Home1810 Edition

ACTIUM

Volume 8 · 117 words · 1810 Edition

Ancient Geography, a town situated on the coast of Acanthia, in itself inconsiderable, but famous for a temple of Apollo, a safe harbour, and an adjoining promontory of the same name, in the mouth of the Sinus Ambracius, over against Nicopolis, on the other side of the bay: it afterwards became more famous on account of Augustus's victory over Antony and Cleopatra; and for quinquennial games instituted there, called Actia or Ludi Actiaci. Hence the epithet Actium, given to Apollo (Virgil), Actiaca ara, a computation of time from the battle of Actium. The promontory is now called Capo di Figalo. The medals of Actium were silver, gold and bronze; and the ordinary type is a flying pegaseus.