For Octavian's campaigns of 35–33 BC there are no surviving contemporary sources. Appian's Illyrike and Cassius Dio are the only reliable sources we have today. Appian drew his information directly from Augustus' memoirs, and Dio's account is generally in agreement with Appian; in some places he obviously used other, still unidentifiable, primary sources, probably Asinius Pollio or Cremutius Cordus. Marcus Agrippa, Augustus' general and collaborator, also wrote memoirs and he certainly discussed some of these campaigns, but it is difficult to believe that his account differed much from that of Augustus. For that reason it seems reasonable to rely on these sources for the reconstruction of the events, as it is unlikely that Appian and Dio taken together omit any really significant event from this campaign. Appian should certainly be treated with caution as he draws on the autobiographical work of a man who fully understood the importance and benefits of multi-media propaganda in politics, and who was a naturally gifted self-propagandist. With the help of additional sources like Florus, Strabo and Velleius Paterculus, Octavian's campaigns can be reconstructed in reasonable detail.

POLLIO AND THE DELMATAE

Roman relationships with Illyricum between 44 and 35 BC remain obscure. Publius Servilius Isauricus was possibly pro-consul in Illyricum after 41 BC, but nothing is known about his mandate, except the damaged inscription from Narona.