Do Augustan sources portray an accurate picture of the Battle of Actium?

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Do Augustan sources portray an accurate picture of the Battle of Actium? (45)-

Octavian's victory at  gave him sole and uncontested control of Mare Nostrum (Our Sea, i.e., the Roman Mediterranean) and this victory marked the transition of Rome from Republic to Empire.  Octavian was keen to emphasise the Battle of Actium as a foreign war against eastern Queen Cleopatra; because it was inconceivable that Octavian could glorify a civil war against Marc Antony, later Augustan literature provided this glorification for him.  This would suggest that the Augustan sources did not provide a wholly accurate account of the Battle of Actium.

Horace emphasises that the Battle of Actium was a foreign war in Epode 9; this is shown on line 21 when he states “Can you longer delay the golden chariots and oxen…”, meaning a triumph; a triumph was only ever awarded to a general who had defeated a foreign enemy with casualties exceeding 5,000 men.  Horace’s emphasis that the Battle of Actium was a foreign war is also shown on line 12 “in service to a woman Roman soldiery” which highlights the fact that Antony was Cleopatra’s puppet; this line suggests that the Roman troops assigned to Antony were, in reality, controlled by Cleopatra, playing down Antony’s influence and showing Cleopatra as the enemy.  In addition to this, Horace highlights the idea of Eastern effeminacy when he writes about “eunuchs” (line 14) and a “foul and curtained tent” on line 15.  These lines are referring to the castration of men and the Eastern use of mosquito nets, implying that Romans are not as feminine as the people of the East and so would never dare use such things.  In addition to this, Horace also highlights Eastern effeminacy in Odes 1.37 when he writes “diseased by vice, herself without restraint” (line 10).  Horace’s emphasis on Eastern effeminacy further stresses that the Battle of Actium was a foreign war.  Epode 9 must not, however, be taken at face value as Horace was employed by Octavian to write the poem; this means that Horace was obliged to write in such a way that pleased Octavian and allowed him to be viewed in a good light.  

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By stating that Roman soldiery was “in service to a woman” (Epode 9) Horace is presenting the Battle of Actium as a battle against a foreign enemy as opposed to a civil conflict, therefore it was in his interest to portray Antony as a weak fool serving the foreign queen Cleopatra.  This line suggests that the Roman troops assigned to Antony were, in reality, controlled by Cleopatra, playing down Antony’s influence and showing Cleopatra as the enemy.  Propertius supports this idea when referring to an “alien Queen” (4.6) as well as the “woman who brandished Roman spears” (4.6). ...

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