A Queen, A Legend: Cleopatra

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14 Mar 2024

Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. As a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Hellenistic family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period, Cleopatra was the second of Ptolemy XII Auletes's daughters to become queen.

Early life
Cleopatra was born in 69 BC to Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Her father was a Greek Macedonian pharaoh who ruled Egypt from 80 to 51 BC. Her mother was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Hellenistic family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period.
Cleopatra was the second of Ptolemy XII Auletes's daughters to become queen. Her older sister, Berenice IV, was queen from 58 to 55 BC. Cleopatra was educated in Alexandria, Egypt's capital city. She learned to speak several languages, including Greek, Egyptian, and Latin. She also studied mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy.

Cleopatra and Julius Caesar
In 48 BC, Julius Caesar, a Roman general and statesman, came to Egypt in pursuit of his rival Pompey. Cleopatra, who was then 21 years old, met Caesar and the two became lovers. They had a son, Caesarion, in 47 BC.
Caesar's alliance with Cleopatra helped him to win the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, which made him the ruler of Rome. Caesar appointed Cleopatra as queen of Egypt and co-ruler of the Roman province of Syria.

Cleopatra and Mark Antony
After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra allied herself with Mark Antony, one of Caesar's most powerful generals. Antony and Cleopatra had a three-way alliance with Octavian, Caesar's adopted son and heir.
The alliance between Antony and Cleopatra was seen as a threat by Octavian, who declared war on them in 31 BC. Antony and Cleopatra were defeated at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.

Cleopatra's death
After the Battle of Actium, Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt. Octavian pursued them and captured Alexandria in 30 BC.
Cleopatra is said to have killed herself by allowing an asp to bite her. She was 39 years old.

Cleopatra's legacy
Cleopatra is one of the most famous women in history. She is known for her beauty, her intelligence, and her political skills. She was also a skilled diplomat and negotiator.
Cleopatra's reign was a time of great change for Egypt. She was the first pharaoh to speak Egyptian, and she promoted Egyptian culture and religion. She also introduced many reforms, including economic and social reforms.
Cleopatra's death marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the beginning of Roman rule in Egypt.

Here are some of the most famous images of Cleopatra:

The Bust of Cleopatra is a marble bust of Cleopatra that was found in Rome in the 18th century. It is now on display in the Capitoline Museums in Rome.

en.wikipedia.org

The Death of Cleopatra is a painting by the French artist Jean-André Rixens. It was painted in 1798 and is now on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

uhdcanvas.com

Cleopatra and Caesar is a painting by the British artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema. It was painted in 1885 and is now on display in the Tate Britain museum in London.