RE-RELEASE: Actium, Baby! (With Barry Strauss)

RE-RELEASE: Actium, Baby! (With Barry Strauss)

From Ancient History Fangirl by Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy

April 2, 2026 · 1h 5m · Episode 343

About this episode

The episode explores the Battle of Actium with historian Barry Strauss, discussing its significance and Cleopatra's actions during the battle.

Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! ⁠ In this episode, we return to the beach at Actium with author, historian, and academic Barry Strauss as our tour guide. His new book, The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium, discusses the infamous sea battle Marc Antony and Cleopatra fought against Octavian and Agrippa for love, for supremacy, for their very survival. Join us as we deconstruct this battle, paint a vivid picture of ancient war at sea, and tackle the one question everyone’s asking: why did Cleopatra flee the battlefield? Sponsors and Advertising This podcast is a member of Airwave Media podcast network. Want to advertise on our show? Please direct advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Guest: Barry Strauss

Topics covered

  • Actium
  • Roman Empire
  • Marc Antony
  • Cleopatra
  • Octavian
  • ancient warfare

Keywords

  • sea battle
  • historical analysis
  • survival
  • supremacy

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The War That Made the Roman Empire

Books & works: Actium, The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium

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