Cleopatra

In 51 B.C., King Ptolemy Auletes had died. In his will he left his kingdom to his daughter Cleopatra VII who was about seventeen at the time, and his son Ptolemy XIII to be king and queen over Egypt. After Ptolemy Auletes died, a Roman leader was left in charge with Ptolemy's children. Egyptian law forced Cleopatra to have a consort with one of her brothers or a son while she was ruling so Cleopatra then married her twelve year old brother Ptolemy XIII. Soon after that, Cleopatra dropped Ptolemy XIII's name from all of the documents. She ignored Ptolemy's name and had her face and name put on coins. Cleopatra dreamed of a greater world empire and was a strong queen who was very brilliant. Around 48 B.C. a Roman man named Julius Caeser arrived in Alexandria, Egypt. If any deals were going to be made, Cleopatra had no intentions of being left out. Cleopatra had herself smuggled through enemy lines in a roll of carpet and was delivered to Caeser. Ptolemy XIII soon realized that Cleopatra and Caeser were becoming lovers. Egyptologists beleived that Caeser planned to make Cleopatra the sole ruler of Alexandria. Caeser thought he could control Cleopatra for Rome. Later on in Egypt, Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile while he was trying to flee. Cleopatra was then the sole ruler of Egypt. Since that happened, Cleopatra was to marry her younger brother Ptolemy XIV, who was then eleven years old. Caeser and Cleopatra gave birth to their son, Caesarion(also known as Ptolemy Caeser) on June 23, 47 B.C. Caeser's claim that Caesarion was his son upset many Romans. Romans were very upset that Caeser was planning to marry Cleopatra because of the laws against bigamy and marriages to foreigners. Caeser was killed by his Senators in a conspiracy in March of 44 B.C. Cleopatra returned to Alexandria after she had fled Rome because of Caeser's death. When Cleopatra returned to Alexandria, she had Ptolemy XIV assassinated and made Caeserion her co-regent at the age of four. In 41 B.C., Mark Antony invited Cleopatra to Tarsus, and they spent the winters of 41 and 40 B.C. in Alexandria even though he was married to Octavia at the time. Mark Antony left Cleopatra in 40 B.C. and returned after four years. Later on, Cleopatra gave birth to a boy and a girl who were twins. By Mark Antony, the twins were officially recognized and were named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. Cleopatra and Mark Antony had another child(the third one) in 36 B.C. after Mark Antony was defeated. Around the years of 32 and 31 B.C., Mark Antony and Octavia finally got a divorce. Mark Antony then had Cleopatra's name and face put on a Roman coin called the silver denarii. Since this had happened Octavia declared war against Cleopatra. Half- heartedly, Mark Antony defended Alexandria against the army of Octavia. Falling on his own sword, Mark Antony commited suicide after the defeat with the army of Octavia. Cleopatra was taken to Ocxtavian where she was told that she would be displayed as a slave in the cities that Cleopatra ruled over. Cleopatra did not want to live this way. So in a basket, she had an asp(Egyptian cobra) snuck in to her. Cleopatra then died from the asp's bite on August 12, 30 B.C. when she was only 39 years old. Religion in Egypt said that death by a snakebite would secure immortality. After her death, Caeserion was strangled and the twins and the third child were raised by Mark Antony's former wife Octavia. Cleopatra's death marked the end of the Egyptian Monarchs, and the Roman Emperors came in to rule.