Figure 1.--This is the back wall of the Temple of Denderah. It depicts Cleopatra and her son, Cesarion. Source: Alex Lbh.

Egypt was a kind of Roman protectorate since the reign of Ptoloney IV. This continued for two centuries until Julius Ceasar met a very young Cleopatra. Just as Ceasar is one of the most important historical figures, Cleopatra is one of the best known female historical figure. She is a remarkable figure. Unlike the popular image--influenced both by Augustus' propaganda and Shakespeare's play, she was apparently not a great beauty. Despite this she seems to have beguiled two of the most powerful men of the age--Julius Ceasar and Mark Anthony. Just how she did this we do not know. Some authors insist that it was her education and wit. That of course would be unusual for the time, but it seems to have been the case. Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom following Egyptian custom she married. Ptolemy XIV was her 10-year old younger brother. This created an unstable situation because the female partner was susposed to defer to the male partner. The courtiers around her little brother deposed her (48 BC). At the time Rome was involved in a civil war and Ceasar had just defeated Pompey. The defeated Pompey sought refuge in Egypt hoping to build a new army. The Egyptians hoping to ingratiate themselves with the victorious Ceasar, executed Pompey. Ceasar who admired Pompey was reportedly furious when he arrived in Alexandria. The courtiers around her brother had badly miscalculated how to deal with the Romans. Cleopatra was much more clever. In a gamble that could have meant death at the court's hand, she sneaked back into Alexandria and somehow managed to convince Ceasar to back her reign. She and Ceasar became not only lovers, but allies. Cleopatra's major goal was to be an independent ally, not a vassal of Rome. [Schiff] Once connected with Ceasar, they seemed to have sought or at least considered the possibility of creating a dual monarchy, although Rome was still officially a republic. In fact, no one knows what they were planning. The birth of their son, Cesarion, created the possibility for a combined monarchy. Ceasar's assasination abruptly ended this. Cleopatra needed a new ally and Mark Anthony as Ceasar's most important general seemed his heir apparent. Ceasar legal heir was his grahnd-nephew Octavian. A new civil war emerged. Octavian was not a military man, but managed to outwit Anthony. We know little about Cleopatra's relationship with Anthony before Ceasar's asasination. She fled Rome immediately because as a foreigner she was so unpopular, taking Ceasar's son Cesarion with her. Her alliance with Anthony came later when they met at Tarsus (41 BC). She needed him and could offer support in the civil war. She again attempted to establish independence by supporting Anthony in the Roman civil war with Octavian (Augustus). Octavian defeated Cleopatra and Anthony at Actium--one of the great sea battles of history (31 BC). Cleopatra and Anthony fled to Egypt where both committed suicide (30 BC). Octavian had Ceasrion, still a boy, put to death. A live Cesarion as a son of Cesar would have been a threat to Octavian and Rome. Clepatra died the last Ptolemies. And as emperor. Octavian who became Augustus saw to it that Cleopatra was turned into a villainess.

Roman Egypt

Alexander conqured Egypt early in his remarable career (331 BC), After his death, Egypt became the reward of one of his generals. Ptolemy I Soter declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt (305 BC). With the rise of Rome, Egypt became a kind of Roman protectorate since the reign of Ptolemy IV (mid-2nd century BC). Egypt was important to Rome, orimarily as a source of grain from the Nile's bounty. And the Ptolomies that ruled Egyot were not a native Egyptian dynasty, but a Greco-Macedonian line. This continued for two centuries relatively unevenfully until Julius Ceasar met a very young Cleopatra. Egypt was rich because of its grain harvests, but militarily weak.

Legendary Figure

Countless historuical figues of imense importance are unknown to the general public. Very few people including children have not heard of Cleopatra. Eben thouse who can not name aharoah know about Cleopatra. Shwas imprtalized by Shakespeare and modern movie makers. The depictions are not always flatering, but the number of authors who have addresse Cleopatra are difficult to number. Just as Ceasar is one of the most important historica figures, Cleopatra is one of the best known female historical figure. Probbly the reason that Clepatra is just an enduring figure is the fact that she was able to use sex to gain politicl and military support from two of the most powerful Romans. [Tyldesley] She is a remarkable figure. Unlike the popular image--influenced both by Augustus' propaganda and Shakespeare's play, she was apparently not a great beauty. Despite this she seems to have beguiled two of the most powerful men of the age--Julius Ceasar and Mark Anthony. Just how she did this we do not know. Some authors insist that it was her education and wit. That of course would be unusual for the time, but it seems to have been the case.

Young Cleopatra

Cleopatra was clearly a remarkable person of considerable intellignce and calculation. She was the first Ptolemy to learn the Egyptian language. The fact that she accomplished this a a teenager speaks volumes of her political insight, She presented herself as the the icarnatiion of the Egyptian god Isis. Cleopatra wanted to rule Egypt. The oroblem ws that she was a girl, and there were few women pharoahs in the Egyptain tradition, And Egypt while rich could not stand up to the military might.

Co-ruler

Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom following Egyptian custom she married. Ptolemy XIV was her 10-year old younger brother.

Deposed

After the death of their father, the joint-reign with her brother deteriorated. Their father's death created an unstable situation because uin Egyptian tradition, the female partner was susposed to defer to the male partner. The courtiers around her little brother deposed her (48 BC). At the same time, for extirely different reasions, Egypt becme the fiocus of two great Romans, Pompey and Ceasar.

Pompey

Pompey made peace with his rival Marcus Licinius Crassus and his ally Julius Caesar in the unofficial military-political alliance which became known as the First Triumvirate. The first triumvirate was cenmented by the marriage between Caesar's daughter Julia and Pompey. With the death of Crassus and the desintegrtion of the Triumperate, Rome descened into civil war. Ceasar defeated Pompey. The defeated Pompey sought refuge in Egypt, hoping to raise a new army. The Egyptians for their part wanted no part in Roman civil war and hoped to ingratiate themselves with the victorious Ceasar, executed Pompey (48 BC). Ceasar who admired Pompey was reportedly furious when he arrived in Alexandria. The courtiers around Cleopatra's brother had badly miscalculated how to deal with the Romans.

Ceasar and Cleopatra

Cleopatra herself was much more clever. In a gamble that could have meant death at the court's hand, she sneaked back into Alexandria and somehow managed to convince Ceasar to back her reign. She and Ceasar became not only lovers, but allies. Cleopatra's major goal was seize trhe Egyptian throne abnd majke Egypt and independent ally, not a vassal of Rome. [Schiff] Once connected with Ceasar, they seemed to have sought or at least considered the possibility of creating a dual monarchy, although Rome was still officially a republic. In fact, no one knows what they were planning. The birth of their son, Cesarion, created the possibility for a combined monarchy. Ceasar's assasination abruptly ended this.

Mark Anthony

Cleopatra needed a new ally and Mark Anthony as Ceasar's most important general seemed his heir apparent. Ceasar legal heir was his grahnd-nephew Octavian. A new civil war emerged. Octavian was not a military man, but managed to outwit Anthony. We know little about Cleopatra's relationship with Anthony before Ceasar's asasination. She fled Rome immediately because as a foreigner she was so unpopular, taking Ceasar's son Cesarion with her. Her alliance with Anthony came later when they met at Tarsus (41 BC). She needed him and could offer support in the civil war. She again attempted to establish independence by supporting Anthony in the Roman civil war with Octavian (Augustus). Octavian defeated Cleopatra and Anthony at Actium--one of the great sea battles of history (31 BC). Cleopatra and Anthony fled to Egypt where both committed suicide (30 BC). Octavian had Ceasrion, still a boy, put to death. A live Cesarion as a son of Ceasar would have been a threat to Octavian and his control of Rome. Clepatra died the last Ptolemies. And as emperor. Octavian who became Augustus saw to it that Cleopatra was turned into a villainess who had enchanted the great Ceaser.

Sources

Schiff, Stacy. Cleopatra: A Life (Little, Brown, 2010), 368p.

Tyldesley, Joyce. Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt