Cleopatra VII: Daughter Of The Nile, By Kristina Gregory

Yet, it was not until after the death of her father in 51 BCE that Cleopatra ascended to the throne and married with her brother Ptolemy XIII, who was ten at the time. The marriage happened as per Egyptian custom and as instructed in her father’s will (Roberts 126). Although Cleopatra was married to her brother, a male with inherent power in the Egyptian culture, he was “kept firmly in the background” (Roberts 126). With the opportunity granted to her by her father’s death, she “made decisions of state” (Roberts 126). Unfortunately, Cleopatra taking over

The Krewe of Cleopatra is an all women crew that represents strength, beauty, and femininity. Earlier this month, I got to see the Cleopatra crew performed and it was an astonishing experience. I lived here in New Orleans for nine years, but I have never participated in a parade before. Even though it was a popular culture, I was always too lazy to go. This year I wanted to do something more than just staying home and play game, I wanted to go out and experience the atmosphere, but more specifically I wanted to experience the Mardi Gras atmosphere. It was a unique atmosphere that I certainly love to go again.

Cleopatra VII was the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Cleopatra reigned over Egypt in 51BC after the death of her father Ptolemy XII Auletes. Cleopatra’s mother was Cleopatra VI and she came to power at the age of 17. Cleopatra ruled over Egypt with her two brothers Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy VIX and her son Ptolemy XV Caesar. She was born in 69 BC in Alexandria and ruled from 51 BC to 30 BC. Cleopatra was Macedonian, but even though her ancestry was Macedonian, she was still an Egyptian queen and worshipped as a god. She was remembered for in history as the last Queen of Egypt and her relationships to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was believed to be born in 69 B.C., and was known in history has the last active pharaoh of Ptolemaic

Almost every pharaoh-queen was named Cleopatra, yet only one is ever thought of, Cleopatra Thea Philopator VII, “The Goddess and Beloved of her Father”. Every moment of her life from 69 BCE until August 12, 30 BCE was a story larger than life, epic in scale, and over the top in its grandeur. As the last reigning pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, she is remembered for her ability to rule as a political genius and a strong female leader living in a male-dominated world despite all odds being against her. Firstly, Cleopatra grew up in the Ptolemaic palace living a life of luxury, yet her subjects worshipped and even felt connected to her as more than just their queen. Secondly, after Cleopatra was exiled by her incompetent brother, Ptolemy XII, she came back with an army of mercenaries and took back Egypt to be its sole and more qualified ruler. Lastly, Cleopatra went to any means to secure her power and to ensure her nation’s financial and political strength; therefore what started off as a strategic alliance with Rome slowly became her dominance over most of the ancient world.

Despite the fact that Ptolemy was Greek, in order to acknowledged by society, he added numerous Egyptian customs in his administration. Historians defines Cleopatra as lovely and the prevailing ruler in each of the three of her co-rulers consist of two brothers and her son. She was higly educated woman because she studied science, astronomy and also she could speak different languages. “Cleopatra was a skilled orator. Plutarch wrote that the queen was gripping in her conversation and persuasive in her discussion, able to speak Ethiopian, Trogodyte, and the languages of the Hebraioi, Arabes, Syrians, Medes, and Parthians, and many others as well. Egyptian is not specified but can be presumed because Plutarch referred to the ignorance of that language on the part of her royal predecessors. In addition to her native Greek, she also knew Latin, although the Romans with whom she came into contact would insist on speaking Greek.” After her father death, she came to power in 51 B.C. at the age of eigthteen. “Thus when Cleopatra VII came to the throne in late 51 B.C., she was a remarkably educated

Cleopatra was perceived as a beautiful woman, but in reality she was only smart and lustful. The women highly looked upon in ancient egypt was Cleopatra. The last active pharaoh of Egypt,Cleopatra, can be understood through learning about her background, intelligence and love life. Cleopatra was just an ordinary 18 year old that was handed the responsibility of the entire empire, thus explaining her early life. The name Cleopatra was a very popular name in ancient egypt meaning “Glory of the father” (“The TImeline”).

The first time that Cleopatra shows exceptional amounts of intelligence and control is when her father, Ptolemy Auletes, died when Cleopatra was eighteen, leaving herself and her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII as co-rulers of Egypt. From the start, Cleopatra was forced to act efficiently, as a harsh famine was plaguing Egypt, the Roman Empire was already rising beyond control, and her desperation to become the dominant leader of Egypt was staunched due to laws of a mandatory inter-familial consort, leaving her to compete her brother for the power over their country. With all of these problems, Cleopatra resorted to tactics that would set her apart from her lazy and generally unimpressive father and her brother; she learnt how to speak Egyptian, unlike many of her other family members, giving her the opportunity to

Cleopatra was an important figure in a pivotal age of Rome, when the empire’s entire political sphere was unstable; several men were vying for the ultimate control of Rome and ultimately the world at that time. Cleopatra VII became the queen of Egypt when she was only a teenager. She was different from past Egyptian rulers, because she was committed to seeing all sides of a situation and then calculating what to do. For example, Cleopatra’s family was actually of Greek descent, but Cleopatra tried to immerse herself in the Egyptian customs by

Queen Cleopatra VII was a powerful, intelligent, and passionate woman born from royal blood of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. As a successor of Hellenistic people and Alexander the Great she was not of an Egyptian blood but born in Alexandria and speaking Egyptian language. When her father Ptolemy Auletes died, Cleopatra was in the age of eighteen. She had three sisters Cleopatra VI, Berenice IV, Arsinoe IV two of them were older than her and one younger, and two younger brothers named Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV too. Cleopatra VII and her brother Ptolemy XIII inherited the kingdom of their father as it was written his will. Because of the law in Egypt of that time Cleopatra was unable to rule by her own without the presence of a male coruler, a brother or son. As a result she ruled together with her brother who she get married to although he was only twelve years old.

Many know the name Cleopatra. Some only know her as the queen of Egypt. Scholars know her as the enchantress of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Many students have read the Shakespearian plays written about her affairs and dramatic suicide, but few people know Cleopatra VII the leader. Born in Alexandria in 69 B.C.E, Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in the Hellenistic Era. As told by Stacy Schiff in Cleopatra: A Life, she overcame many obstacles among leaders, her people, and herself within in her reign. Her intelligence, determination, and cleverness made her a memorable queen. Cleopatra’s stellar leadership skills allowed her to successfully rule Egypt in a time of decline and come through as one of the most memorable

Cleopatra VII Philopator was born in 69 B.C. in Alexandria, Egypt. (“Cleopatra: The Woman…”) Her father was Ptolemy XII. Her mother was speculated to be Cleopatra V Tryphaena, who was possibly her father’s half-sister. (“Cleopatra.”) She had five siblings which included two older sisters, two younger brothers, and a

Cleopatra was a woman. “Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history: that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years earlier, were dangerous” (112). The number of successful female leaders up until this day is drastically smaller than the male ones, and even now in 21st century the stereotype of a leader is a male. How did Cleopatra manage to go around this stereotype and become such a successful ruler? She got the men of her time obsessed with her. When thinking about power, we should remember Aristotle’s saying, “Yet what difference does it make weather the women rule or the rulers are ruled by women? The result is the same”. Cleopatra managed to be a ruler herself, while ruling the most influential men of her time. No one before, or after Cleopatra was ever able to do this again, but to this day she is a role model. She proved that not only men can be in charge and that women can do as much as a man

Her dynasty was over, and she proved to be the last pharaoh. With her death Cleopatra has achieved immortality through the personal story of love and tragedy. When we think of Cleopatra we automatically think of this story. But upon the research I learned that there were others and she was actually Cleopatra 7. Many books, plays, movies and stories have been made about the great queen of the Nile. Some tell us different sides of the story. Each have a little bit of difference in them so who really knows which one to believe. One thing is certain; Cleopatra was a great female ruler for her 22 years as the Egyptian queen. Ironically enough she wasn’t even Egyptian or roman for that matter. She and her family were Greek. There are also many works that suggest that she was not a very pretty woman. Cleopatra’s happiness didn’t last, which seems that just like in all love stories her life doesn’t have a happy ending. Another side of the story is that Marc killed himself after being surrounded by Octavia’s troops, and then Cleopatra being held prisoner which is why she killed herself. I was very intrigued by each story that I read of Cleopatra’s life and death and her rule, and I feel like I learned a lot. I think I will go on to watch some of the movies to see them played

Cleopatra’s personality and early life affected the beginning of her rise to power, as she also arose to power because of her family relations. Cleopatra was beautiful and smart and her characteristics exemplified a true leader. This is highlighted by Roman statesmen and historian Dio Cassius in the following statement about Egyptian Pharaoh’s physical and personal characteristics, Cleopatra: