Cleopatra: The Story of the Queen of Egypt
She ruled Egypt and seduced the Romans. But who was Cleopatra?
The legendary pharaoh is known for using her political savvy and considerable charm to gain power. But, in truth, there’s little we know for sure about her life.
Photograph By Christie’s Images / Bridgeman Images
Was Cleopatra beautiful? That’s up for debate. Was she charming? Likely. Was she politically clever and determined to use her gender and power to her advantage? Absolutely.
Cleopatra VII is one of history’s most intriguing figures. As the last pharaoh of her dynasty, she used her charm and political skills to protect ancient Egypt from Roman expansion.
Even though Cleopatra is a well-known historical figure, historians and archaeologists still have many unanswered questions about her. Here’s what we do know about this legendary yet enigmatic queen.
Who was Cleopatra?
Cleopatra was born in 69 B.C. to Egyptian King Ptolemy XII and an unknown mother. Her family, the Ptolemies, were Greek rulers who had taken over Egypt in 305 B.C.
Although the Ptolemaic Kingdom had adopted some Egyptian customs, it was based in the Greek city of Alexandria. Cleopatra grew up speaking Greek, but she was unique in her family for also learning Egyptian. Her life became closely linked with the turmoil in Egypt and the politics of the Roman Empire.
G. Dagli Orti /© NPL – DeA Picture Library / Bridgeman Images
Photographs By KENNETH GARRETT, Nat Geo Image Collection
How did she come to rule Egypt?
When Cleopatra’s father died in 51 B.C., she was only 18 and found herself in a power struggle over who should rule Egypt. Initially, she co-ruled with her younger brother Ptolemy XIII and even married him according to Egyptian custom. However, Ptolemy XIII wanted to be the sole ruler, leading to a civil war between their supporters. Cleopatra was forced to flee to Roman-controlled Syria.
Her father had relied on Rome for support, and Cleopatra followed suit. While in exile, she sought the help of Julius Caesar, a Roman general and politician aiming to become Rome’s supreme ruler, to help her regain the throne.
Cleopatra and Julius Caesar
Despite being around 30 years younger and Caesar already being married, Cleopatra and Caesar started a romantic relationship, and he promised to support her.
In 47 B.C., Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile River while trying to escape Caesar’s forces. With Egypt now under Caesar’s control, Cleopatra reclaimed the throne, quickly married her 12-year-old brother, Ptolemy XIV, and made him her co-ruler. She also had a son, whom many believed was Caesar’s child, and named him Caesarion. (This is not related to the term “cesarean section.”)
Cleopatra and Caesar were together until he was murdered on March 15, 44 B.C., by his enemies in the Senate.
At the time, Cleopatra was visiting Rome and stayed there for a while, hoping to convince the Romans to accept her son Caesarion as Caesar’s heir. However, she soon went back to Alexandria, where it is believed she had her brother killed with poison before reclaiming her throne with Caesarion as her co-ruler.
Antony and Cleopatra
Caesar was dead, but Cleopatra still had ties with Rome. Roman general Mark Antony, who was now one of the three leaders of Rome, wanted to meet with her to keep the Egyptian-Roman alliance strong. To keep Egypt’s good relationship with Rome, Cleopatra traveled to Tarsus in what is now Turkey to meet Antony in 41 B.C.
Photograph By The Holbarn Archive / Bridgeman Images
Cleopatra is said to have arrived in Tarsus on a luxurious barge. According to art historian Diana E. E. Kleiner, Cleopatra made sure her sea trips were grand with elaborate costumes, divine symbols, costly fabrics, jewels, music, and exotic scents. Her goal was to impress, and she succeeded. Soon after, she began a passionate romance with the married Antony, who then moved to Alexandria to be with her.
The fall of Cleopatra
Antony’s obsession with Cleopatra and their extravagant lifestyle in Egypt led to their downfall. The Roman ruler ended up in open conflict with his fellow leaders and the Roman people, who were unhappy with Egypt’s influence in Roman matters.
After a battle in 30 B.C., Cleopatra saw that Antony’s forces were losing badly. She locked herself in her royal mausoleum and told Antony she planned to kill herself. In response, Antony stabbed himself and died in her arms.
Cleopatra then tried to negotiate with Octavian, who had once been Antony’s co-ruler. When she realized he intended to capture her and show her off as a trophy, she locked herself in her tomb again with some servants and took her own life, probably with poison. Her dynasty ended, and Egypt was taken over by Rome.
What we don’t know about Cleopatra
Photograph By Tarker / Bridgeman Images
Legend says that Cleopatra used a poisonous snake called an asp to end her life, but there is no evidence to support this. Archaeologists have never found the mausoleum where Cleopatra and possibly Antony died. As Chip Brown wrote for National Geographic in July 2011, “Most of the glory that was ancient Alexandria now lies about 20 feet underwater.”
Legend says Cleopatra ended her life with a poisonous snake called an asp, but there is no evidence to confirm this. Archaeologists have also never found the mausoleum where she and possibly Antony died. As Chip Brown wrote for National Geographic in July 2011, “Most of the glory that was ancient Alexandria now lies about 20 feet underwater.”
We can’t be sure how accurate historical portrayals of Cleopatra are, as they often show the biases of their time and are very different from each other. Some coins show her as plain-looking, while others make her look like Antony, reflecting how people viewed her relationship with him. There are also ongoing debates about Cleopatra’s race, but historians note that we don’t know for certain and the idea of race was different in her time.
There are very few written sources about Cleopatra. The library of Alexandria, which had many contemporary accounts of her, was destroyed several times. The ancient writer Plutarch, who wrote one of the most detailed accounts of Cleopatra’s reign in his biography of Antony, described her as having “the most brilliant beauty and…at the peak of intellectual power.” However, he wrote about her many years after her death and from a Roman perspective.
Even though we don’t fully understand Cleopatra’s life, she is still relevant today. From Shakespeare’s plays to Netflix documentaries, she has become famous for her skillful politics and almost superhuman charm.
While it’s clear that Cleopatra was a powerful figure, we may never fully understand why some of the world’s most influential men were drawn to her. What we do know is that more than 2,000 years after her death, Cleopatra still fascinates and intrigues people today.
