Octavian and the Battle of Actium

Emperor Augustus, died on this day (August 20) in 14 AD of natural causes while visiting Nola. He was 75. He was the founder of the Roman Empire, and reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death. August is named in his honour.

Octavian was the son of Julius Caesar's niece, Atia.  Octavian was 20 years old when he learned of Caesar's assassination. Caesar had no living legitimate children under Roman law and so had adopted Octavian, his grand-nephew, in his will, making him his primary heir. Octavian returned to Italy to avenge Caesar's murder. In 43 BCE, he formed the Second Triumvirate with Marc Antony and Lepidus. They defeated Brutus and Cassius and divided the empire, with Octavian holding most of the West and Antony the East.

Antony and Cleopatra grew closer as Octavian worked to restore Italy. In 33 BC, the Second Triumvirate ended, leaving Antony with no legal authority. Octavian began a campaign against him, declaring war against Cleopatra.

Octavian’s admiral Marcus Agrippa held Antony’s fleet back in the bay of Actium in Greece. Antony and Cleopatra escaped, leaving the rest of his men to surrender. Antony fled to Alexandria where he and Cleopatra eventually took their own lives in August, 30 BCE; this marked the end of the Roman civil wars.

This coin was minted in Rome, 13-14 AD.

Rome was officially transformed from a Republic to a Principate in January, 27 BCE. Octavian was crowned 'Augustus'. Over the next 40 years, Augustus shared his authority with the Senate. It would not be until Augustus’ coinage reform in 23 BCE that the gold aureus would come into standard use. In addition to his reorganization of the state and institutions of Rome, Augustus introduced a formal system of fixed ratios between denominations of coins.