δεκαναΐα | |
  Shown within Greece | |
| Location | Actium,Greece |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°57′17″N20°46′27″E / 38.95472°N 20.77417°E /38.95472; 20.7741738°57′17″N 20°46′27″E |
| Type | Trophy of arms |
| Part of | On-site memorials for theWar of Actium |
| History | |
| Builder | Augustus |
| Founded | After 31 BC |
| Abandoned | Late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD |
| Periods | LateRoman Republic to earlyRoman Empire |
TheActiandekanaia (Ancient Greek: δεκαναΐα, literally 'set of ten'[1]) was a Romantrophion at theCape of Actium composed of a dedication of ten warships, which served as a memorial forCaesar Augustus' naval victory over the allies ofMark Antony andCleopatra VII in theBattle of Actium. Since no conclusive archaeological remains have been identified so far, the descriptions of the site by classical authors, especiallyStrabo, remain the only sources available.[2]
According to Strabo's account inGeographica, the trophy was located on the shore down the hill where theTemple of Actian Apollo stood. It consisted of ten warships of various sizes captured from the fleets ofMark Antony andCleopatra VII and were protected by ship sheds. These structures and the ships, however, were burned down by the timeStrabo wrote about them.[3]
The Actiandekanaia was a pivotal component ofAugustus' on-site commemorative projects that were scattered around the former battlefield of theWar of Actium. The trophy was symbolically located near the navel battlefield of theBattle of Actium and probably within the area ofMark Antony's camp during the war, so as to further highlight the victory ofAugustus and the defeat of his enemy.[2][4] Meanwhile, the ten ships might involve all of the naval classes ofHellenistic-era warships.[1] The dedication's sheer size and completeness might be the peak of the tradition of ship dedication after naval victory, serving as a clear demonstration ofAugustus' total victory.[2]
Gaius Octavius · Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian) ·Imperator Caesar Augustus | |||||||||||
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