Cleopatra

"For (as they say) it was not because her [Cleopatra's] beauty in itself was so striking that it stunned the onlooker, but the inescapable impression produced by daily contact with her: the attractiveness in the persuasiveness of her talk, and the character that surrounded her conversation was stimulating. It was a pleasure to hear the sound of her voice, and she tuned her tongue like a many-stringed instrument expertly to whatever language she chose...."
From Plutarch's Life of Mark Antony

She may not have been an Egyptian, but she was Egypt's queen, ruling on her own rather than in the name of her husband. Her relationships with the leaders of Rome led to scandals. Her death continues to inspire playwrights, movie producers, and romantics.
She was . . . Cleopatra.

Cleopatra came to power in Egypt at the age of 17. She reigned from 51-30 B.C. As a Ptolemy, Cleopatra was Macedonian, but even though her ancestry was Macedonian, she was still an Egyptian queen and worshipped as a god.

Egyptian Women

Since Cleopatra was legally obliged to have either a brother or son for her consort, she married brother Ptolemy XIII when he was 12.

"However she soon dropped his name from any official documents regardless of the Ptolemaic insistence that the male presence be first among co-rulers. She also had her own portrait and name on coins of that time, ignoring her brother's."

How did Queen Cleopatra get away with such high-handed actions? Perhaps because Egyptian women were uniquely accepted as capable of holding office and handling affairs.

"Despite the many rights of women, Egypt was not an egalitarian society. There were many class-based distinctions. Women did not inherit equally with men and fewer were literate. Rather than legal restrictions, custom dictated that middle and upper class women usually engage in child-rearing and home-based activities."
(http://www.library.nwu.edu/class/history/B94/B94women.html) Excursus III: The Status of Women in Ancient Egyptian Society)

Cleopatra Rolled in a Carpet

To rid herself of brother-spouse Ptolemy XIII, who had sent her into exile, Cleopatra needed Roman support. After she enticed Caesar with the infamous gift of herself rolled up in a carpet, Ptolemy was killed. In 47 B.C., Cleopatra dutifully married the next Ptolemy brother in line, Ptolemy XIV, an 11-year old, and then went on a cruise with her lover, Caesar.

"Cleopatra's union with Julius Caesar... would have placed Egypt firmly back on the map as a world power after a period of increasing weakness, with Caesar and Cleopatra reigning as joint rulers of the classical world. With this in mind she promptly produced the necessary son and heir to launch the dynasty. Republicans in Rome thwarted this by assassinating Caesar on the steps of the Senate before he was offered a Throne. Octavian later had their son Caesarion strangled following Cleopatra's defeat and ritual suicide."
Rediscovering Cleopatra, by Stuart MacWatt

Also see Pharaoh, by Karen Essex -- the second part of an historical fiction biography of Cleopatra -- which brings to life the meeting between Caesar and Cleopatra and shows how and why Cleopatra managed to present herself to the Roman leader in this manner.

Caesarion

An outcome of the affair between Caesar and Cleopatra was a son, the soon-to-be-murdered Caesarion, whom Cleopatra set up as co-regent after the murder of her second brother.

Mark Antony

In the wake of Caesar's March 15, 44 B.C. assassination and the Civil War, Mark Antony arranged to meet Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.

He fell in love with her but married a Roman, Octavia, sister of Caesar's heir, Octavian, later known as Augustus. It was with Cleopatra, however, that Antony lived. Ultimately he divorced his Roman wife when Octavian declared war on him.

Rule of Egypt Passes to Rome

In the end, defeated, Antony committed suicide and Cleopatra, according to legend, committed suicide by putting an asp to her breast.

During the reigns of the later Ptolemies Rome had become hungry guardian of the dynasty. Only tribute paid the Romans kept them at bay. With Cleopatra's death, rule of Egypt finally passed to the Romans.

Queen Cleopatra of Egypt

Cleopatra Study Guide

• Cleopatra Overview
• Important Facts
• Discussion Questions
• What Did Cleopatra Look Like?
• Pictures
• Timeline
• Terms

This article is one of the "stops" on the Virtual Amazing Race, a lesson plan suitable for grades 5 and up. The lesson plan features research on around-the-world topics and Web Page Design Using PowerPoint.