Caesar openly claimed their son and declared he would marry Cleopatra despite laws against bigamy and foreign marriage. Upon his orders, a gold-plated statue depicting Cleopatra was placed in the temple of Venus Genetrix.
Caesar continued to conquer his rivals with Cleopatra by his side. He had politically placed himself as dictator of Rome.
On March 15, 44, a conspiracy formed by Roman senators resulted in the assassination of Julius Caesar outside of the Senate Building in Rome. They feared that Caesar was planning to take over the Republic by declaring himself a god.
Cleopatra and her son were not named in Caesar’s will. A month after his death, her family returned to Egypt. Upon arriving, her brother Ptolemy XIV died of poisoning. Cleopatra was now the sole ruler of Egypt.
She waited and watched Rome closely for indications of who would be the next powerful leader.
Becoming Aphrodite
By successfully defeating Caesar’s enemies, the Roman Mark Antony became a powerful leader in Rome. In 41 BC, Antony invited Cleopatra to Tarsus to discuss her aid in his campaign against the Parthian Empire. Through her years of careful planning, Cleopatra knew that Antony was a different man the Caesar.
Instead of arriving rolled in a rug asking for help, she arrived in splendid glory. Although Egypt was now on the brink of bankruptcy, Cleopatra arrived in Tarsus on a ship outfitted with silver oars. Purple sails announced the arrival on not only a queen, but a goddess. Dressed as Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she captured the attention of the womanizing Mark Antony.
He was so charmed by her that he abandoned his plans and left with her for Alexandria. At her request, he ordered the execution of her younger sister in Rome, Arsenoe.
Within a year, Cleopatra gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl. Mark Antony had returned to Rome and did not see Cleopatra for four years. When he finally returned to Egypt, he reunited Cleopatra and his children. He officially recognized them as his children and named them Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene.
Despite already being married, Mark Antony married Cleopatra in Antioch in 37 BC. Antony’s Roman wife, Octavia remained loyal to him, but her brother, Octavian, was outraged.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Cleopatra’s love story with Mark Antony benefited both in many ways. Mark Antony gifted Cyprus, Phoenicia, the Sicilian coast, Coele-Syria, Arabia and Judea. This gift allowed Egypt to build ships from Sicilian lumber. Egypt build a large and impressive fleet. Many Romans began to turn their back on Antony.
Antony planned a Roman campaign against the Parthians using Egypt’s support. In 36 BC, he was defeated by the Parthians and returned to Alexandria. Cleopatra then gave birth to their son, Ptolemy Philadelphos.
In 34 BC, Antony led a successful campaign into Armenia. He gifted the conquered country to his oldest son, Alexander Helios. To celebrate, Cleopatra led a parade though Alexandria. Dressed as the New Isis, she presented Antony as the New Dionysus.
The celebrations culminated in a political ceremony to give royal titles to the family. With Anthony’s guidance, Caesarion was named Ptolemy XV and made co-regent with his mother. Cleopatra was named the Queen of Kings. The remaining children all received titles and kingdoms of their own.
@ Mark Antony and Cleopatra, painting by Lawrence Alma-Tadema
By 34 BC, Antony had formally divorced his Roman wife, Octavia. He placed Cleopatra’s name and face on the silver denarii, official Roman currency. These actions angered many Romans and built a following for Octavian.
Octavian took Mark Antony’s will from the Vestal Virgins temple and published the contents. Antony’s will contained provisions to turn the Roman Empire over the Cleopatra. It would also move the capital from Rome to Alexandria.
Octavian, with the backing of Rome, officially declared war against Cleopatra.
Naval Defeat
In 31 BC, Octavian’s naval forces attacked Antony and Cleopatra’s navy at Actium. Cleopatra became afraid of being captured and removed her ships from the battle. Mark Antony’s forces were not strong enough on their own and were defeated. His army surrendered, although he retreated to Alexandria and avoided capture. After receiving false word of his wife’s death, he killed himself with his sword.
Death by Snakebite
Cleopatra was ordered to appear before Octavian. He explained to her that her days as a Queen were over. She would be taken through the cities she had ruled in shame as a slave.
Egyptian religion provided her an escape. Death by snakebite would provide her with immortality.
On August 12, 30 BC, she had an asp brought to her hidden inside a basket of figs. Holding it to her breast, she ensured that she would be remembered as a Queen and not a slave. She was only 39 years old. She was buried with Mark Antony.
The End of Egyptian Rule
The death of Cleopatra ended centuries of Egyptian pharaohs. The Roman Emperors took overcontrol of Egypt. Octavian was named Caesar Augustus. While some historians note that Cleopatra was succeeded by her son Caesarion as the last pharaoh, he never actually ruled. He was strangled to death. The children of Antony and Cleopatra were raised by Antony’s ex-wife, Octavia.
Discover more about The Fall of Ancient Egypt
While many images of Cleopatra limit her to a sex object, historians note that Cleopatra was a highly intelligent leader. Her accomplishments held together the Egyptian Empire during its decline.
