Cleopatra(69- 30 BC) Queen of ancient Egypt, belonging to the Ptolemaic dynasty and de facto ruler of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC. Cleopatra revived the Ptolemaic powers through diplomatic skills, in addition to her using her personality to make alliances with Roman rulers, and to have Egyptian competitors murdered. Her fame is connected to a turbulent life of love affairs with the most influential men of her time. Her actual achievements had only importance for a short period of time - with the revival of Ptolemaic powers - but nothing proved to last. Her life story has inspired playwrights, and movie makers, making her the most famous personality of ancient Egypt. BIOGRAPHY: 69 BC: Born, as the daughter of Ptolemy XI. 51 BC: Cleopatra is made joint ruler with her 12 year old brother Ptolemy XII, as the two marry. 48 BC: Ptolemy takes full control over Egypt, driving Cleopatra into exile in Syria. Civil war break out between Cleopatra and her brother. 47 BC: Ptolemy is killed by drowning by the Roman general, Julius Caesar. - Cleopatra is proclaimed queen of Egypt. She marries her 11 year old brother, Ptolemy XIV, which is the only legitimate way she can be in power, but she chooses to become the mistress of Julius Caesar, with whom she travels to Rome to live. The couple has the son Caesarion together, and later Cleopatra gives birth to Ptolemy XIV, who, according to the mother, also was the son of Julius Caesar. 44 BC: Julius Caesar is killed and Cleopatra returns to Egypt. - After Cleopatra has had Ptolemy XIII murdered by poison, she is the real ruler, as the nominal ruler is her infant son, Ptolemy XIV. 41 BC: Cleopatra forms an alliance with the Roman general Mark Anthony, based upon a romantic relationship. 40 BC: Mark Anthony is called back to Rome, where he marries Octavia, the sister of the Roman consul Octavian. Soon after Cleopatra gives birth to twins. 36 BC: Cleopatra marries Mark Anthony in Antioch and later a third child of the two is born. The couple plan to establish a vast kingdom, of which the sons of Caesar and Mark Anthony with Cleopatra are to be the inheritors. 34 BC: After Mark Anthony has successfully met the Parthians in war, he returns to Alexandria with Cleopatra, where they announces that the old kingdom of Alexander the Great is to belong to the descendants of Cleopatra. 32 BC: Octavian, the original inheritor of Julius Caesar, declares war against Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. Mark Anthony divorces Octavia. 31 BC: At the battle at Actium, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony are defeated by Octavian. Octavian hunts them down, back to Egypt. 30 BC: In Alexandria, when Mark Anthony and Cleopatra are divided, he is surrounded by the troops of Octavian and when he hears the rumour that Cleopatra has committed suicide, he kills himself by falling on the sword. - Cleopatra surrenders to Octavian and tries to make him her lover. As this doesn't prove successful, she poisons herself, or has herself bitten by a snake and dies. Her sons, Caesarion and Ptolemy XIV, are then murdered and the Ptolemaic dynasty has come to the final end. |
