Are they, and welcome to Emperors of Rome, a Roman history podcast from Latrobe University.

I'm your host Matt Smith, and with me today is Dr. Rianne Evans, Associate Professor

in Classics and Ancient History at Latrobe University.

This is episode C-C-I-I, the death of Cleopatra and Antony.

With Octavian triumphant at the Battle of Actium, the scene is finally set for a dramatic

showdown in Alexandria.

Cleopatra and Antony, a couple famous for their strategy and volatility, will pay the

ultimate price for resisting Rome, leaving Octavian free to assume a role of undisputed

power.

Here's Rianne Evans.

After the Battle of Actium, Mark Antony and Cleopatra split up.

I don't mean they split up romantically, but they go separate ways initially.

Well, I kind of wonder if they split up romantically.

Well, maybe.

It's very hard to get insight into that relationship given the improper gender.

But yeah, Mark Antony goes to Cyrene in North Africa, so he's basically going for the West,

and Cleopatra goes back to Alexandria.

There's got to be a plan of some sort here, even if it is the only options open to them.

So Octavian, young Caesar, has won the Battle of Actium, and it seemed to be a last ditch

effort for Antony and Cleopatra to have any success, any say in how the Empire was going.

This is most of their resources going into this battle, and this is what they're pinning

their hopes on, the nice strong fleet.

...