This article discusses the Ptolemaic legacy and Egyptian independence; the annexation of Egypt; and the first Roman prefects in Egypt. In contrast to earlier changes of ruler, the annexation of Egypt by Octavian represents a particularly lasting break in the country's history. Octavian was quickly able to stabilize Roman authority in the newly created province. As in the other provinces of the empire, a new, well-designed, and effective administration was speedily introduced. It was headed by the prefect, the direct representative of the emperor.

The Battle of Alexandria was fought on July 1 to July 30, 30 BC between the forces of Octavian and Mark Antony during the last war of the Roman Republic.[1] Octavian launched a second, ultimately successful, invasion of Egypt, after which Antony and his lover, Cleopatra, committed suicide.[1] Octavian recognized the value of holding Egypt and had the kingdom annexed as a Roman province.[1]

“I added Egypt to the empire of the Roman people.” With these words the emperor Augustus (as Octavian was known from 27 bce) summarized the subjection of Cleopatra’s kingdom in the great inscription that records his achievements. The province was to be governed by a viceroy, a prefect with the status of a Roman knight (eques) who was directly responsible to the emperor.

The War of Actium or Actian War (32–30 BC) was the last civil war of the Roman Republic, fought between Mark Antony (assisted by Cleopatra and by extension Ptolemaic Egypt) and Octavian.[4] In 32 BC, Octavian convinced the Roman Senate to declare war on the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.[4] Within a month, Octavian was named pharaoh, and Egypt became his personal possession.[4]

Rome’s rule over Egypt officially began with the arrival of Octavian (later called Augustus) in 30 BCE, following his defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra in the battle at Actium. Augustus, who presented himself to the people of Egypt as the successor to the pharaohs, dismantled the Ptolemaic monarchy and annexed the country as his personal estate. For the first century following the Roman conquest, Egypt functioned in the Mediterranean world as an active and prosperous Roman province.

That same year, Octavian invaded Egypt.[2] He laid siege to Alexandria before the city fell.[2] With Antony and Cleopatra dead, Octavian officially incorporated Egypt into the Roman Empire. He also had Caesarion executed to ensure that Caesar’s “true heir” did not rival his power.[2]

The annexation of the Ptolemaic heartland as a Roman province took place after Roman forces occupied Alexandria on 1 August 30 BC. From then on, Aegyptus was organized as a province under the personal authority of the Roman emperor, administered by a prefect of equestrian rank rather than a senatorial governor.

“I added Egypt to the empire of the Roman people.” With these few words, Emperor Augustus summarized the subjugation of Ptolemaic Egypt in the record of his life and accomplishments distributed across the Roman Empire. Indeed, the conquest of Egypt and its subsequent annexation had an important role in shaping the nascent Empire. The wealthiest region of the ancient world became the emperor’s personal possession, further bolstering his power and influence. A year later, both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. The death of Cleopatra marked the end of Ptolemaic Egypt, ushering a new Roman era into the land of the pharaohs. Rome’s rule over Egypt officially began with the arrival of Octavian to Alexandria in 30 BCE. The arrival of Augustus to Alexandria in 30 BCE marked the end of Ptolemaic rule, and the beginning of a new era for Egypt.

In 30 BCE, Octavian invaded Egypt. ... Aftermath - Antony and Cleopatra retreated to Alexandria. - In 30 BCE, Octavian invaded Egypt. - Antony fell on his sword after defeat. - Cleopatra committed suicide soon after. - Octavian annexed Egypt as a Roman province. ... The Battle of Actium ended more than a decade of Roman civil war. Octavian’s victory over Antony and Cleopatra eliminated rivals and secured his path to sole rule. Actium’s outcome transformed Rome from a fractured republic into a unified empire under Augustus.

Civil war amongst the Ptolemies and the death of Cleopatra, the last reigning ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, lead to the conquest and annexation of Egypt by the Roman Empire in 30 BCE. Roman Egypt – or Aegyptus – became one of the empire’s wealthiest provinces. Alexandria remained capital, and was still the largest port and the second largest city in the Roman Empire.

In August of 30 BC, the fate of Egypt was sealed. After the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium the previous year, Octavian—the future Roman emperor Augustus—marched into Alexandria.[3] Her death ended more than a life. It ended the Ptolemaic dynasty, which had ruled Egypt since the time of Alexander the Great, and it marked Egypt’s transformation into a province of the Roman Empire.[3]

In 31 BC, Octavian's general Agrippa decisively defeated Antony and Cleopatra's forces at the Battle of Actium, a naval clash off the western coast of Greece. The couple fled to Egypt, where they prepared for a final stand. In July 30 BC, Octavian's legions advanced into Egypt, surrounding Alexandria from both east and west. On August 1, 30 BC, Octavian—soon to be known as Augustus, Rome's first emperor—entered the ancient city of Alexandria, Egypt, marking a decisive moment in world history. Nine days later, Cleopatra herself committed suicide—according to legend, by the bite of an asp, though some accounts suggest poison. With their deaths, the Ptolemaic dynasty, which had ruled Egypt since the time of Alexander the Great, came to an end. Octavian annexed Egypt as a personal possession of the Roman state, not as a senatorial province. Egypt became one of Rome's most valuable provinces, supplying grain, papyrus, and luxury goods.

By 30 BC, Antony and Cleopatra were trapped in Egypt. They were faced with overwhelming force. Their defeat was inevitable. Antony did well in the first skirmishes outside Alexandria but faced with near certain death, the fleet defected. Antony killed himself almost immediately. Cleopatra tried to negotiate. ... On 15th August, 29 BC Caesar celebrated a triumph over Egypt. There was no triumph for Actium. ... Octavian acknowledged that Actium was a civil war. The invasion of Egypt was, though, treated as a foreign war. Actium clearly decided the fate of the Roman world in the sense that it confirmed that Octavian, to be become Augustus, was the sole ruler of that world.

When Egypt was annexed by Rome in 30 BCE, it became one of the empire’s most important provinces, essential for its wealth and agricultural productivity. However, after her defeat by Octavian in 30 BCE, Egypt was annexed as a Roman province, ushering in a new era of Roman influence over Egyptian culture, economy, and society. Cleopatra VII, the last Ptolemaic ruler, attempted to preserve Egypt’s independence through alliances with powerful Romans, but after her defeat alongside Mark Antony by Octavian, Egypt became a Roman province.

Octavian traveled to Rome to meet with the veterans. He told them that Egypt would fall within a year, and that after Egypt, he was done.[5] In the spring, he departed Italy and led an army into the Roman East. The Egyptian campaign would not be difficult.[5]

The Battle of Actium was a decisive naval confrontation that took place on 2 September 31 BC near the promontory of Actium in western Greece. The battle was fought between the fleet of Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus) and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt. ... They fled to Egypt, but Octavian invaded the country the following year. In 30 BCE, Antony committed suicide after believing Cleopatra had died. ... Within a year, Antony and Cleopatra ended their own lives, and Egypt became a Roman province.

Octavian conquered Egypt in 30 BCE, following his victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE. He entered Alexandria on August 1, 30 BCE, after a long campaign in the eastern Mediterranean.[8] Cleopatra’s suicide marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and Egypt’s independence, as it became part of the Roman Empire.[8]

Octavian needed the riches of Egypt to pay the soldiers, but he also took the time needed to secure his position in the whole of the Roman Empire.[7] The battles of Actium and Alexandria were decisive conflicts through which Octavian destroyed Antony’s power base in the East and brought Egypt under his control.[7]

The Battle of Actium was a naval battle on September 2, 31 BCE, where Octavian defeated Mark Antony, becoming the master of the Roman world.[6] After his victory, Octavian eventually went on to invade Egypt, where Antony and Cleopatra had fled, leading to their suicides and the end of Ptolemaic rule.[6]

In 30 B.CE, Octavian, the future emperor Augustus, defeated Cleopatra and annexed Egypt, ending the days of the Ptolemaic kingdom. Egypt was transformed into an imperial province under the personal authority of Augustus, governed by a prefect of equestrian rank rather than a senator. It was the empire's wealthiest province outside Italy, a land of ancient cities and fertile Nile farms.

Egypt was annexed by Octavian—soon to be Augustus—after the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Augustus defeated Marc Antony, deposed Cleopatra, and annexed Ptolemaic Egypt to Rome. He then renamed it Aegyptus. Facts about Roman Ruled Egypt: Egypt annexed to Rome by Caesar Augustus in 30 B.C. Caesar Augustus renamed Egypt to Aegyptus, which it remained while Rome ruled.

Scholars consider that ancient Egypt ended when Rome annexed Egypt in 30 BCE despite the fact that native pharaohs hadn’t ruled Egypt for 300 years. Egypt was a very important province that fed the Eastern half of the Empire. Roman Egypt was a very important province.

After the defeat at Actium in 31 BC, Antony and Cleopatra retreated to Egypt, where they attempted to rebuild their forces and prepare for Octavian’s advance. In 30 BC, Octavian invaded Egypt, captured Alexandria, and both Antony and Cleopatra died soon after, ending Cleopatra VII Philopator’s reign and Ptolemaic rule.[9] Egypt was then brought under Roman control as a special province under Octavian.[9]

After the defeat and death of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Egypt became part of the Roman dominion under the direct control of Octavian who left the faithful Cornelius Gallus to govern, as prefect, in his name (from 29 to 26 BC). "In the summer of 30 BC, Caesar Octavian was once again on the march toward Asia with the aim of definitively closing the game with Mark Antony and Cleopatra." After the defeat and death of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Egypt became part of the Roman dominion under the direct control of Octavian.

After several more years of tension and propaganda attacks, Octavian declared war against Cleopatra, and therefore Antony, in 31 B.C. Enemies of Octavian persuaded the Senate to strip Antony of his powers and declare war on Cleopatra. ... After the Battle of Actium, Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt. Octavian followed, invading Egypt in 30 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide, and Egypt was annexed by Rome, ending the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Octavian enters Alexandria in 30 BC after defeating Mark Antony, and making Egypt a part of the Roman Empire. Antony would commit suicide while Cleopatra would later on August 12. He didn't just make it a Roman province, he took it as his own province, establishing himself as the direct successor to the Ptolemies, he was the new Pharaoh. Other provinces were given out to ex-consuls and praetors, but not Egypt, it was held on a much tighter leash after 30 BC.