Antony's Behavior At Actium

[frankq]

Here's something that can lead to speculation and varied opinion; Antony's behavior at Actium. Seeing Cleopatra breaking through Agrippa's blockade, he abandoned the battle and moving from his flagship to a swifter vessel, followed her out to sea.

 

However, the game plan was not to engage and win, it was to break the blockade and regroup later on. Seeing all as hopeless, do you think Antony's behavior was bad? Do you think he should have gone down fighting with his men? What purpose would that have served? By taking flight, he could fight another day (despite the fact that his 19 legions went over to Octavian).

 

So what do you think? Also, is there anyone in the forum old enough to possibly have been around in Greece at that time and seen the combat? (LOL)

[Princeps]

What purpose would that have served? By taking flight, he could fight another day (despite the fact that his 19 legions went over to Octavian).

 

Or not! It was all or nothing at Actium. His first big mistake (imo) was to carry on the main sails to his vessels, that would have seriously undermined his troops' confidence. I'm also not sure how well Antony did in naval battles (he was an infantry General wasn't he?) where as Agrippa was a celebrated Naval officer afaik. He'd also lost the propaganda war by that point. That considered, he should not have been fighting a breakout battle (as, imo, he would have been unlikely to gather enough support to take Octavian on land).

[Hamilcar Barca]

Marcus Antonius' father was an admiral of some distinction. He had served in several campaigns against Cretan piracy, but he seems not to have passed his seafaring talents on to his son. At Actium, Antony was seasick while his men were in horrible condition, in fact so many of them had deserted or died of disease that he was forced to scuttle many of his ships. Agrippa and Octavian may have been outnumbered but really, they had this one in the bag.

[frankq]

Naval skill and nautical talents for Roman commanders wasn

[Princeps]

I

[Guest Tullius]

Octavians men where mainly raw recruits while Anthony had the veterans on his team, Octavian made the smart move and goated Anhony into a sea battle in wich Octavian knew he would at least stand a chance, while the fleet of Anthony and Cleopatra concisted of large heavy ships Octavians fleet was composed of smaller and faster moving ships allowing him to outmanouver Anthony and deal the final blow.

 

If Anthony would have won...well...lets just say the main language would be Egyptian instead of Latin cuz good old cleo had Anthony by the you know whats and I personally dont doubt she would have got rid of his as soon as possible after the victory..bought herself some roman generals and taken controll of the comined roman/egyptian empire...

[Pertinax]

as Philip Marlowe would have said -"never let a broad call the shots".

 

I do admire American slang.

[Gaius Julius Trajan]

Anthony was completely ruined by Cleo. I allways wonder how history would have looked had she been a man. I'd put my money on Anthony, he was still in potential the best general in those days and had the best soldiers. And just as important, Anthony was quite liked by his men before the whole Cleopatra affair. There would have been no reason for him to rush into a naval battle (for as much as it was a serious battle).

Edited November 29, 2005 by Gaius Julius Trajan