By place Roman Republic •
Augustus, then known as Imperator Caesar, becomes
Roman Consul for the third time. Antony was designated as his colleague but is deposed from office, an action that Antony does not recognise. • Octavian crosses the
Strait of Otranto and lands with an
army (15
legions) at
Panormus in
Dalmatia. He marches to
Toryne in the south, and establishes a
bridgehead at the
Gulf of Ambracia. •
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa sails with 300 war
galleys to the western
Peloponnese, and occupies strategic positions around the
Gulf of Corinth to cut off Antony's
line of communication. • Antony, alerted by Octavian's presence, sets up camp on the southern
shore, at the
promontory of
Actium. He dispatches a force to isolate the
camp of Octavian in the valley of
Louros. • Agrippa storms
Leucas, giving Octavian an
anchorage and a second
depot for his land
supplies. He seizes the
garrison at
Patrae, and takes Antony's
headquarters. •
Amyntas, king of
Galatia,
deserts with 2,000 cavalry to Octavian. One-third of Antony's oarsmen are lost to
malnutrition,
disease and
desertion. •
September 2 –
Roman Civil War:
Battle of Actium: Off the western coast of
Greece, Octavian Caesar defeats naval forces under
Mark Antony and
Cleopatra VII. • The Egyptian fleet (60 warships), including Cleopatra's treasure ship, retreats to
Taenarus. Antony transfers his flag to a smaller
vessel and breaks through Octavian's line. • Winter – Octavian (32 years old) takes court at
Samos. After his decisive victory at
Actium he builds
Nicopolis; the city is populated by Greeks from settlements further inland.
Roman Palestine • In the
Judean Desert on an isolated rock
plateau, fortress
Masada is completed.
Herod the Great builds an
armory,
barracks, storehouses and a
palace. •
31 BC Judea earthquake, earthquake mentioned in catalogues of historical earthquakes. It affected the
Herodian Kingdom of Judea in the
Holy Land.
By topic Art • The
Hellenistic period ends (or
AD 14 by some scholars). == Births ==