Cleopatra VII Philopator is an Egyptian queen, whose biography is still discussed to this day. Not being attractive in appearance, Cleopatra managed to gain the attention of two great Roman commanders - and. This love triangle has found its echoes in many books and films: directors make films, and writers talk about the image of this femme fatale on the pages of their works.
Childhood and youth
Cleopatra was born on November 2, 69 BC. The true place of birth still remains a mystery, but it is generally accepted that her homeland is the cultural center of the ancient world, Alexandria. Contrary to popular belief, the queen did not have a drop of Egyptian blood and came from the Ptolemaic dynasty, which was founded by the Diadochi Ptolemy I, and therefore had Greek roots.
Almost nothing is known about Cleopatra’s childhood and youth. But it is worth assuming that the future ruler voraciously read books in the Library of Alexandria and studied music, since she knew how to reason philosophically, think logically, played various instruments and knew eight foreign languages.
This is surprising because in those days the Greeks did not care about the education of children, especially girls. For example, her sister Berenice was of a completely opposite nature: she loved entertainment, was quite lazy and thoughtless. In 58-55 BC. Cleopatra had to watch as her father Ptolemy XII Auletes was expelled from the country, and power was concentrated in the hands of his daughter Berenice (the ancient Greek historian Strabo noted that Berenice was the only legitimate daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, so there is an opinion that Cleopatra was born from a concubine).
Later, by the forces of the Romans under the leadership of Aulus Gabinius, the king again ascended the throne of Egypt. However, he could not skillfully use power, so repression, delinquent behavior in society and brutal murders spread under him. Thus, Ptolemy subsequently became a puppet controlled by Roman governors. Of course, these events left an imprint on Cleopatra’s mind: later the girl recalled the reckless reign of her father, who remained in her memory as the person whose mistakes she needed to learn from.
Rule of Egypt
After Ptolemy XII Auletes returned what was rightfully his, the heiress Berenice was beheaded. After the death of the king, according to tradition, which called for preserving the divine blood of the royal families, 17 (18) year old Cleopatra married her 9 (10) year old brother Ptolemy XIII and began to rule Egypt. True, formally, since she could only have full power cyclically: in ancient times, girls were destined for a secondary role. She ascended the throne as Thea Philopator, which meant "goddess who loves the father."
It is worth saying that Egypt was desired by the Romans, despite the fact that 96% of the territory in this country is occupied by deserts. But the valleys - the treasure troves of the Nile civilization - are famous for their exceptional fertility. Therefore, during the reign of Cleopatra, one of the most powerful empires - the Roman - laid claim to the territory of Egypt: some of the outer regions of Ta-kemet belonged to the Romans, but the country itself was not completely conquered. Therefore, Egypt (also due to financial debts) turned into a dependent state.
The first years of her reign turned out to be difficult for Cleopatra, because there was not enough food in the country: an insufficient flood of the Nile provoked a two-year crop failure. In addition, the battle for the throne began - internecine wars between brother and sister. Initially, the queen removed her husband and ruled the country alone, but, becoming older, Ptolemy XIII did not accept the arbitrariness of his relative and, relying on his tutor Pothin, who was also the regent and de facto ruler, organized a rebellion against Cleopatra. The people were told that the girl had stopped obeying the ruling trio of Pothinus, Theodatus and Achilles and wanted to overthrow her younger brother.
The queen fled to Syria and thus remained alive. Being an uninvited guest in the Middle East, the girl dreamed of returning full power. Around the same time, the dictator and ancient Roman commander Gaius Julius Caesar went to Alexandria in order to overtake his sworn enemy Pompey: defeated in the civil war (Battle of Pharsalus), Gnaeus fled to Egypt. However, Julius was unable to get even with his enemy personally, because when the emperor arrived in the Nile Valley, Pompey had already been killed.
Caesar had to stay in Alexandria due to weather conditions unfavorable for the long journey, so the ruler of Rome did not miss the opportunity to collect the accumulated debts of Ptolemy XII Auletes from his successor (ten million denarii). So Julius took part in the conflict between the comrades of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, hoping to benefit both himself and the Romans.
In turn, the queen needed to win Caesar’s trust, so, according to a beautiful legend, in order to win the commander over to her side, the resourceful girl secretly entered the Alexandria Palace: she wrapped herself in a carpet (or in a bed bag) and ordered her faithful slave to deliver a generous gift . Julius, fascinated by the beauty of the young queen, took her side.
But it is worth noting that the commander came to Egypt with a small army (3,200 warriors and 800 horsemen). Ptolemy XIII took advantage of this circumstance. Society supported the ruler, so Julius had to hide in the royal quarter, putting his life in danger. In winter, Julius Caesar again invaded Egypt and defeated the army of supporters of Ptolemy XIII, who drowned in the Nile. Therefore, Cleopatra again ascended the throne and ruled together with the young Ptolemy XIV.
Personal life
Legends are still made about Cleopatra's personal life. Thanks to the cinema, this ambitious girl was seen in the performances of (“Cleopatra” (1963)), (“Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” (2002)) and other film actresses who played the ruler. Therefore, many believe that Cleopatra is a fatal beauty who seduced men with just one look. But, contrary to popular belief, the appearance of the Egyptian queen was rather mediocre.
What Cleopatra looked like is not known for certain. But one can judge from some statues and a bust from Cherchell in Algeria (there is an opinion that this bust belongs to Cleopatra’s daughter Selene II), as well as from the face depicted on coins, that the queen had a rather large nose and a narrow chin. But women's charms and intelligence helped Cleopatra make her faithful admirers out of men. She was not a noble person; sometimes cruelty could be traced in her character. For example, the queen often tested poisons on prisoners and watched them die in order to test the effect of a dangerous potion on the body.
It was rumored that Cleopatra was a loving girl. In fact, promiscuity between a man and a woman was not condemned in Rome and Ancient Egypt; kings and queens had several lovers and concubines. According to legend, madmen paid with their lives to share a bed with the Siren of the Nile: after a night with Cleopatra, their heads became trophies and were exhibited in the palace.
Beautiful legends are still made up about the relationship between the Egyptian queen and the Roman commander Julius Caesar. Indeed, it was love at first sight. For the sake of 21-year-old Cleopatra, the emperor forgot his mistress Servilia.
After defeating Ptolemy XIII, Cleopatra and Caesar set off on a pleasure trip along the Nile, accompanied by 400 ships. June 23, 47 BC The lovers had a son, Ptolemy Caesar (Caesarion). It can be said that because of his alliance with Cleopatra, Caesar brought disaster upon himself. The Egyptian queen, her brother and son arrived in Rome, surrounded by a large retinue. The girl was disliked because of her arrogance, so she was called the queen without adding a name (“I hate the queen,” Cicero wrote in his manuscript).
Those close to Caesar were sure that the dictator wanted to become the new pharaoh and make Alexandria the capital of Rome. The Romans did not like this turn of events, and for this and other reasons a conspiracy arose against Julius. March 15, 44 BC Caesar was killed. After the death of Julius, a civil war began between the Romans, in which Cleopatra did not intervene. Mark Antony was proclaimed ruler of the eastern territory of Rome.
The commander was going to accuse the queen of assisting against Caesar, but Cleopatra, knowing about Mark’s amorousness and vanity, acted with feminine cunning. She arrived on a gilded ship full of treasures, dressed as Aphrodite, and charmed the ancient Roman commander. Thus began a romance that lasted about ten years. In 40 BC. The lovers gave birth to twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. In the autumn of 36 BC. The third child, Ptolemy Philadelphus, was born.
Death
There are many fictions about the death of Cleopatra, so it is almost impossible to restore this event with the greatest accuracy. The generally accepted version is the story that was presented. True, his version was later interpreted in their own way by writers, because Cleopatra’s biography provided background for romantic works. So, others wrote poems about the queen.
Octavian Augustus, the legitimate heir to the Roman throne, arrived in Rome in the spring. Local residents warmly received the young man, but the active army and admirers of Caesar stood on the side of Mark Antony. The Mutino War soon followed, from which Octavian emerged victorious. When Augustus moved towards Alexandria, Mark Antony was given false news about the death of the queen. Mark could not withstand such a tragedy, so he threw himself on his own sword. At that moment, Cleopatra and her maids locked themselves in the tomb; The wounded lover of the Egyptian seductress was taken there.
Mark died in the arms of a crying girl. The queen wanted to demonstratively stab herself with a dagger, but began negotiations with Octavian’s subject. The Siren of the Nile hoped to bribe Augustus with her charms in order to restore the state, but all attempts were in vain. After the death of her beloved, Cleopatra fell into depression, starved herself and did not get out of bed. Cornelius Dolabella informed the widow that she would be exiled to Rome for Octavian's triumph.
According to ancient Roman custom, Augustus, in honor of the victory over Egypt, was going to lead Cleopatra behind the triumphal chariot, chained like a slave. But the queen managed to avoid shame: in a pot of figs, which was delivered to the palace at the behest of Cleopatra, a snake was hidden - its bite gave the woman a quiet and painless death. The location of Cleopatra’s mummy is still unknown, but most likely, the queen and her lover Mark Antony are buried under the necropolis temple near Taposiris Magna (modern Abusir).
- Ancient alchemists believed that Cleopatra was the owner of the philosopher's stone and could turn any metal into gold.
- According to legend, the queen met with Mark Antony on Cleopatra Island, famous for its golden sand, which was brought there especially for the Egyptian seductress.
- Cleopatra was fond of cosmetology. According to rumors, the queen bathed in a bath with milk and honey. She also made creams from a mixture of herbs and lard.
- According to another version, Cleopatra was killed by poison, which she stored in a hollow head pin.
Memory
Movies:
- Cleopatra (1934)
- Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)
- Two Nights with Cleopatra (1954)
- Legions of Cleopatra (1959)
- Cleopatra (1963)
- Discovery: Queens of Ancient Egypt (TV) (2000)
- Cleopatra: Portrait of a Killer (TV) (2009)
Books:
- The Diaries of Cleopatra. Book 1: The Rise of a Queen (Margaret George)
- Cleopatra (Karin Essex)
- Cleopatra. The Last of the Ptolemies (Michael Grant)
- Cleopatra's last passion. A new novel about the Queen of Love (Natalia Pavlishcheva)
Cleopatra already during her lifetime became the heroine of legends; her tragic death further strengthened the tendency to romanticize the image - so that the romantic halo created by ancient Roman authors and the enthusiasm of modern filmmakers prevents an objective look at the queen - undoubtedly the most famous of all women of antiquity...
short biography
Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt from the Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty. She is the last Egyptian pharaoh. Cleopatra VII ruled Egypt for 22 years successively in co-government with her brothers (who are traditionally formal husbands) Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, then in actual marriage with the Roman commander Mark Antony.
She was the last independent ruler of Egypt before the Roman conquest and is often, although not entirely correctly, considered the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She gained wide fame thanks to her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She had a son by Caesar and two sons and a daughter by Antony.
Cleopatra's love affairs
If it didn't exist, it would have to be invented. Her life inspired first painters and poets, then playwrights and filmmakers.
They like to present her relationship with Caesar and Mark Antony in the form of a classic love triangle: some authors believe that she adored Caesar, others, no less authoritative minds, are sure that the only true love of her life is Mark Antony.
Appearance and character of Cleopatra
Contrary to popular belief, the last Egyptian queen was not at all pretty. On ancient coins we see her image - a long nose, masculine facial features. But the gods endowed Cleopatra with a charming voice and charisma.
In addition, she was a well-educated woman. And let the spiteful critics shut up - Cleopatra VII was the first pharaoh from the Ptolemaic dynasty who could speak Egyptian. In addition, she knew 8 more languages. It was no secret to anyone that Ptolemy XIII was only called pharaoh, while Cleopatra ruled the country.
Cleopatra grew up in the outstanding center of that time - Alexandria. Poetry, arts, and sciences found shelter in this city, and at the courts of the Egyptian kings there were quite a few outstanding poets and artists. The girl received an excellent education and spoke several languages fluently, studied philosophy, was well acquainted with literature and played various instruments.
She was educated, intelligent, and inherited a political mind from her ancestors. But at the same time, she had a voluptuous nature. To satisfy her desires, Cleopatra kept many handsome men. In those days it was not at all considered immoral.
Evidence from a contemporary has been preserved, who writes that Cleopatra appointed death at the price of her love and that there were admirers who were not frightened by such a condition. For the night spent with the queen, the madmen paid with their lives, and their heads were exhibited in front of the temptress's palace!
Pharaoh's daughter
She was born in 69 BC. Her parents are Pharaoh Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra V, Ptolemy's sister and wife (a common practice for representatives of the ruling dynasties of Egypt at that time). In addition to little Cleopatra, the family had two older sisters - Cleopatra VI and Berenice, a younger sister - Arsinoe, and two younger brothers - the Ptolemies.
The last Egyptian pharaohs were not Egyptians: Ptolemy I was a general in the army of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, he became king of Egypt. If you are unlucky and were not born the eldest child in the royal family, then your chances of taking the throne are extremely small. In 58 BC, the people of Alexandria rebelled against the tyrant Auletes and overthrew him. The elder sister Berenice ascended the throne.
Berenice marries her cousin, but very soon, on her orders, the unfortunate husband will be strangled so that the queen can connect her life with someone else. Berenice has been in power for three years. During her reign, Cleopatra VI, the next contender to the throne, dies of an unknown illness.
In 55, Ptolemy XII regained the throne with the support of the Roman general Pompey. Berenice and her husband are beheaded. Now Cleopatra VII becomes the eldest child.
If you are in power, you should have been prepared for the fact that they would try to take this power away from you. The first attempt to overthrow the queen was made... by her own husband, three years after the wedding. 15-year-old Ptolemy XIII was not an independent figure, but behind him stood the ambitious mentor Pofinus...
In 48, an uprising began in Alexandria; Cleopatra fled Syria with her younger sister Arsinoe.
Cleopatra and Caesar
But Cleopatra was not one to give up easily. Very soon she moved the army to the Egyptian border... Brother and sister, husband and wife were going to sort things out on the battlefield.
At the same time, there was also a fight for power in the Roman Empire: between Julius Caesar and Pompey. After losing the battle of Pharsalos, Pompey fled to Alexandria, hoping to receive political asylum there. But in power is not the same Ptolemy, whom the Roman general once helped return to the throne, but his weak-willed offspring.
The advisers believe that it is unwise to quarrel with Caesar, so Pompey is killed right in front of the pharaoh. Three days later, Julius Caesar, who arrived in Alexandria, was presented with a kind of “gift” from Ptolemy XIII - the head of Pompey. The advisers miscalculated - before the struggle for power began, Pompey was a friend of Caesar, so the “gift” horrified the Emperor. Caesar ordered a cessation of hostilities and ordered his brother and sister to come to the palace for clarification.
Cleopatra understood perfectly well that as soon as she appeared in Alexandria, her brother’s henchmen would immediately kill her. The queen comes up with a brilliant move - she, wrapped in a carpet, is secretly brought to the palace as a gift to the great Caesar. The carpet is unrolled... Caesar falls under her charm. That same night they become lovers.
The next day, Ptolemy discovered that his older sister had outwitted him. He tries to storm the palace, but Caesar orders his arrest. Have you forgotten about Pofinus yet? Led by him and (look at this) Cleopatra's younger sister Arsinoe, the Egyptian army begins an offensive.
The Alexandrian War lasted six months, until its ideological inspirer Pofinus fell in one of the battles, and Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile while trying to escape.
Alexandria swore allegiance to Caesar, Arsinoe was arrested, the throne returned to Cleopatra, who marries... the only surviving brother of Ptolemy XIV (12 years old).
After the victory, Caesar and Cleopatra set off on a two-month journey along the Nile. It was during this period that Cleopatra became pregnant and in due course gave birth to a son, who was named Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Caesar recognized the boy as his son.
From now on, three Roman legions are stationed in Alexandria to protect the queen. A year later, Cleopatra comes to Rome with her son and husband to celebrate the end of the war. Prisoners are driven through the Roman streets, including Arsinoe. Caesar spared her life, but a little later Mark Antony would kill Arsinoe at the request of her older sister Cleopatra.
For two years, Cleopatra and her son lived near Rome. Her royal lover idolizes her: a golden statue of the Queen of Egypt is placed in the temple of Venus; Caesar even tries to change the law in order to marry Cleopatra and make Caesarion his only heir... Alas, Caesar had a legal wife, Calpurina, a woman whom few people remembered then and remember now.
On March 15, 44 BC, the famous meeting of the Senate will take place, during which a group of conspirators kills Caesar.
Cleopatra immediately leaves Rome and heads back to Egypt. Soon after her arrival, Ptolemy XIV dies, poisoned by order of the queen - no one should stand between power and her son, Caesarion.
Arrival in Rome
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
After Caesar's death, power was divided between Caesar's nephew Octavian, Marcus Lepidus and Mark Antony.
In 42, Mark Antony orders Cleopatra to appear in Tarsus to find out if she supports his enemies. The Queen arrives on a barge, dressed as Venus, surrounded by maids dressed as sea nymphs and cupid boys. She accurately identifies Mark Antony's weaknesses and skillfully plays along with him. Cleopatra is not embarrassed by the fact that her new lover is somewhat uncouth and loves rude soldier humor.
Mark Antony is enchanted, he drops everything and goes with the queen to Alexandria. Orgies and dubious entertainment continue throughout the winter. Cleopatra does not leave him unattended either day or night. With great difficulty, the Roman manages to escape from this round dance of pleasures and return home.
6 months after his departure, Cleopatra gave birth to twins - Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. She will see their father again only after 4 years. By that time, Mark Antony would marry Octavian's half-sister Octavia, and in this marriage he would have two daughters, both of whom would be named Antonia.
In 37, Mark Antony begins another military campaign. But very soon he finds himself in the arms of Cleopatra, who in 36 becomes his wife. Another heir is born - Ptolemy Philadelphiaus.
Unexpectedly, Octavia’s wife goes to visit her husband who has been on a spree. A letter from Anthony is waiting for her in Athens, in which he informs her that she does not need to go further, he himself will come to Athens. Having learned about this, Cleopatra uses all her feminine tricks to prevent Mark Antony from meeting his first (legal) wife. She succeeds - Mark Antony cancels the trip, Octavia returns to Rome without seeing her husband.
The Romans are outraged by this attitude of Mark Antony towards his legal wife. The last straw was the proclamation of Alexander Helios as the king of Armenia, Cleopatra Selene as the queen of Crete, and Ptolemy Philadelphiaus as the king of Syria. Caesarion was declared the "king of kings" and Cleopatra the "queen of kings".
Outraged, Octavian declares war on Egypt. In a fatal battle near Actium (Greece), Cleopatra, deciding that Mark Antony is losing, hastily leaves the battlefield and actually “surrenders” her lover.
For three days Anthony refuses to see her or talk to her. The lovers return to Egypt, where they are overtaken by the news that the troops of Mark Antony are surrounded and defeated. It's time to prepare for death. Cleopatra experiments with various poisons to find out which one brings quick and painless relief.
In the year 30, Octavian's army was on the outskirts of Alexandria. Mark Antony's army swears allegiance to Octavian - after the Battle of Actium, no one doubts that Mark Antony has lost his head over a woman and is unable to think for himself.
Cleopatra orders the servants to announce to Antony that she has died. In desperation, he stabs himself with a dagger. Still alive, Mark crawls to Cleopatra’s mausoleum. The queen is afraid to open the door, so the mortally wounded Mark Antony is forced to climb through the window using the ropes dropped by Cleopatra. He dies on her bed.
Death of the Great Queen
When Octavian's soldiers surrounded the mausoleum, Cleopatra refused to open the door and attempted suicide. But she was disarmed and taken prisoner.
After Anthony's funeral, she tried several times to take her own life - the alerted guards stopped all attempts. To deceive the vigilance of the future emperor, the proud queen fell at the feet of Octavian, begging for her life. Surprisingly, the insightful ruler of Rome believed in the sincerity of the suffering woman.
The queen had no illusions about her future - like her sister Arsinoe, she had to walk in chains through the streets of Rome. The only thing she asked Octavian was that the Egyptian throne remain with her children.
Cleopatra managed to avoid shame: the servants devoted to the queen gave her a basket of fig fruits. The guards examined the basket and found nothing suspicious in it.
After dinner, Cleopatra wrote a letter in which she asked Octavian to bury her next to Mark Antony. Alarmed, Octavian sent guards in case she attempted suicide again. But it was too late - the poison of the small snake kills almost instantly; when the guards arrived at Cleopatra’s chambers, the queen was dead.
Cleopatra VII was the last pharaoh; after her death, Egypt became one of the Roman provinces.
Her son Caesarion, by order of Octavian, was strangled by a teacher, her daughter Cleopatra Selene married the King of Mauritania, nothing is known about the fate of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphiaus.
The famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra died not from a snake bite, as was commonly believed, but from a deadly cocktail of opium and hemlock plants, German scientists led by historian Christopher Schaefer found.
The queen, known for her beauty, would hardly have subjected herself to a long and disfiguring death. The experts traveled to Alexandria, where they studied ancient medical texts and consulted snake experts. The latter reported that death from a cobra bite occurs within a few days, and spots appear on the victim’s body. Cleopatra wanted to remain beautiful even after death in order to preserve her myth. According to scientists, she used a mixture of opium and poisonous plants such as hemlock and aconite and died within a few hours without experiencing any pain.
Cleopatra was the last queen of Ancient Egypt. Born in 69 BC, Cleopatra was one of the daughters of King Ptolemy XII. She became queen at the age of 17 and until her death (and Cleopatra died at the age of 40) she remained a person about whom the most beautiful and most terrible stories were told. The image of Cleopatra is shrouded in a romantic aura of mystery and still arouses great interest. The story of the life, love and tragic death of this great woman remains unclear to this day. The death of Cleopatra is one of the main secrets of the Egyptian ruler. From sources that have reached us, it is known that the queen committed suicide after the death of her beloved, great Roman commander Mark Antony. According to legend, Cleopatra buried her beloved with full honors in an exquisite tomb, and then locked herself in her own tomb, where she was later found dead.
Two years ago, Egyptian archaeologists reported that they had found the tomb of Cleopatra and Anthony. According to scientists, about 45 kilometers from Alexandria, under the ruins of the Temple of Osiris, they discovered a 120-meter tunnel filled with sand. After clearing it, scientists found Anthony's death mask, a statue of Cleopatra and 20 coins minted in Egypt during her reign.
Judging by the image of Cleopatra's profile on coins, she had an attractive face, which speaks in favor of the legend about the amazing beauty of the ruler of Egypt. “The finds from Taposiris reflect the charming appearance of Cleopatra,” the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt shares his conclusions. “And they show that Cleopatra was not at all ugly as she is seen.”
British scientists acted as the first critics of the legend of Cleopatra's beauty, which until recently was undeniable. In 2007, academics at Newcastle University said the Egyptian queen was not a beauty at all, as her appearance was characterized by a pointed nose, thin lips and protruding jaws. This assessment was made after studying the image of Cleopatra on a Roman coin.
August 12, 30 BC e. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra committed suicide inside a mausoleum in Alexandria. She was the last independent pharaoh that Ancient Egypt knew. For two decades, Cleopatra waged a ruthless power struggle with her siblings, battled the future Roman emperor, and was involved in military alliances and amorous affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She is remembered as one of the brightest and most charming figures of antiquity, but many facts about her life are either unknown or remain myths. You have the opportunity to learn 10 amazing facts about the legendary Queen of the Nile.
1. Cleopatra was not Egyptian
Despite the fact that Cleopatra was born in Egypt, the roots of her family go back to Macedonia and Greece. She belonged to the dynasty of Ptolemy I Soter (one of Alexander the Great's generals). Ptolemy took the reins of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. e. and became the founder of a dynasty of Greek-speaking rulers. The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Egypt for almost three centuries. Despite her origins, Cleopatra adopted many of the ancient traditions of the country she ruled and became the first of the Ptolemaic dynasty to learn the Egyptian language.
2. She was born as a result of incest
Like many rulers, members of the Ptolemaic dynasty married within their own family to maintain the purity of the bloodline. More than a dozen of Cleopatra's ancestors were married to their first cousins, so it is possible that her father and mother were also brother and sister. According to tradition, Cleopatra married two of her brothers, and each of them served as her ceremonial consort and regent at different points in her reign.
3. Cleopatra's beauty was not her greatest achievement.
Roman propaganda made Cleopatra a depraved seductress who used her sex appeal as a political weapon. Despite this, she should have been known for her intelligence rather than her looks. She spoke dozens of different foreign languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, rhetoric and astronomy. Egyptian sources later described her as a ruler who was elevated to the ranks of scholars and commanded their respect. There is also evidence that Cleopatra was not as attractive as is commonly believed. Coins bearing her portrait show a masculine face with a hooked nose, although some historians argue that she specifically ordered her image to be made more masculine and masculine-like. For his part, the ancient writer Plutarch argued that Cleopatra’s beauty was not so incomparable, but this was compensated for by her “caressing voice” and irresistible charm, which made her so desirable.
4. She had a hand in the deaths of three siblings
Forceful seizure of power and murder were as much a Ptolemaic tradition as marriage within the family, and Cleopatra and her brothers and sisters were no different. Her first husband, who was also her brother, Ptolemy XIII, kicked her out of Egypt when she tried to completely seize power, so the couple met during the civil war. Cleopatra managed to win because she formed an alliance with Julius Caesar, and Ptolemy drowned in the Nile after being defeated in battle. After the war, Cleopatra married her younger brother Ptolemy XIV, but it is assumed that he was also killed when she tried to make his son her co-ruler. In 41 BC. e. she also eliminated her sister Arsinoe, whom she considered a rival for the throne.
5. Cleopatra knew how to present herself better.
Cleopatra considered herself the living embodiment of the goddess and often played the role in front of her allies to gain their favor and strengthen her divine status. A famous example of her talent for dramatic acting: in 48 BC. e., when, during her feud with her brother, Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria, knowing that Ptolemy would prevent her from meeting the Roman commander, she wrapped herself in a carpet. Some sources say it was a linen bag. Thus she was brought into Caesar's private chambers. The commander was dazzled by the appearance of the young queen and agreed to become her ally.
Cleopatra used a similar idea a little later, in 41 BC. e., during a meeting with Mark Antony. When she rode to meet the Roman triumph at Tarsus, she ordered the construction of a golden barge with purple sails and oars decorated with silver. Outwardly, she resembled the goddess Aphrodite and sat under a gilded canopy, and her servants dressed as cupids burned sweet-smelling incense. Antony, who believed himself to be the incarnation of the Greek god Dionysus, was instantly captivated.
6. Cleopatra lived in Rome at the time of Caesar's assassination
Cleopatra joined Julius Caesar in Rome in 46 BC. e., and her presence caused quite a stir. Caesar did not hide the fact that they were lovers; she also brought their common child to the city. Many Romans were outraged when he placed a gilded statue of her in the Temple of Venus the Progenitor. Cleopatra was forced to flee when Caesar was assassinated in the Senate in 44 BC. e., but before that she managed to leave her mark on the city. Her exotic hairstyle with pearl jewelry became a fashion trend, and according to historian Joan Fletcher, many women began to imitate Cleopatra. Their statues have even been mistaken for images of Cleopatra herself.
7. Cleopatra and Mark Antony created their own club
The legendary romance between Cleopatra and Mark Antony began in 41 BC. e. Their relationship had a political basis. Cleopatra needed Antony to protect the throne and maintain Egypt's independence, while the commander needed access to the country's wealth. But they also loved spending time in each other's company. According to ancient sources, winter 41-40. BC e. they spent time together relaxing and enjoying the riches of Egypt, and even created their own club known as the Inimitable Liver. The club organized nightly feasts, and its members sometimes participated in complex games and competitions. They say that Antony and Cleopatra's favorite pastime was to wander the streets of Alexandria in disguise and play pranks on the city's inhabitants.
8. She led the fleet in a sea battle
Cleopatra married Mark Antony and bore him three children, but their relationship also caused a public scandal in Rome. Antony's rival Octavian used propaganda to portray the general as a traitor who had fallen prey to the intrigue of a seductress. As a result, in 32 BC. e. The Roman Senate declared war on Cleopatra. The conflict reached its climax the following year, during the famous Battle of Actium. Cleopatra personally led several dozen Egyptian ships, but they were not enough to fight Octavian's navy. The battle soon turned to rout, and Cleopatra and Anthony were forced to hide in Egypt.
9. Cleopatra may not have died from a snake bite
Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide in 30 BC. e., after Octavian pursued them to Alexandria. If there are no secrets with the death of Anthony (he killed himself with a sword), then the death of Cleopatra is not so clear. Legend has it that she died from an Egyptian cobra bite to the hand, but the ancient chronicler Plutarch reports that no one knows the truth. He says that Cleopatra may have hidden a deadly poison in one of her combs, and the historian Strabo notes that she may have used the fatal "salve." Given this, many historians are inclined to believe that she could have used a pin dipped in some kind of powerful toxin, for example, snake venom.
10. The film about Cleopatra, shot in 1963, became one of the most expensive in the history of cinema.
In 1963, the film “Cleopatra” was shot. The film's original budget grew from $2 million to $44 million, and Taylor's costume costs alone totaled $200,000. It was the most expensive film at the time of its release, and it practically bankrupted the studio that made it. If we take inflation into account, it remains one of the most expensive today.
Cleopatra VII Philopator (ancient Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ). Born November 2, 69 BC. - died August 12, 30 BC. The last queen of Hellenistic Egypt from the Macedonian Ptolemaic (Lagid) dynasty.
Cleopatra was born on November 2, 69 BC. e. (officially the 12th year of the reign of Ptolemy XII), apparently in Alexandria. She is one of the three (known) daughters of King Ptolemy XII Auletes, possibly by a concubine, since, as Strabo notes, this king had only one legitimate daughter, Berenice IV, queen in 58-55 BC. e.
Nothing is known about Cleopatra's childhood and youth. Undoubtedly, she was strongly impressed by the turmoil of 58-55, when her father was overthrown and expelled from Egypt, and his daughter (Cleopatra’s sister) Berenice became queen.
Restored to the throne by the forces of the Roman governor of Syria, Gabinius, Ptolemy XII rushes into massacres, repressions and murders (including Berenice).
As a result, he turns into a puppet, retained in power only by the Roman presence, which burdens the country's finances. The troubles of her father's reign taught her a lesson to the future queen, who used all means to get rid of her opponents and everyone standing in her way - such as her younger brother Ptolemy XIV in 44 BC. e. and later from the sister of Arsinoe IV.
Cleopatra VII ruled Egypt for 21 consecutive years in co-government with her brothers(they are traditionally formal husbands) Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, then in actual marriage with the Roman commander Mark Antony. She was the last independent ruler of Egypt before the Roman conquest and is often, although not entirely correctly, considered the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She gained wide fame thanks to her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She had a son by Caesar and two sons and a daughter by Antony.
Sources on Cleopatra - Plutarch, Suetonius, Appian, Cassius Dio, Josephus.
For the most part, ancient historiography is unfavorable to her. There is an opinion that the denigration of Cleopatra was carried out by the conqueror of Egypt, Octavian and his entourage, who tried with all their might to denigrate the queen, presenting her as not just a dangerous enemy of Rome and the evil genius of Mark Antony. An example is the judgment about Cleopatra by a Roman historian of the 4th century. Aurelia Victor: “She was so depraved that she often prostituted herself, and had such beauty that many men paid with their death for the possession of her for one night.”
Testament of Ptolemy XII, who died in March 51 BC. e., transferred the throne to Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIII, who was then about 9 years old, and with whom she was united in a formal marriage, since, according to Ptolemaic custom, a woman could not reign on her own.
She ascended the throne under the official title Θέα Φιλοπάτωρ (Thea Philopator), that is, a goddess who loves her father (from an inscription on a stele from 51 BC). The first three years of the reign were not easy due to a 2-year crop failure caused by insufficient flooding of the Nile.
With the accession of the co-rulers, a hidden struggle of parties immediately began. Cleopatra first ruled alone, removing her young brother, but then the latter took revenge, relying on the eunuch Pothinus (who was something like the head of government), the commander Achilles and his tutor Theodotus (a rhetorician from Chios).
In a document dated October 27, 50 BC. e., the name of Ptolemy appears emphatically in the first place.
In the summer of 48 BC. e. Cleopatra, who fled to Syria and recruited an army there, at the head of this army set up a camp on the Egyptian border, not far from the fortress of Pelusium. Her brother also stationed himself there with the army, blocking her path into the country.
The turning point was the flight of the Roman senator Pompey to Egypt and his murder by Ptolemy's supporters.
Cleopatra and Caesar
At this moment Rome intervenes in the fight.
Pompey, defeated at Pharsalus, in early June 48 BC. e. appears off the Egyptian coast and asks the Egyptian king for help.
Young Ptolemy XIII, or rather his advisers, hoping to achieve generous favors from the victors, give the order to kill the Roman. This was accomplished as soon as Pompey set foot on Egyptian soil, in front of his entire entourage (July 28, 48). But the king miscalculated: Caesar, who, in pursuit of Pompey, landed in Egypt two days later, was angry at this reprisal and buried Pompey’s head near the walls of Alexandria, where he erected a sanctuary of Nemesis.
Once in Egypt, Caesar tried to replenish his treasury with the help of debts that Ptolemy XII had incurred on the Roman banker Rabirius during his efforts to restore the throne, and which Caesar now chalked up to his own account.
He writes that Caesar “did not dare” to turn Egypt into a Roman province, “so that some enterprising governor would not be able to rely on a province with enormous resources for new unrest.”
However, Caesar announced his intention to act as an arbiter in the dispute between the kings. Ptolemy XIII was the de facto ruler even without him, and also recognized by Pompey. Therefore, Caesar was interested in Cleopatra, who could become a puppet, owing power to him.
Soon after his arrival, he summons Cleopatra to his place in Alexandria. Penetrating into the capital, guarded by Ptolemy's people, was not an easy task - Cleopatra was helped to do this by her admirer, the Sicilian Apollodorus, who secretly smuggled the queen in a fishing boat, and then carried it into Caesar's chambers, hiding it in a large bed bag (and not in the carpet, as this is embellished in films, see Cleopatra's Carpet). From this fact we can draw a conclusion about the queen’s fragile physique. Throwing herself at the feet of the Roman dictator, Cleopatra began to bitterly complain about her oppressors, demanding the execution of Pothinus.
52-year-old Caesar was captivated by the young queen, especially since returning to the will of Ptolemy XII was in line with his own political interests. When the next morning Caesar announced this to the 13-year-old king, he ran out of the palace in a rage and, tearing off his diadem, began shouting to the assembled people that he had been betrayed. The crowd was outraged, but Caesar at that moment managed to calm it down by reading the king’s will.
However, the situation for Caesar became more complicated. The detachment accompanying him consisted of only 7 thousand soldiers; Supporters of the murdered Pompey gathered in Africa, and these circumstances aroused the hope of getting rid of Caesar in Ptolemy’s party.
Pothinus and Achilles called troops to Alexandria. The execution of Pothinus by Caesar could no longer stop the uprising. The troops, supported by the townspeople, outraged by the extortion and self-will of the Romans, received a leader when Ptolemy XIII and his sister Arsinoe fled to them. As a result, Caesar in September 48 BC. e. found himself besieged and cut off from reinforcements in the royal quarter of Alexandria. Caesar and Cleopatra were saved only by the approach of reinforcements led by Mithridates of Pergamon.
The rebels were defeated on January 15, 47 BC. e. near Lake Mareotia, while fleeing, King Ptolemy drowned in the Nile. Arsinoe was captured and was then carried out in Caesar's triumph.
This was followed by a joint journey of Caesar and Cleopatra along the Nile on 400 ships, accompanied by noisy festivities. Cleopatra, formally united with her other young brother Ptolemy XIV, actually became the undivided ruler of Egypt under the Roman protectorate, the guarantee of which was the three legions left in Egypt. Soon after Caesar's departure Cleopatra gives birth to a son on June 23, 47, who was named Ptolemy Caesar, but who went down in history under the nickname given to him by the Alexandrians Caesarion. It was argued that he looked a lot like Caesar both face and posture.
Caesar fought with the king of Pontus Pharnaces, then with the last supporters of Pompey in Africa; immediately after the end of the wars, he summons Cleopatra and her brother to Rome (summer of 46 BC), formally - to conclude an alliance between Rome and Egypt. Cleopatra was given Caesar's villa in his gardens on the banks of the Tiber, where she received noble Romans who were in a hurry to pay their respects to their favorite. This caused extreme irritation among the Republicans and became one of the reasons that accelerated the death of Caesar.
There was even a rumor (reported by Suetonius and indicative of the general mood) that Caesar was going to take Cleopatra as his second wife and move the capital to Alexandria. Caesar himself ordered a gilded statue of Cleopatra to be placed at the altar of Venus the Progenitor (Venus as the mythical ancestor of the Julian family to which he belonged). Nevertheless, Caesar's official will did not contain any mention of Caesarion, whom he thus did not dare recognize as his son.
Sovereign reign of Cleopatra
Caesar was killed as a result of a conspiracy on March 15, 44 BC. e. A month later, in mid-April, Cleopatra left Rome and arrived in Alexandria in July.
Shortly after this, 14-year-old Ptolemy XIV died. According to Josephus, he was poisoned by his sister: the birth of a son gave Cleopatra a formal co-ruler. In this situation, her growing brother was completely unnecessary to her.
In 43 BC. e. Famine struck Egypt and the Nile did not flood for two years in a row. The queen was primarily concerned with supplying her capital, which was prone to rebellion. The three Roman legions left by the late Caesar rampaged until their withdrawal.
The war between Caesar's murderers, Cassius and Brutus, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, his heirs Antony and Octavian, required resourcefulness from the queen.
The East was in the hands of Caesar's assassins: Brutus controlled Greece and Asia Minor, and Cassius settled in Syria. Cleopatra's governor in Cyprus, Serapion, helped Cassius with money and a fleet with the undoubted consent of the queen, no matter what feelings she had for the murderers of her Roman patron. She later formally renounced Serapion's actions. On the other hand, Cleopatra equipped the fleet supposedly, as she later assured, to help the Caesarians.
In 42 BC. e. The Republicans were defeated at Philippi. The situation immediately changed for Cleopatra.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Cleopatra was 28 years old when she died in 41 BC. e. met a 40-year-old Roman commander. It is known that Antony, as commander of the cavalry, participated in the restoration of Ptolemy XII to the throne in 55, but it is unlikely that they met at that time, although Appian cites a rumor that Antony became interested in 14-year-old Cleopatra during that period. They could have met during the queen's stay in Rome, but before meeting in 41, they apparently did not know each other well.
During the division of the Roman world, carried out after the defeat of the Republicans, Antony got the East. Anthony decides to implement Caesar's project - a big campaign against the Parthians. Preparing for the campaign, he sends the officer Quintus Dellius to Alexandria to demand Cleopatra to come to Cilicia. He was going to accuse her of helping Caesar’s murderers, apparently hoping, under this pretext, to get as much money as possible from her for the campaign.
Cleopatra, having learned through Dellius about Antony's character and, above all, about his amorousness, vanity and love of external splendor, arrives on a ship with a gilded stern, purple sails and silvered oars; she herself was seated in the attire of Aphrodite, on both sides of her stood boys in the form of erotes with fans, and maids in the robes of nymphs steered the ship.
The ship moved along the Kidn River to the sounds of flutes and citharas, shrouded in incense smoke. She then invites Antony to her place for a sumptuous feast. Anthony was completely fascinated. The queen easily rejected the prepared accusations, saying that Serapion acted without her knowledge, and she herself equipped a fleet to help the Caesarians, but this fleet, unfortunately, was delayed by contrary winds. As a first show of courtesy to Cleopatra, Antony, at her request, ordered the immediate execution of her sister Arsinoe, who had sought refuge in the temple of Aphrodite at Ephesus.
Thus began a romance that lasted ten years, one of the most famous in history - even though we cannot judge what was the share of political calculation in relations with Antony that Cleopatra needed to carry out her plans. For his part, Anthony could only support his huge army with the help of Egyptian money.
Anthony, leaving the army, followed Cleopatra to Alexandria, where he spent the winter of 41-40. BC e., indulging in drinking and entertainment. For her part, Cleopatra tried to tie him as tightly as possible.
Plutarch says: “she played dice with him, drank together, hunted together, was among the spectators when he practiced with weapons, and at night, when he, in the dress of a slave, wandered and wandered around the city, stopping at the doors and windows of houses and showering her usual jokes on the owners - people of simple rank, Cleopatra was here next to Anthony, dressed to match him."
One day, Anthony, planning to amaze Cleopatra with his fishing skills, sent divers who constantly hooked him with a new “catch.” Cleopatra, quickly realizing this trick, for her part sent a diver who planted dried fish on Antony.
While they were having fun in this way, the Parthian prince Pacorus went on the offensive, as a result of which Rome lost Syria and the south of Asia Minor with Cilicia. Antigonus Mattathius, a prince hostile to the Romans from the Hasmonean (Maccabean) dynasty, was confirmed by the Parthians on the throne of Jerusalem. Mark Antony led a brief counter-offensive from Tyre, but was then forced to return to Rome, where, following a clash between his wife Fulvia and Octavian's supporters, a peace agreement was negotiated at Brundisium. The clashes were caused by the fault of Fulvia, who, according to Plutarch, hoped in this way to tear Antony away from Cleopatra.
At this time, Fulvia died, and Antony married Octavian's sister, Octavia. At the same time in 40 BC. e. Cleopatra in Alexandria gave birth to twins from Antony: a boy, Alexander Helios (“Sun”), and a girl, Cleopatra Selene (“Moon”).
For 3 years until the autumn of 37 BC. e. There is no information about the queen. Upon Anthony's return from Italy, the lovers meet in Antioch in the fall of 37, and from that moment a new stage in their politics and their love begins. Antony's legate Ventidius expelled the Parthians.
Anthony replaces the Parthian proteges with his own vassals or direct Roman rule. Thus, the famous Herod, with his support, becomes king of Judea. Something similar is happening in Galatia, Pontus and Cappadocia. Cleopatra directly benefits from all this, since her rights to Cyprus, which she actually owned, are confirmed, as well as to the cities of the Syrian and Cilician coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the kingdom of Chalkidice in present-day Lebanon.
Thus, Cleopatra managed to partially restore the power of the first Ptolemies.
Cleopatra ordered the new era of her reign to be counted from this moment in documents. She herself took the official title Θεα Νεωτερα Φιλοπατωρ Φιλοπατρις (Thea Neotera Philopator Philopatris), that is, “the younger goddess who loves her father and fatherland.” The title was intended for the annexed Syrians, who already had a queen (senior goddess) of Ptolemaic blood, Cleopatra Thea, in the 2nd century BC. e., the title also indicated, according to historians, the Macedonian roots of Cleopatra, which was a powerful argument for the Greek-Macedonian ruling class of Syria.
Children of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
In 37-36 BC. e. Anthony launched a campaign against the Parthians, which turned out to be a disaster, mainly due to the harsh winter in the mountains of Armenia and Media. Anthony himself barely escaped death.
Cleopatra remained in Alexandria, where in September 36 BC. e. gave birth to a third child from Anthony - Ptolemy Philadelphus. Rome began to view the union of Antony and Cleopatra as a threat to the empire and to Octavian personally. The latter, in the early spring of 35, sent his sister Octavia, Antony's legal wife and the mother of his two daughters - Antonia the Elder (future grandmother of Emperor Nero) and Antonia the Younger (future mother of Germanicus and Emperor Claudius) - so that she would join her husband.
However, as soon as she reached Athens, Antony ordered her to immediately return back. This happened with the participation of Cleopatra, who threatened Anthony with suicide if he accepted his wife.
Anthony wanted to take revenge for his defeat in the war with the Parthians: in 35 BC. e. he captured the king of Armenia Artavazd II, entered into an alliance with another Artavazd - the king of Media Atropatena and celebrated a triumph, but not in Rome, but in Alexandria with the participation of Cleopatra and their common children.
A little later, Caesarion received the title of king of kings. Alexander Helios was proclaimed king of Armenia and the lands beyond the Euphrates, Ptolemy Philadelphus received (nominally, since he was about 2 years old) Syria and Asia Minor, and, finally, Cleopatra Selene II received Cyrenaica.
Not all of the granted territories were under the real control of Anthony. Josephus claims that Cleopatra also demanded Judea from Antony, but was refused.
The news of the distribution of lands caused severe indignation in Rome; Anthony clearly broke with all Roman traditions and began to pretend to be a Hellenistic monarch.
Battle of Actium
Anthony still enjoyed considerable popularity in the Senate and army, but with his antics in the Eastern Hellenistic spirit, which challenged Roman norms and traditional ideas, he himself gave Octavian a weapon against himself.
By 32 BC. e. things came to a civil war. At the same time, Octavian proclaimed it a war of “the Roman people against the Egyptian queen.” The Egyptian woman, who enslaved the Roman commander with her charms, was portrayed as the focus of everything eastern, Hellenistic-royal, alien to Rome and “Roman virtues.”
On the part of Antony and Cleopatra, a fleet of 500 ships was prepared for the war, of which 200 were Egyptian. Antony waged the war sluggishly, indulging in feasts and celebrations together with Cleopatra in all passing Greek cities and giving Octavian time to organize an army and navy.
While Antony was gathering troops to the western coast of Greece, intending to cross to Italy, Octavian himself quickly crossed to Epirus and imposed a war on Antony on its territory.
Cleopatra's stay in Antony's camp, her constant intrigues against everyone in whom she saw her ill-wishers, served Antony a disservice, prompting many of his supporters to defect to the enemy. Characteristic is the story of Antony's ardent supporter Quintus Dellius, who was nevertheless forced to defect to Octavian because he was warned that Cleopatra was going to poison him for a joke that she considered offensive to herself.
The defectors informed Octavian about the contents of Antony's will; it was immediately removed from the Temple of Vesta and published. Anthony officially recognized Cleopatra as his wife, her sons as his legitimate children, and bequeathed to bury himself not in Rome, but in Alexandria next to Cleopatra. Anthony's will completely discredited him.
Octavian, who was not a major military leader, found in the person of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa a competent commander who successfully waged the war. Agrippa managed to drive the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra into the Ambracian Gulf and blocked it. Their troops began to feel the lack of food.
Cleopatra insisted on a sea breakthrough. At the military council, this opinion prevailed.
The result was the naval battle of Actium on September 2, 31 BC. e. When Cleopatra feared that victory was slipping away, she decided to flee with her entire fleet in an attempt to save something else. Anthony ran after her. His defeated fleet surrendered to Octavian, and after that the demoralized land army surrendered without a fight.
Death of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Anthony returned to Egypt and did nothing to continue the fight against Octavian. However, he had no real resources left for this. He wasted his energy in drinking bouts and luxurious festivities, and announced, together with Cleopatra, the creation of the “Union of Suicide Squads,” whose members swore to die together. Their close associates had to enter into this union. Cleopatra tested poisons on prisoners, trying to find out which poison brought a faster and more painless death.
Cleopatra was concerned about saving Caesarion. She sent him to India, but he later returned to Egypt. At one time she herself was considering a plan to escape to India, but when she tried to transport the ships across the Suez Isthmus, they were burned by the Arabs. These plans had to be abandoned.
In the spring of 30 BC. e. Octavian marched on Egypt. Cleopatra tried to protect herself from treason with cruel measures: when the commandant of Pelusius Seleucus surrendered the fortress, she executed his wife and children. By the end of July, Octavian's troops appeared near Alexandria itself. The last units remaining with Anthony, one after another, went over to the winning side.
On August 1 it was all over. Cleopatra, with her trusted maids Irada and Charmion, locked herself in the building of her own tomb. Antony was given false news of her suicide. Anthony threw himself on his sword. Soon, dying, the women pulled him into the tomb, and he died in the arms of Cleopatra, who sobbed over him.
Cleopatra herself, holding a dagger in her hand, demonstrated her readiness for death, but entered into negotiations with Octavian’s envoy, allowing him to enter the tomb building and disarm her. Apparently, Cleopatra still retained a faint hope of seducing Octavian, or at least coming to an agreement with him, and retaining the kingdom. Octavian showed less amenability to women's charms than Caesar and Antony, and the charms of a woman in her thirties and a mother of four children may have weakened somewhat.
The last days of Cleopatra are described in detail by Plutarch from the memoirs of Olympus, her doctor. Octavian allowed Cleopatra to bury her lover; her own fate remained unclear. She said she was sick and made it clear that she would starve herself to death - but Octavian’s threats to deal with the children forced her to accept treatment.
A few days later, Caesar (Octavian) himself visited Cleopatra in order to somehow console her. She lay on the bed, depressed and dejected, and when Caesar appeared at the door, she jumped up in only her tunic and threw herself at his feet. Her hair, which had not been tidied up for a long time, hung in clumps, her face was wild, her voice trembled, her eyes were dull.
Octavian gave Cleopatra encouraging words and left.
Soon, the Roman officer Cornelius Dolabella, who was in love with Cleopatra, informed her that in three days she would be sent to Rome for the triumph of Octavian. Cleopatra ordered him to give him a letter written in advance and locked herself with the maids. Octavian received a letter in which he found complaints and a request to bury her with Antony, and immediately sent people. The messengers found Cleopatra dead, in royal attire, on a golden bed. Since a peasant with a pot of figs had previously approached Cleopatra without arousing suspicion among the guards, it was decided that a snake had been brought to Cleopatra in the pot.
It was claimed that two light bites were barely visible on Cleopatra’s hand. The snake itself was not found in the room, as if it had immediately crawled out of the palace.
According to another version, Cleopatra kept poison in a hollow head pin. This version is supported by the fact that both of Cleopatra's maids died with her. It is doubtful that one snake would kill three people at once. According to Dio Cassius, Octavian tried to revive Cleopatra with the help of the Psylli, an exotic tribe that knew how to suck out poison without harming itself.
The death of Cleopatra on August 12, 30, deprived Octavian of a brilliant captive at his triumph in Rome. In the triumphal procession they carried only her statue.
Caesar's adopted son Octavian executed Caesar's own son from Cleopatra, Ptolemy XV Caesarion, in the same year. Antony's children walked in chains at the triumphant parade, then were raised by Octavian's sister Octavia, Antony's wife, "in memory of her husband."
Subsequently, Cleopatra's daughter Cleopatra Selene II was married to the Moorish king Juba II, which is why the bust of Cleopatra from Cherchell appeared.
The fate of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus remained unknown. It is assumed that they died early.
Egypt became one of the Roman provinces.
Cleopatra's appearance
The true appearance of Cleopatra is not easy to discern due to the romantic flair surrounding her and numerous films; but there is no doubt that she had a sufficiently courageous and strong character to bother the Romans.
There are no reliable images that accurately, without idealization, would convey her physical appearance.
A damaged bust from Cherchell in Algiers (ancient city of Caesarea Mauritanian), created after the death of Cleopatra on the occasion of the marriage of Cleopatra Selene II, her daughter by Mark Antony, with the king of Mauretania Juba II, conveys the appearance of Cleopatra in her last years. Although this bust is sometimes attributed to Cleopatra Selene II, daughter of Cleopatra VII.
Cleopatra VII is credited with Hellenistic busts depicting young, attractive women with typically Greek faces, but the subjects of the bust are not clearly identified.
It is believed that busts depicting Cleopatra VII are kept in the Berlin Museum and the Vatican Museum, but the classical appearance makes one suspect that the image is idealized.
The profiles on the coins show a woman with wavy hair, large eyes, a prominent chin, and a hooked nose (hereditary Ptolemaic traits).
On the other hand, it is known that Cleopatra was distinguished by powerful charm and attractiveness, she used this well for seduction and, in addition, had a charming voice and a brilliant, sharp mind. As he writes, who saw portraits of Cleopatra: “For the beauty of this woman was not what is called incomparable and amazes at first sight, but her manner was distinguished by irresistible charm, and therefore her appearance, combined with the rare persuasiveness of her speeches, with the enormous charm that shone through in everyone word, in every movement, firmly embedded in the soul. The very sounds of her voice caressed and delighted the ear, and her tongue was like a multi-stringed instrument, easily tuned to any mood, to any dialect."
While the Greeks generally neglected the education of daughters, even in royal families, Cleopatra clearly had a good education, which, when combined with her natural intelligence, produced excellent results.
Cleopatra became a true polyglot queen, speaking, in addition to her native Greek, Egyptian (the first of her dynasty made efforts to master it, perhaps only with the exception of Ptolemy VIII Physcon), Aramaic, Ethiopian, Persian, Hebrew and the language of the Berbers (the people who lived in southern Libya).
Her linguistic abilities did not bypass Latin, although enlightened Romans, such as Caesar, themselves were fluent in Greek.
Name Cleopatra - symbols, hieroglyphic spelling, transliteration
Cleopatra in the movies:
♦ Cleopatra (Cléopâtre, France, 1899) - silent black and white film, directed by Georges Méliès, in the role of Cleopatra, Jeanne D'Alcy;
♦ Cleopatra (Cléopâtre, France, 1910) - silent black and white film based on William Shakespeare’s play “Antony and Cleopatra”, directors: Henry Andreani and Ferdinand Zecca, in the role of Cleopatra Madeleine Roche;
♦ Cleopatra (Cleopatra, USA, 1912) - silent black and white film, directed by Charles L. Gaskill, starring Helen Gardner as Cleopatra;
♦ Cleopatra (Cleopatra, USA, 1917) - silent black and white film, directed by J. Gordon Edwards, starring Ted Bahr as Cleopatra, the film is considered lost;
♦ Cleopatra (film, 1934) - Oscar nominee, in the role of Claudette Colbert;
♦ Caesar and Cleopatra (film, 1945) - in the role of ;
♦ Antony and Cleopatra (film, 1951) - in the role of Pauline Letts;
♦ Two Nights with Cleopatra (film) (1953) - in the role of ;
♦ Cleopatra (film, 1963) - Oscar nominee, in the role of Cleopatra Elizabeth Taylor;
♦ I, Cleopatra and Antony (film) (1966) - in the role of Stavras Paravas;
♦ Cleopatra's Legions (1959) - as Linda Crystal;
♦ Asterix and Cleopatra (cartoon, 1968) - voiced Cleopatra by Micheline Dax;
♦ Antony and Cleopatra (film, 1974) - in the role of Janet Sazman;
♦ Caesar and Cleopatra (1979) - in the role of ;
♦ Crazy Nights of Cleopatra (film) (1996) - as Marcella Petrelli;
♦ Cleopatra (film, 1999) - in the role of Leonor Varela;
♦ Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (film, 2002) - played the role of Cleopatra;
♦ Julius Caesar (film, 2002) - the role of Cleopatra was performed by Samuela Sardo;
♦ Roman Empire. August (film) (2003) - as Anna Valle;
♦ Rome (2005-2007) - HBO/BBC television drama, in the role of Cleopatra Lindsay Marshall
Cleopatra in art:
Poems “Cleopatra” (Pushkin, Bryusov, Blok, Akhmatova);
Alexander Pushkin “Egyptian Nights”;
William Shakespeare "Antony and Cleopatra";
Bernard Shaw "Caesar and Cleopatra";
Georg Ebers "Cleopatra";
Henry Rider Haggard "Cleopatra"
Margaret George's The Cleopatra Diaries (1997);
Davtyan Larisa. "Cleopatra" (poetic cycle);
A. Vladimirov “Cleopatra’s Rule” (musical drama);
Maria Hadley. "Queen of Queens";
N. Pavlishcheva. "Cleopatra";
Théophile Gautier "The Night Given by Cleopatra"
