On the Military Crowns Awarded after Naulochus: Historical Circumstances and Wider Significance

Abstract

The epic naval battle of Naulochus, one of the watersheds in Caesar Octavianus rise to the rule of the Roman world, earned the victor, his subordinate commanders and his soldiers many special honours and distinctions. While some of these are well known and have received considerable attention, others remain obscure or have been largely overlooked. This paper seeks to enhance and deepen our understanding of the military crowns awarded respectively to M. Vipsanius Agrippa (cos. 37, 28, 27) and all those who took part in the fighting at Naulochus: namely the corona naualis (naval crown) and the corona oleaginea (olive crown). A careful reappraisal of both awards suggests that the modalities of ..