Queen Cleopatra VII: Most Well-Known Queen Of Ancient Egypt

Meanwhile, there were issues in Rome between Marc Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus (Julius Caesar’s allies), and Caesar's’ assassins, Brutus and Cassius. Both sides seeked Egypt’s support and Cleopatra joined forces with Caesar’s allies. In 42 B.C., Mark Antony and Octavian divided the power in Rome after defeating Brutus and Cassius in the battles of Philippi. Like all divided thrones, only one wants to be in charge. Marc Antony and Octavian, which was Caesar’s great-nephew became rivals. Marc Anthony sent for Cleopatra to get answers about Rome’s former leader, Caesar. Cleopatra accepted the request and welcomed him. Soon, Marc Antony fell in love with Cleopatra’s beauty and how she was as a person, then fell into a love affair with her. They had three children,there were twins named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. She had motivations of her own, in exchange for her help, she seeked for the eastern eastern Egypt’s empire to be under her power once again, that also included large areas of Lebanon and Syria. Marc Antony returned to Alexandria triumphant with Cleopatra by his side, in 34 B.C. People were all over them to take a look at the couple that were seated on golden thrones where they looked down upon everyone and sitting beside them were their

Caesar was then assassinated which caused her to flee Rome for safety. Couple of years later she met Mark Antony and started an affair which lead Antonio to divorce his wife Octivia for Cleopatra, who was also sister to Octivian. Tempers flared between octivian and Antonio and Cleopatra which made Octivian declare the war of Actium. Octivian won the war which made Cleopatra and Antonio to seek refuge in Alexandria. Soon Octivian invaded Egypt too, Antonio took his own life and so did Cleopatra

When Cleopatra’s father passed away in 51BCE, the throne descended to Cleopatra (17), and her brother Ptolemy XIII (10). As you can imagine, ruling a country at such a young age must have been a tough job. All of the important decisions made, including how to prepare for battle, who to execute and how to protect the people. She showed how she was prepared for the throne at such a young age, and acted calmly, not panicking and making bad decisions that would tear apart Egypt like a piece of paper. Many people would have been upset with such a young child taking the throne, but Cleopatra did not

When she first became co-ruler of Egypt with her brother, it was evident that “Cleopatra was the dominant ruler” (111). In order to gain more power, her brother banished her, because it was unacceptable for the woman to be more dominant in the eyes of her brother. The advisors at the time were sabotaging him against Cleopatra in order to gain control of Egypt. He banished her independently, and even though Cleopatra was clearly the higher ruler, he had the final word because he was male. Cleopatra continued to “hold the belief that she was the most qualified leader” for Egypt (168). The age difference between Cleopatra and her husband/brother made ruling together extremely difficult. Cleopatra realized that “both of her brothers had neither the influence nor intelligence to compete with the politics of the time”, and that she was going to make connections with men of power to make any kind of difference (90). Although exiled, she was still revered as a goddess-like powerful ruler. So she went to Thebaid to manipulate what godlike power she had left there. Her plan was to “muster her own military forces and prepare to wage a civil war for control of her kingdom” (119). However, when Cleopatra saw an alternative to military tactics, she seized the opportunity. Caesar’s victory marked a significant political shift in Rome. Recognizing that Caesar’s new unrivaled Roman power was a great

After Ptolemy XIII’s death, Caesar restored Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIV, her youngest brother, as rulers of Egypt. In 47 B.C., Cleopatra gave birth to a child that was believed to be Caesar’s. The child was Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar, but was known to the Egyptian people as Caesarion, which means “Little Caesar.” In 46 to 45 B.C. Cleopatra, Ptolemy XIV, and Caesarion traveled to Rome to be with Caesar. He was murdered soon after in March of 44 B.C. They returned to Egypt where Ptolemy XIV died soon after their return. (“Cleopatra VII’s Childhood…”) Cleopatra feared for their lives because of the Caesarion posed to Octavian. (“Cleopatra: The Woman…”)

After Ptolemy XIII has his guardians revolt against Cleopatra, she was forced to flee to Syria, leaving the throne open to her brother and meaning she had to work to gain her power back. Cleopatra found an opportunity when Julius Caesar, one of the most powerful men in Rome at that time, arrived at Alexandria during his war with Pompey the Great. It was soon clear that Caesar and Ptolemy XIII were not amicable after Ptolemy presented the head of Pompey to Caesar, who, instead of being pleased with the defeat of his enemy, believed this move to be an insult to the greatness of his opponent. This gave Cleopatra the chance to create a connection between herself and Caesar, who prolonged his stay in Alexandria. Cleopatra smuggled herself in a rug into the palace where the Roman leader was staying, and impressed him with her intelligence, scheming and desirability that ran further, making her stand out from the rest of the women who tempted Caesar. It was not long before Caesar and Cleopatra began an affair, and he reinstated her power over Egypt, causing an end to the ruling of Ptolemy XIII and with it came the birth of Caesarion, their child and intended heir to the throne. Throughout this whole ordeal, it becomes apparent how calculating and knowledgeable Cleopatra was on how to influence the leader of Rome and to become appealing in a way that would

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.

The division of the royal family provided Cleopatra with an opportunity to use Caesar to kill her siblings in battle. As Cleopatra wanted, Caesar reinforced his troops and easily defeated the rebels resulting in Ptolemy drowning while retreating. Following this Caesar captured Arsinoe, who had survived and sent her back to his country of Rome as a prisoner. Caesar also executed numerous enemies of Cleopatra and imprisoned others who opposed her. Caesar also supplied Cleopatra with a child, whom after Ptolemy XIV’s death she made co-regent as a three year couldn't interfere with her plans (Schiff, 2010).

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

In 51 B.C., Ptolemy XII died, leaving the throne to 18-year-old Cleopatra and her brother, the 10-year-old Ptolemy XIII. It is likely that the two siblings married, as was customary at the time. Over the next few years Egypt struggled to face down a number of issues, from an unhealthy economy to floods to famine.

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.

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

When Ptolemy went to Rome with Cleopatra, Cleopatra VI Tryphaena seized the crown but died shortly afterward in suspicious circumstances. It is believed, though not proven by historical sources, that Berenice IV poisoned her so she could assume sole rulership. Regardless of the cause, she ruled until Ptolemy Auletes returned in 55 BC, with Roman support, capturing Alexandria aided by Roman general Aulus Gabinius. Berenice was imprisoned and executed shortly afterward, her head allegedly being sent to the royal court on the decree of her father, the

Cleopatra married her two younger brothers and Marc Antony the Roman politician and general. Cleopatra’s bloodline is presumed to be Macedonian Greek with some Egyptian background as well. Significance Cleopatra did many significant things these are some of the main ones. Cleopatra married her 10-year-old brother at the age of 18. She learned from her father and knew a lot about politics, she was a powerful leader at such a young age.

Cleopatra married another brother, Ptolemy XIV. Law in Egypt prevented women from ruling, alone which is why she married him. Even though she married Ptolemy XIV she was in love with Caesar. Cleopatra spent the next several months with Caesar travelling along the Nile. In 46 BC Cleopatra gave birth to Caesar’s son who was named Caesarian or little Caesar. She emphasized that it was Caesar’s child and Caesar never formally accepted paternity over the child. Even