CleopatraVIIisknowntoeveryoneasoneofthegreatEgyptianrulers,butherlifeis

somewhatofamysterytohistorians.YouseeCleopatrawasn'twrittenaboutuntilseveral
yearsafterherdeath,sosomeofthestoriesaremostlikelyuntrue.Thatwhichhistorians
believetobetrueisgenerallytoldfromtwodifferentperspectives:theEgyptiansandthe
Romans,whohadverydifferentopinionsofCleopatra,thereforedifferentstories.The
RomansmadeCleopatraouttobearuthlessseductresswhodidnotcareabouttheemotions
ofotherswhiletheEgyptiansmadeherouttobeagoddess.Inthispaper,Ididmybestto
writeaboutwhatisknowntobetrueandunbiasedaboutCleopatra.

Forthreedecades,CleopatraruledEgyptasacoregentwithhertwobrothersandherfirst
sonduringthetimeshetriedtoreturnEgypttoitsformerglory.WhenCleopatrafirst
ascendedtothethronein51BCEwithheroldestbrotherPtolemyXIIIshewas18years
old.PtolemyXIIIwasonly10yearsoldandwascompletelycluelessashowtorulea
kingdom.Cleopatra,ontheotherhand,knewhowtobediplomaticduetoherextensivetime
withherheadinabookasachild.

ThebuchisbullwhichwasthesymbolfortheEgyptiangodofwardiedinthebeginningof
herrulewhileshewasonatourdowntheNileRivertomeethersubjects.Itwasaperfect
opportunityforCleopatratoshowthepeoplethatshecaredfortheirreligiouspractices.For
thefirsttimeever,theceremonyforthebuchisbullsreplacementwascarriedoutbyarulerin
thenativetongue.ThiswasuncommonbecausetherulersofEgypthadbeenGreekafter
AlexandertheGreatconqueredtheland.Therulersoftenchosetofollowthepracticesand
speakthelanguageoftheirorigin,Greece.Cleopatrawasthefirstandlastofthe
MacedonianrulerstolearntheEgyptianlanguageandabidebytheirtraditions.Itisoneofthe
reasonshistoriansbelievethatCleopatrawasthemostadoredoftheMacedonianrulers.

Duringhertimeonthetour,herbrothersadvisorsbegantospreadrumorsthatCleopatrawas
attemptingtobecomesolesovereign.Despitehowmuchherpeoplelovedher,itwasstill
unacceptableforawomantorulealoneatthetime.Thisenabledherbrothertoexile
Cleopatraandhisadvisorstorulethekingdomthroughhim.

Cleopatrawasnotabouttoletherbrotherrunherkingdomintotheground.Seeingnoother
waytogetbackintoherkingdom,Cleopatraarrangedameetingwiththemostpowerfulman
atthetime,JuliusCaesar,whowastherulerofRome.

ThereisaslightcontroversyonhowCleopatrapresentedherselftoCaesar,butmost
historiansagreethatatage21,sherolledherselfupintoarugwhichwasdeliveredto
Caesarslocation.Whathistoriansdisagreeonaretheclothesorlackthereofthatshewas
wearingwhenshewasunrolledfromtherug.Somehistoriansbelievedthatshewasdressed
inherfinestclothing,whileothersbelievethatshewasntwearinganyclothing.

Eitherway,themeetingwassuccessfulCleopatraconvincedCeasartohelprestoreherto
power.Caesardidthisbydeclaringwaronherbrother.CaesarwonthewarafterPtolemyXIII

drownintheNileRiverwhiletryingtoescapeCaesar'stroops.ThedeathofPtolemyXIII
meantthatCleopatrasotherbrotherPtolemyXIVbecameherfellowcoregentwhenshe
camebacktopower.

ShortlyafterCaesarreturnedtoRome,Cleopatragavebirthtohissonwhomshenamed
Caesarionafterhisfather.Thereisspeculationonwhoseducedwhobecause,despitebeing
over50yearsold,Caesarwasquitecharmingfromwhathistorianshavereadabouthim.

AtthetimeCleopatracamebacktopower,Egyptwasexperiencingaseveredrought.Her
brotherwasuselesswhenitcametosolvingthematter,soCleopatratookmattersintoher
ownhandsandcalleduponCaesarforhelp.

Caesarsentherfoodinexchangeforland,adealwhichwascounterproductivetoCleopatras
goalsbutnecessary.ThiswasoneoftheraretimesthatCleopatratradedwiththeRoman
Empire.ThemajorityofEgyptsexportsandimportscametoandfromfarawaycountries,
suchasIndiaandArabia,inordertoavoidassistingintheexpansionofRome.

Oncethedroughtended,CleopatratookherbrotherandsontoRometovisitCaesar.Caesar
hadherstayoutsideofthepalacebecauseofhisjealouswife,Calpurnia,andtheoutraged
Romans.WhileCleopatrawasstayinginRome,Caesarhadagoldenstatueofherbuiltinthe
templeofVenusandtriedtopassalawthatallowedRomanmentomarryforeignwomenfor
thepurposeofhavingchildren.Thelawdidnotpass,andCaesarwaskilledby26senate
memberswhoallknifedhimintheback.

CleopatrareturnedtoRomeafterCaesarsassassination,andacivilwarbrokeoutinRome
overwhowastorule.InCaesarswill,hehadappointedhis18yearoldnephew,Octavian,
butmanypeoplethoughtthathewasapoorchoiceduetolackofexperience.

MarkAntony,oneofCaesar'sloyalfollowers,requestedCleopatrasassistanceingaining
somepower.WithCleopatrashelp,hemanagedtobecomeoneofthemembersina
triumviratewhichalsoincludedOctavianandageneralbythenameofLepiduswhoshared
poweroverRomeequally.

Afterthetriumviratewascreated,AntonysummonedCleopatratoRome.Cleopatradidnot
wishtorespondtohissummons,butknewthatanalliancewithsuchapowerfulmanwould
beusefultoher.

Cleopatraarrivedinanextravagantbargewithanelegantdressthatwassaidtomakeher
looklikeagoddess.Uponherlanding,Antonyrequestedthatshejoinhimonlandfordinner.
Cleopatrarefusedandrequestedthathejoinheronherbarge.Onthebarge,Cleopatra
seducedAntonyandconvincedhimtoreturntoEgyptwithher.

DuringhistimeinEgypt,civilwarbrokeoutinRomeafterasectionofRomethatwasunder
Antonysjurisdictionwaslosttotheparthianempire.ThisgaveOctaviangroundstostart
ruiningAntonysreputationthroughpropaganda.Inordertosavehisreputation,Antony
returnedtoRome,leavingthepregnantCleopatra,andmarriedOctavia,Octavianssister.

AntonyalsoplannedonconqueringthelandonceagainwiththehelpofOctavianstroops.
TheplanhadaratherlargeflawinititrequiredOctaviantosendtroopstoassistAntony.
OctavianwaswellawarethatifAntonyconqueredParthiathathisreputationwouldbesaved
whichwouldnotbenefitOctaviansdesiretobecomesoleruler,sohedevisedaplanwhich
wouldmakeAntonyseemevenworsethanbefore.

OctaviansentAntonythetroopsherequestedalongwithOctavia.WhenAntonyrealizedthat
Octavianhadsenttoofewtroops,hesenthiswifeandthesoldiersbacktoOctavian.Without
anyotherchoice,hewenttoCleopatraforhelp.

Cleopatra,askilledpolitician,wouldonlyhelpAntonyifitbenefitedher,soshemadeadeal.
Shewouldgivehimthesoldiershewantedifheagreedtoapublicmarriageceremony.The
marriagewouldstillallowhertokeepfullcontroloverEgypt,controloversomeRomanland,
andadmittingthatAlexanderHeliosandCleopatraSelene,whomshegavebirthtoshortly
afterheleftEgypt,werehis.AntonyagreedtohertermswhichdidnotmakeanyRomans
happy.

WhileAntonywasofffightingParthia,Cleopatrawentonatourofhernewlyacquired
territories,SyriaandJudea,tobeacceptedbythecitizensthatlivedthere.Duringthetour,
Cleopatrawaspregnantwithherfourthchild,PtolemyPhiladelphus,whowasalsoconceived
byAntony.Cleopatrasucceededonhertour,butAntonyfailedinhismissionwhichdidnot
impressthecitizensofRome.

Antony,onceagain,triedtowinbackthelandhehadlost.Thistimehesucceededandthrew
atriumph,orparty,tocelebratehissuccess.ThetriumphwasheldinEgyptandwaswhere
theDonationsofAlexandriatookplace.ThiseventincludedthegivingofLibya,Syria,
Cyrenaica,Crete,Phoenicia,andCiliciatoCleopatraandherchildren.Antonyalsonamed
AlexanderHelios,histhirdchildwithCleopatra,thekingofArmeniaattheageofsix.

ThiseventmadeitpossibleforOctaviantowagewaronCleopatrawithouttoomuch
resistancefromtheRomanpeoplewhofollowedAntony.Octavianwonthewaraftercleverly
trappingCleopatra,Antony,andtheirsoldiersinGreeceformonths.Withdwindlingsupplies,
manyofthesoldiersdefectedtoOctaviansside.

CleopatrawasabletodeviseaplantoescapeOctaviansbarricadewhichwasexecutedby
Antonyandwhatfewloyalsoldierswereleft.Aftertheescape,CleopatraandAntonyhidin
separatelocations.

Cleopatra,awarethatOctavianneededherwealthforhissoldierstocontinuefighting,locked
herselfinhertemplewithherricheshangingoverafireinpreparationforanegotiation.The
templewasnotcompletelysecuretherewasawindowwhichsoldierssnuckthroughand
capturedCleopatra.

DuringCleopatrastimeinthetemple,Antonykilledhimselfafterhearingafalserumorthat
Cleopatrahadcommittedsuicide.

OctaviandidnotkillCleopatrabecauseheplannedonflauntingheroffatahugeparade
throughRome.Cleopatrawashorrifiedattheideaandtriedtostarveherself,butOctavian
threatenedtokillherchildrenshouldshenoteat.

Intheend,CleopatrarequestedtovisitAntonysgravewhichOctaviangranted.Cleopatra
wasallowedprivacyinthetemplewhereapeasantwasabletosmuggleinanasp,or
Egyptiancobra,byhidingitinabasketoffigs.Cleopatraallowedthecobratobiteherand
diedagodlikedeath.

CaesarionwhohadbeensenttoIndiaforhissafetywithhistudortohelphimwashunted
andmurderedbyOctaviansmenafterhistudorliedtohimbytellinghimthatOctavian
wishedforhimtotakehismothersplaceasrulerofEgypt.

AlexanderHelios,CleopatraSeleneandPtolemyPhiladelphuswereshippedofftoEgypt
wheretheywereraisedbyOctavia.ScholarsbelievethatHeliosandPhiladelphusdieda
youngdeathwhileinRome.CleopatraSelenewasmarriedofftoKingJubaII,thekingof
Mauretaniaandlivedalonglife.

OctaviantookoverEgyptanduseditashispiggybanktofundhisotherconquests.Whenhe
firsttookcontroloverEgypt,heorderedforallthestatuesofCleopatratobedestroyed,but
thepriestsbeggedandbribedhimnotto.TheypaidOctavianenoughmoneytopayallhis
soldiersforanentireyear.Octavianhadallthestatuesdestroyedanyways,butthepriests
attempttosavethemproveshowmuchtheEgyptianstrulylovedCleopatra.