Cleopatra VII: The Last Great Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

Q: Why is Cleopatra VII so famous?

Cleopatra VII is famous as the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt, but also through the works of ancient Roman writers who documented her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She was primarily defined by these relationships for centuries but is now recognized as a powerful and effective monarch in her own right.

Q: Was Cleopatra VII Egyptian or Greek?

Cleopatra VII was ethnically Macedonian, of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, but was culturally Egyptian, having fully embraced Egyptian customs and religion.

Q: Was Cleopatra VII really the most beautiful woman in the world?

Ancient writers, including Plutarch, do not mention her as exceptionally beautiful but praise her for being intelligent, witty, clever, a good conversationalist, and good company.

Q: How did Cleopatra VII die?

Cleopatra VII died by suicide after she and Mark Antony were defeated by Octavian Caesar. She poisoned herself by a snake, possibly an Egyptian cobra.

Joshua J. Mark

Definition

Cleopatra VII (69-30 BCE, reign 51-30 BCE) was the last ruler of Egypt before it was annexed as a province of Rome. Arguably the most famous Egyptian queen, Cleopatra was ethnically Greek as a member of the Macedonian Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE), which ruled Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE), but she was culturally Egyptian and presented herself as an Egyptian queen.

More about: Cleopatra VII

Timeline

c. 69 BCE - 12 Aug 30 BCE
Life of Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
c. 51 BCE - c. 30 BCE
300 Celts serve as elite bodyguards for Cleopatra VII during her reign.
51 BCE
Death of Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy XII Auletes.
51 BCE
Cleopatra accepts her brother Ptolemy XIII as co-ruler.
49 BCE
Sole rule of Ptolemy XIII, recognized by both Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator, and his opponent, Pompey the Great.
48 BCE
Cleopatra tries to return, but her army is defeated near Pelusium.
48 BCE
Caesar defeats Pompey (Battle of Pharsalus); Pompey flees to Egypt and is killed by courtiers of Ptolemy XIII.
48 BCE
Caesar arrives in Egypt and orders Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra VII to disband their armies, but instead, war breaks out.
47 BCE
Cleopatra VII is sole ruler of Egypt; she presents herself as the goddess Isis.
Jan 47 BCE
Ptolemy XIII drowns in the Nile fleeing Caesar.
23 Jun 47 BCE
Birth of Cleopatra's son, named Caesarion; Caesar is said to be the father.
46 BCE
Ptolemy XIV is recognized as Cleopatra's co-ruler again; the two are in Rome.
15 Mar 44 BCE
Julius Caesar is killed; Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIV return to Egypt, where Ptolemy is soon killed and Caesarion recognized as king; first of a series of bad harvests.
43 BCE
Cleopatra gains control of Cyprus; she supports the faction of Caesar, led by the Second Triumvirate (Marc Antony, Octavian, Lepidus), in its war against the assassins, led by Brutus and Cassius.
41 BCE
Cleopatra and Mark Antony meet at Tarsus.
41 BCE - 31 BCE
Mark Antony of Rome allied with Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
41 BCE
Cleopatra meets Mark Antony in Tarsus. The Roman needs the Egyptian queen in his war against the Parthian Empire, and returns the rule of old Ptolemaic territories to her.
38 BCE
Parts of Cilicia and Chalcis are given to Cleopatra; later, she is allowed to govern, as vassal, parts of Phoenicia, Judaea (cordial relations with king Herod), Cyrenaica, and Crete.
36 BCE
Mark Antony gives Crete as a gift to Cleopatra.
34 BCE
The Donations of Alexandria, an elaborate coronation ceremony in which Caesarion and Alexander Helios were named King of Kings and their mother Cleopatra VII was named Queen of Kings, took place in the Egyptian capital.
31 BCE
Mark Antony and Cleopatra move to Greece, where they are isolated by Octavian's admiral Agrippa; although they are able to win a tactical victory and break out of their isolated position at Actium, the campaign is a distaster and Octavian is able to achieve control of the east.
31 BCE
Cleopatra flees to Alexandria and opens negotiations with Octavian; her purpose is to save her children and keep the Ptolemaic kingdom intact.
2 Sep 31 BCE
The Battle of Actium. Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
1 Aug 30 BCE
After Octavian has declined to negotiate, Cleopatra reportedly commits suicide; Mark Antony stabs himself, only later finding Cleopatra still lives, and dies.