Like most monarchs of her time, Cleopatra saw herself as divine; from birth she and other members of her family were declared to be gods and goddesses. Highly image-conscious, Cleopatra maintained her mystique through shows of splendor, identifying herself with the deities Isis and Aphrodite, and in effect creating much of the mythology that surrounds her to this day.
Though Hollywood versions of her story are jam-packed with anachronisms, embellishments, exaggerations and inaccuracies, the Cleopatras of Elizabeth Taylor, Vivien Leigh and Claudette Colbert do share with the real queen a love of pageantry.
When Cleopatra emerged from the carpet—probably somewhat disheveled, but dressed in her best finery—and begged Caesar for aid, the gesture won over Rome's future dictator-for-life. With his help Cleopatra regained Egypt's throne. Ptolemy XIII rebelled against the armistice that Caesar had imposed, but in the ensuing civil war he drowned in the Nile, leaving Cleopatra safely in power. Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.
To solidify her grip on the throne, she dispatched her rebellious sister Arsinoe as well. Such ruthlessness was not only a common feature of Egyptian dynastic politics in Cleopatra's day, it was necessary to ensure her own survival and that of her son. With all domestic threats removed, Cleopatra set about the business of ruling Egypt, the richest nation in the Mediterranean world, and the last to remain independent of Rome.
What kind of pharaoh was Cleopatra? The few remaining contemporary Egyptian sources suggest that she was very popular among her own people. In 42 B. According to the story recorded by Plutarch and later dramatized famously by William Shakespeare , Cleopatra sailed to Tarsus in an elaborate ship, dressed in the robes of Isis.
Antony, who associated himself with the Greek deity Dionysus, was seduced by her charms. Cleopatra returned to Egypt, followed shortly thereafter by Antony, who left behind his third wife, Fulvia, and their children in Rome. He spent the winter of B. Antony again met with Cleopatra to obtain funds for his long-delayed military campaign against the kingdom of Parthia. They again became lovers, and Cleopatra gave birth to another son, Ptolemy Philadelphos, in 36 B. In a public celebration in 34 B.
In late 32 B. On September 2, 31 B. He fell on his sword, and died just as news arrived that the rumor had been false. On August 12, 30 B. The means of her death is uncertain, but Plutarch and other writers advanced the theory that she used a poisonous snake known as the asp, a symbol of divine royalty, to commit suicide at age But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us!
Over the next few years Egypt struggled to face down a number of issues, from an unhealthy economy to floods to famine. Political turmoil also shaped this period. Eventually Cleopatra fled to Syria, where she assembled an army to defeat her rival in order to declare the throne for herself.
In 48 B. Around this same time, the civil war between military leaders Julius Caesar and Pompey was consuming Rome. Pompey eventually sought refuge in Egypt, but, on orders by Ptolemy, was killed. In pursuit of his rival, Caesar followed Pompey into Egypt, where he met and eventually fell in love with Cleopatra. In Caesar, Cleopatra now had access to enough military muscle to dethrone her brother and solidify her grip on Egypt as sole ruler.
Cleopatra eventually followed Caesar back to Rome, but returned to Egypt in 44 B. In 41 B. Cleopatra agreed to his request and made a lavish entrance into the city of Tarsus, Cicilia. Captivated by her beauty and personality, Antony plunged into a love affair with Cleopatra.
Like Caesar before him, Antony was embroiled in a battle over Rome's control. Antony, who presided over Rome's eastern areas, saw in Cleopatra the chance for financial and military support to secure his own rule over the empire. Cleopatra had her own motivations, as well: In exchange for her help, she sought the return of Egypt's eastern empire, which included large areas of Lebanon and Syria.
Cleopatra was born in 69 BC - 68 BC. They were married, in keeping with Egyptian tradition. Whether she was as beautiful as was claimed, she was a highly intelligent woman and an astute politician, who brought prosperity and peace to a country that was bankrupt and split by civil war.
Pompey fled to the Egyptian capital Alexandria, where he was murdered on the orders of Ptolemy. Caesar followed and he and Cleopatra became lovers. Cleopatra, who had been exiled by her brother, was reinstalled as queen with Roman military support.
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