She was a lover of the most powerful men of her time, almost lost her crown to her brother, and committed suicide by the bite of an asp that ensured “eternal life” for her. Who is this woman? She is Cleopatra. Even though she is known as a great Egyptian ruler, she was actually Greek (Mark). Cleopatra of Egypt lived an exciting life full of scandals and war, and she is still regarded as one of the most powerful women in history. Her ancestor, Ptolemy, was one of Alexander the Great’s generals. After Alexander died, he took Egypt and adopted their culture even though he was Greek. Cleopatra VII Philopator was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 69 B.C. A couple family traits are murder, betrayal, and the hunger for power. Before her father died her …show more content…
She succeeded and they became lovers and allies. He helped her win the civil war between her, her sister, and her brother. Ptolemy was later put to death and Arsinoe was taken captive by Caesar ("Cleopatra"). After Caesar was murdered, Cleopatra lost her only ally, so she decided kill Arsinoe and to reconnect with an old friend who was now the co-ruler of Rome along with Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian. He had helped her father before, but that is another story. His name was Mark Antony. They met, and became lovers. Mark Antony soon married her and divorced his wife who was Octavian’s sister, Octavia (Mark). Cleopatra had one son with Caesar, Caesarion, and three children with Mark Antony. Their names were Cleopatra Selene, Alexander Helios, and Ptolemy Philadelphus (Lovelady). Caesarion was killed shortly after Cleopatra committed suicide.
Octavian, the other ruler of Rome, declared war on Cleopatra and Mark Antony. After a naval battle, the Battle of Actium, where Octavian won, Mark Antony returned to Alexandria where he was told that Cleopatra had been killed. He threw himself on his sword only to find out a day later that she was alive but hiding in a mausoleum. Mark Antony was brought to her, and he died in her arms (Lovelady). Grieving over Mark Antony and realizing her defeat by Octavian, Cleopatra asked one of her trusted servants to bring her some figs. This was code
Caesar then used his army to defeat Cleopatra’s rival so they can take back power over Egypt, after that Caesar returned back to Rome. In 46 B.C. Cleopatra give birth to Caesar’s son and names him Ptolemy Caesar. In 45 B.C. Cleopatra goes to Rome and joins Caesar with her brother/husband Ptolemy XIV. Caesar’s enemies are defeated in 42 B.C. and Mark Antony comes into the picture as a leader of the force which backs up Caesar. Cleopatra lost the protection of Caesar and needed another Roman leader to protect her, which was Mark Antony.
(“Cleopatra: The Woman…”) In 49 B.C., Cleopatra was forced to flee to Syria after Pothinus, Achillas, and Theodotus, who were Ptolemy XIII’s advisors, sought to overthrow her. They convinced the Egyptian people that Cleopatra was the cause of the famine that they were experiencing. (“Cleopatra.”)(“Cleopatra VII’s Childhood…”) She smuggled herself into the royal palace in a rug to plead her case with Julius Caesar. Cleopatra and Caesar became lovers. Ptolemy XIII discovered this and declared war on Caesar. Caesar overpowered Ptolemy XIII’s army and Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile River while trying to escape. (Cleopatra: The Woman…”)
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.
Following Caesar's assassination, which Cleopatra's presence in Rome may have provoked, Cleopatra had an affair with another Roman leader. Marc Antony was planning a campaign in Parthia and was in desperate need of money when he called upon Cleopatra to question why she had allied herself with some of Rome’s enemies. Antony’s need for money proved to be a lucky break for her. Plutarch claimed that Cleopatra went to this meeting deliberately scheming to seduce Antony and some even claim that she purposefully broke up the alliance between Antony and Octavian. Cleopatra's belief that Caesarion would be accepted as Caesar's heir if she was successful in eradicating Octavin may support this claim. At this meeting Cleopatra requested for Antony to take control of her troubled territory in Cyprus. She also
Cleopatra’s father was King Ptolemy XII. Little is known about Cleopatra’s mother, but some speculation presumes she may have been her father’s sister, Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Debate also surrounds Cleopatra’s ethnicity. While it was believed for a long time that she was of Greek descent, some speculate that her lineage may have been black African.
They were so mad that they condemned Antony a traitor. Cleopatra once said “I will not be triumphed over.” even though Antony and Cleopatra lost a major battle at sea forcing them to leave Egypt in 31 B.C. Cleopatra spread rumors about her own suicide. Her lover Mark Antony did not know these were rumours. He believed them, became depressed and stabbed himself to death.
Her life was dominated by men,who also defined her life. As an overview of her life, it was described as “A life of disappointments.” One of her main goals, was to just preserve her own personal power. Cleopatra's military could never succeed in beating Rome's military, and Roman senators were Egypts greatest threat. The people that she ruled, always had a fear that she was secretly pro-roman, due to her relations with many Roman men. One of her relationships with a Roman man, Mark Antony, was seen very negatively. Together they were described as “not particularly likeable or successful.” This really showed at the Battle of Actium, when Octavian's forces defeated those of Antony and Cleopatra. Later on, Cleopatra faked her death, which resulted in the death of Mark Antony out of grief. It turned out that Cleopatra never actually killed herself, and even after that whole situation she tried to claim more Roman men, but failed. Soon, herself and two of her most-trusted servants all committed suicide to avoid being captured by
She was only seventeen when she gained control over her throne. There are seven matriarchs that each share the name “Cleopatra” but this one, is debated to be the most influential and famous (“Antony and Cleopatra”). Cleopatra’s ethnicity today is displayed as having a white complexion being associated with Caucasian. She is in fact, however actually Greek and African (“Antony and Cleopatra”). In 59 B.C. Cleopatra’s father, Ptolemy died (“Cleopatra Commits Suicide”).
They seized power, exercised it and influenced politics in a way that few women were capable of doing. Cleopatra will be remembered as a woman who took any opportunity that was placed in front of her. She was a passionate woman who ignored her brother’s claim to power and the submissive role women were supposed to play in politics. Cleopatra used any means necessary to accomplish her goals and to protect her beloved state of Egypt. Although her use of seduction in regards to her relationships with Caesar and Antony has become legendary to mainstream society, one must not forget the social and political limitations she hurdled to maintain her position as pharaoh of Egypt. Agrippina also ought to be remembered as a highly ambitious woman who sought to transcend the discrimination faced by women in politics. Her legacy may not be as illustrious and awe-inspiring as Cleopatra’s, but she is equally deserving of being remembered. Cleopatra and Agrippina have definitely left their mark on the both the ancient and modern
Rome was going through a period of civil war. Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar were fighting each other for control of Rome. After Pompey was murdered, Cleopatra decided it was important to make friends with Caesar for her safety and that of her country. Tensions were high in Egypt’s main city, Alexandria. She had a servant secretly bring her into Caesar’s home while hidden in a cloth bag. Cleopatra supported Caesar during fighting between the Egyptian supporters of Ptolemy the Thirteenth and the Roman military. And upon his victory, Caesar gave control of Egypt back to Cleopatra. The queen would soon give birth to Caesar’s child, a boy named Caesarion. Cleopatra knew this child would deepen ties between Rome and
She aligned herself with Julius Caesar who was staying in the palace of her brother and now Pharaoh. She did this by sneaking into his rooms in the middle of the night and seducing him. Seducing Caesar was the easy part for her, the hard part was getting to his rooms, because this is a palace from which she was exiled. So Cleopatra smuggled herself past the guards into the palace and right into Caesar’s rooms. She achieved this by rolling herself in a carpet and having herself carried in by servants. Cleopatra entered the palace, knowing that if she was found she would be killed, but she did it anyway and it paid off with a new ally in Julius Caesar. Caesar declares her Queen of all Egypt and she becomes his lover and bears him a son. Cleopatra has her brother killed to cement her position as Queen. Caesar gets called back to Rome, so they only see each other once more while she is in Rome when she tries to get their son the power she feels he deserves. Caesar is stabbed and killed in Rome, and this brings an end to her plot to get her son into a major position of power in Rome. She returns to Egypt and years pass while she remains Queen in Egypt. Mark Antony, another powerful Roman, arrives in Egypt taking the place of Caesar although he shares his power with others, namely Octavius Caesar. Still
In her years of living she started her love affair with Mark Antony in 41 Bc and gave birth to Julius Caesar's son Caesarion in 47 BC. She was apart of the Ptolemaic dynasty from when ruled Egypt from 300 BC-30 BC and during this time she was also accused of being involved with the killings of her siblings. .
She wasn’t actually egyptian, she was greek. Her name in greek means “Famous in her father.” Cleopatra was a significant player of the time because she was brilliant and one of the most captivating figures of antiquity, her role of the ancient world was the ruler of ancient Egypt, her military alliances and relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony earned her an enduring place in history. Cleopatra’s role in the ancient world was the
Cleopatra, her younger brother and her son returned to Egypt in March 44 B.C.. Soon after they returned back to Egypt Cleopatra and her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, planned to get married to retain power in the family. Sadley Ptolemy XIV died shortly after of natural causes. Ptolemy Caesar, Cleo’s son, was now named Ptolemy XV Caesar and was a three year old co-regent with his
Caesar had acclaimed himself to be the ruler of Egypt bringing 32 legionaries and 800 cavalry showing his true intentions of what he meant by being ruler of Egypt. He also brought twelve other soldiers who carried a bundle of rods with an axe with a blade that projected out. This was considered a badge of authority. After this Cleopatra’s sister Arsinoe and Ptolemy VIII declared rulers of Egypt as Arsinoe IV. Cleopatra wrapped herself up into a carpet and was delivered to Caesar’s palace. In his presence she became very seductive and managed to persuade Caesar to help her. The Alexandrian War started and during the war part of the Alexandrian library was burnt down along with some warehouses. During the war Caesar executed Pothinus and Ptolemy VIII drowned in the Nile trying to escape. Alexandria surrendered to Caesar who then captured Cleopatra’s younger sister and rightfully restored Cleopatra to the thrown.