The Battle of Actium was a significant naval confrontation that took place on September 2, 31 BCE, between the forces of Octavian and the combined fleets of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. This battle marked the climax of a power struggle in the late Roman Republic, leading to the eventual rise of Octavian as the first Roman Emperor, later known as Augustus. The battle occurred near the entrance of the Ambracian Gulf in Greece. Octavian's fleet, commanded by Agrippa, employed superior tactics and strategy, resulting in a decisive victory. Following this defeat, Mark Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt, where their eventual downfall would unfold.