Cleopatra-History
Cleopatra VII, meaning "her father's glory", was the last of the Macedonian queens of Egypt. She lived from 69-30 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. She was born there and lived in Bruchion, the northeast quarter of the city. She had two brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, and a sister Arsinoe. Her father Ptolemy XII Auletes died in 51 BC, leaving control of Egypt to his seventeen year old daughter Cleopatra and his twelve year old son Ptolemy XIII. Ptolemy XII left his empire to his two children with the plan that they would rule jointly and eventually they would marry. Cleopatra was able to rule because Egyptian Pharonic Law allowed women to ascend to the throne. After ruling together for three years, Ptolemy XIII drove Cleopatra into exile. Cleopatra went to Syria where she gathered an army. But she was unable to reclaim Alexandria until Julius Caesar arrived. Caesar came to capture it, and after he did he killed Ptolemy XIII. While in Alexandria, Caesar fell in love with Cleopatra. She was said to be strikingly beautiful with irresistible charm. He appointed her queen of Egypt. Cleopatra was forced into a political marriage with her youngest brother, Ptolemy XIV. Then, Cleopatra went to Rome where she was Caesar's mistress. Cleopatra then had her first child, Caesarion. He was said to be Caesar's child. Caesar passed away in 44 B.C. After his death, it is thought that Cleopatra poisoned Ptolemy XIV, her husband. When Caesar died, there was competition over who would be his successor. Cleopatra did not take sides in the civil war right away. Marc Anthony, the leader of one side of the civil war, realized this and he summoned her. He fell in love with her and they returned to Egypt. Anthony used Cleopatra's wealth and the armies that came with Egypt. Cleopatra gave this to Anthony in exchange for the power that he gave her, besides the fact that they were supposedly in love. Anthony was forced to leave Egypt and return to Rome for a political marriage with Octavia. She was Augustus's sister who was on the other side of the civil war. While he was away Cleopatra had Anthony's twins. Then Cleopatra met Anthony in Antioch where they were married and had a third child. In 32 BC, Anthony divorced Octavia, and Augustus declared war on Cleopatra and Anthony. Cleopatra insisted on being part of Antony's political campaign. In 31 BC, Cleopatra and Anthony realized their defeat in the Battle of Actium, so they retreated to Alexandria. Anthony was tricked into thinking that Cleopatra was killed, so he committed suicide. Legend has it that Cleopatra killed herself by means of a poisonous asp. She did this rather than appear in chains in Augustus's victory parade. Caesarion was then put to death by Augustus after he won the war. This made Egypt a Roman province.