80,000 infantry, 12.000 cavalry, and 200 ships of war; Antony, 100,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry, and 220 ships. Antony's ships were large and well provided with engines for throwing missiles, but clumsy in their move ments; Oetavius's were smaller and more agile. Antony was supported by Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, with sixty vessels, who induced him, against the opinion of his most experienced gen erals, to determine upon a naval engagement. The battle continued for some hours undecided; at last Agrippa, who commanded Octavins's fleet, succeeded by a skillful manceuvre in compelling Antony to extend his line of battle, the compact ness of which had hitherto resisted all attempts of the enemy to break through. Cleopatra. whose
ships were stationed behind Antony's line, ap prehensive of that line's being broken, took to flight with her auxiliary fleet, and Antony reck lessly followed her with a few of his ships. The deserted fleet continued to resist bravely for sonic time, hut was finally vanquished; the land army, after waiting in vain seven days for An tony's return, surrendered to Oetavius. As a memorial of the victory that had given him the empire of the world, and out of gratitude to the gods, Octavius enlarged the temple of Apollo at Actium, dedicated the trophies he had taken, and instituted games (Lodi Actiaei) to be cele brated every five years. He also built on the spot where his army had been encamped the town of Nicopolis (city of victory), near where Prevesa now stands. The battle of Actium is de scribed in Greek by Plutarch (Life of Antony)