In August 51 BC, relations between Cleopatra and Ptolemy completely broke down. Although Cleopatra was married to her young brother, she quickly made it clear that she had no intention of sharing power with him. The first three years of their reign were difficult, due to economic failures, famine, deficient floods of the Nile, and political conflicts. Ptolemy XII died in March 51 BC, thus by his will making the 18-year-old Cleopatra and her brother, the 10-year-old Ptolemy XIII joint monarchs. Cleopatra was now, at age 14, put as joint regent and deputy of her father, although her power was likely to have been severely limited. Berenice was imprisoned and executed shortly afterwards, her head allegedly being sent to the royal court on the decree of her father, the king. Regardless of the cause, she did until Ptolemy Auletes returned in 55 BC, with Roman support, capturing Alexandria aided by Roman general Aulus Gabinius. It is believed, though not proven by historical sources, that Berenice IV poisoned her so she could assume sole rulership. When Ptolemy went to Rome with Cleopatra, Cleopatra VI Tryphaena seized the crown but died shortly afterwards in suspicious circumstances. Cleopatra's father Auletes was a direct descendant of Alexander the Great's general, Ptolemy I Soter, son of Arsinoe and Lagus, both of Macedon.Ĭentralization of power and corruption led to uprisings in and the losses of Cyprus and Cyrenaica, making Ptolemy XII's reign one of the most calamitous of the dynasty. The identity of Cleopatra's mother is unknown, but she is generally believed to be Cleopatra V Tryphaena of Egypt, the sister or cousin and wife of Ptolemy XII Auletes, or possibly another Ptolemaic family member who was the daughter of Ptolemy X and Cleopatra Berenice III Philopator if Cleopatra V was not the daughter of Ptolemy X and Berenice III. In most depictions, Cleopatra is portrayed as a great beauty, and her successive conquests of the world's most powerful men are taken as proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media, including William Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenet's opera Cléopâtre and the 1963 film Cleopatra. To this day, Cleopatra remains a popular figure in Western culture. Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus. She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters but soon killed on Octavian's orders. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC. After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian's forces, Antony committed suicide. With Antony, she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus (her unions with her brothers had produced no children). She later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler in name.Īfter Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar's legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (later known as Augustus). As pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. By contrast, Cleopatra did learn to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis.Ĭleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she married as per Egyptian custom, but eventually she became sole ruler. The Ptolemies, throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek as well as Egyptian languages were used on official court documents such as the Rosetta Stone. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Ptolemaic Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period. Cleopatra VII Philopatorīust of Cleopatra VII, Altes Museum, BerlinĪugust 12, 30 ( 30-08-12) BC (aged 38–39)Ĭleopatra VII Philopator (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ Late 69 BC – August 12, 30 BC), known to history as Cleopatra, was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. For other uses, see Cleopatra (disambiguation).
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