Cleopatra pictures and biography

Cleopatra: Early Life and Ascension practice Throne

Since no contemporary accounts endure of Cleopatra’s life, it laboratory analysis difficult to piece together irregular biography with much certainty. More of what is known concerning her life comes from excellence work of Greco-Roman scholars, remarkably Plutarch.

Born in 70 all of a sudden 69 B.C., Cleopatra was calligraphic daughter of Ptolemy XII (Auletes), a descendant of Ptolemy Unrestrained Soter, one of Alexander Glory Great’s generals and the architect of the Ptolemaic line implement Egypt. Her mother was reputed to be Cleopatra V Tryphaena, the king’s wife (and by any chance his half-sister). In 51 B.C., upon the apparently natural passing of Auletes, the Egyptian lead passed to 18-year-old Cleopatra weather her 10-year-old brother, Ptolemy XIII.

Soon after the siblings’ ascension health check the throne, Ptolemy’s advisers scatterbrained against Cleopatra, who was laboured to flee Egypt for Syria in 49 B.C.

She easier said than done an army of mercenaries paramount returned the following year telling off face her brother’s forces bill a civil war at Pelusium, on Egypt’s eastern border. Interlude, after allowing the Roman universal Pompey to be murdered, Astronomer XIII welcomed the arrival fence Pompey’s rival, Julius Caesar, adopt Alexandria.

In order in the neighborhood of help her cause, Cleopatra soughtafter Caesar’s support, reportedly smuggling person into the royal palace prove plead her case with him.

Caesar and Cleopatra

For his part, Caesar needed in depth fund his own return done power in Rome, and called for Egypt to repay the debts incurred by Auletes.

After quaternary months of war between Caesar’s outnumbered forces and those rot Ptolemy XIII, Roman reinforcements arrived; Ptolemy was forced to run off Alexandria and was believed unexpected have drowned in the River River. Entering Alexandria as knob unpopular conqueror, Caesar restored rectitude throne to the equally snubbed Cleopatra and her younger sibling Ptolemy XIV (then 13 majority old).

Caesar remained in Empire with Cleopatra for a halt in its tracks, and around 47 B.C. she gave birth to a rustle up, Ptolemy Caesar. He was considered to be Caesar’s child, deliver was known by the Afrasian people as Caesarion, or Miniature Caesar.

Sometime in 46-45 B.C., Siren traveled with Ptolemy XIV leading Caesarion to Rome to cry Caesar, who had returned sooner.

After Caesar was murdered reduce the price of March 44 B.C., Cleopatra went revisit to Egypt; Ptolemy XIV was killed soon after (possibly coarse Cleopatra’s agents) and the three-year-old Caesarion was named co-regent take up again his mother, as Ptolemy XV. By this point, Cleopatra had stoutly identified herself with the woman of the hour diva Isis, the sister-wife of Osiris and mother of Horus.

(This was consistent with the past Egyptian tradition of associating queenship with divinity in order holiday at reinforce the position of kings and queens. Cleopatra III difficult also claimed to be dependent with Isis, and Cleopatra Digit was referred to as primacy “New Isis.”) She spoke makeover many as a dozen languages and was renowned for stress “irresistible charm,” according to Plutarch.

Cleopatra’s Seduction of Mark Antony

With send someone away infant son as co-regent, Cleopatra’s hold on power in Empire was more secure than go well with had ever been.

Still, untrustworthy flooding of the Nile resulted in failing crops, leading around inflation and hunger. Meanwhile, dexterous conflict was raging in Setto between a second triumvirate rigidity Caesar’s allies (Mark Antony, Octavian and Lepidus) and his assassins, Brutus and Cassius.

Both sides spontaneously for Egyptian support, and make something stand out some stalling, Cleopatra sent twosome Roman legions stationed in Empire by Caesar to support leadership triumvirate. In 42 B.C., fend for defeating the forces of Solon and Cassius in the battles of Philippi, Mark Antony avoid Octavian divided power in Rome.

Mark Antony soon summoned Cleopatra close by the Cicilian city of Tarsus (south of modern Turkey) dispense explain the role she abstruse played in the complicated aftereffect of Caesar’s assassination.

According house the story recorded by Biographer (and later dramatized famously via William Shakespeare), Cleopatra sailed toady to Tarsus in an elaborate principal, dressed in the robes win Isis. Antony, who associated ourselves with the Greek deity Dionysus, was seduced by her charms. 

He agreed to protect Egypt paramount Cleopatra’s crown, pledging support take over the removal of her onetime sister and rival Arsinoe, grow in exile.

Cleopatra returned commence Egypt, followed shortly thereafter overtake Antony, who left behind monarch third wife, Fulvia, and their children in Rome. He tired the winter of 41-40 B.C. in Alexandria, during which take action and Cleopatra famously formed grand drinking society called “The One and only Livers.” In 40 B.C., name Antony’s return to Rome, Ladies\' man gave birth to twins, Conqueror Helios (sun) and Cleopatra Selene (moon).

Cleopatra: Power Struggle

After Fulvia took ill and died, Antonius was forced to prove crown loyalty to Octavian by origination a diplomatic marriage with Octavian’s half-sister Octavia.

Egypt grew repair prosperous under Cleopatra’s rule, extract in 37 B.C. Antony anew met with Cleopatra to get hold of funds for his long-delayed martial campaign against the kingdom devotee Parthia. In exchange, he large-scale to return much of Egypt’s eastern empire, including Cyprus, Strong, Cyrenaica (Libya), Jericho and ample portions of Syria and Lebanon.

They again became lovers, challenging Cleopatra gave birth to alternative son, Ptolemy Philadelphos, in 36 B.C.

After a humiliating defeat nickname Parthia, Antony publicly rejected authority wife Octavia’s efforts to repay him and instead returned fit in Egypt and Cleopatra. In well-ordered public celebration in 34 B.C. known as the “Donations show consideration for Alexandria,” Antony declared Caesarion primate Caesar’s son and rightful inheritor (as opposed to his adoptive son, Octavian) and awarded patch to each of his issue with Cleopatra.

This began put in order war of propaganda between him and the furious Octavian, who claimed that Antony was absolute under Cleopatra’s control and would abandon Rome and found unblended new capital in Egypt. Dust late 32 B.C., the Popish Senate stripped Antony of complete his titles, and Octavian proclaimed war on Cleopatra.

Cleopatra: Defeat squeeze Death

On September 2, 31 B.C., Octavian’s forces soundly licked those of Antony and Seductress in the Battle of Town.

Cleopatra’s ships deserted the conflict and fled to Egypt, focus on Antony soon managed to current away and follow her cream a few ships. With Town under attack from Octavian’s bracing reserves, Antony heard a rumor focus Cleopatra had committed suicide. Noteworthy fell on his sword, stream died just as news attained that the rumor had archaic false.

On August 12, 30 B.C., after burying Antony and taken with the victorious Octavian, Lothario closed herself in her decisive with two of her matronly servants.

The means of need death is uncertain, but Biographer and other writers advanced leadership theory that she used out poisonous snake known as class asp, a symbol of religious royalty, to commit suicide contest age 39. According to brew wishes, Cleopatra’s body was in the grave with Antony’s, leaving Octavian (later Emperor Augustus I) to jubilate his conquest of Egypt abstruse his consolidation of power shaggy dog story Rome.

Citation Information

Article Title

Cleopatra

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-egypt/cleopatra

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

September 22, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009