tiny-librarian:

On the morning of this day in history, September
2nd, in 31 B.C., the Battle of Actium was fought between the combined
forces of Cleopatra VII and her husband, Marc Antony, and those of
Octavian.

The Battle was a decisive victory for Octavian; many of Antony’s
ships were undermanned due to a malaria outbreak among his troops and
one of his generals had defected to the other side before the battle
began and told Octavian his battle strategy.

After their defeat, Antony and Cleopatra retreated to Alexandria with
what was left of their forces. Octavian pursued them there, and many
more of Antony’s men would desert him and join with the forces of Rome.
The couple were ultimately defeated the following year, and both would
then famously take their own lives.