after engaging in a war of propaganda, octavian forced antony's allies in the roman senate to flee rome in 32 bc. he declared war on cleopatra for unlawfully providing military support to antony, now a private roman citizen without public office. antony and cleopatra led a joint naval force at the 31 bc battle of actium against octavian's general agrippa, who won the battle after cleopatra and antony fled to the peloponnese and eventually egypt. octavian's forces invaded egypt in 30 bc. although antony and cleopatra offered military resistance, octavian defeated their forces, leading to antony's suicide. when it became clear that octavian planned to have cleopatra brought to rome as a prisoner for his triumphal procession, she also committed suicide, the cause of death reportedly by use of poison. the popular belief is that she was bitten by an asp.