Workshop 1
Octavian, Anthony and Cleopatra: Propaganda and the ‘Myth of Actium’
The creation and subsequent sustaining of the ‘Myth of Actium’ is one of the greatest examples of the use of mass propaganda in the ancient world. While scholars such as Murray question the impact that the re-instigation of games at Nikopolis and the extension of the temple of Apollo at Actium would have on the political situation in Rome, its emergence, however, seems to have occurred around 20 BC, a time at which Octavian Augustus has officially restored the Republic (27 BC) and resigned his position as consul, instead holding office as Tribune of the Plebs.
The Augustan version of the battle of Actium is one that is displayed by the three passages. They see Octavian and Antony facing each other as men equal in stature and skill, and the subsequent battle one of epic proportions fought with skill and courage, qualities that were the backbone of Rome’s magnificence. We see Antony’s triumphs as......
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Approximate Word Count: 1078
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |