Altar of Victory

The altar was established by Octavian (later Augustus) in 29 BC to commemorate the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium.

It depicted a winged goddess, holding a palm branch and descending to present a laurel wreath.

Ambrose, Bishop of Milan successfully persuaded Valentinian to resist the request to preserve the altar.

[5] Further petitions to restore the altar were deflected in 391 by an edict of the emperor Theodosius I as part of his efforts to ensure that Christianity was the only religion practised in the Empire.

There is no statement in the ancient authors as to what happened to the Statue when the Altar was removed and certainty on this point is unattainable.