Cortez 1 Cortez, Ashley Professor Gifford English 114 B 8:00 AM 2 May 2014 Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt She

is known to many as being an exotic, Egyptian beauty, but others say she is not just a pretty face. She is more clever than most suspect, using her powers of seduction to get powerful Roman generals to help her protect her title. Who was this incredible ruler? Cleopatra VII, or just Cleopatra, was a princess of Egypt until her father died in 51 BC. She became queen at the age of 18 years old, ruling alongside her brother, Ptolemy XIII, 10 years old at the time. Cleopatra VII was a successful ruler of Egypt due to the fact that she seduced powerful Roman generals, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, to help her stay in power during 51 BC 30 BC, leaving her to be a historical figure in both gender and politics. The history of Cleopatra life is hard to piece together with certainty but most sources agree that she was born in 69 BC, however the exact date is unknown. Daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra VII Philopator, Cleopatra took the thrown, after her father died of natural causes, along with her brother whom she married to keep with Egyptian tradition. Cleopatra learned her political ways watching her father buy support of influential Romans. She ruled with her brother for two years then Ptolemys advisers spoke against Cleopatra, forcing her to flee to Syria in 49 BC. After about a year, Cleopatra raised an army against her brother to reclaim her title, however it was with the help of the Roman general Julius Caesar that put her back in charge.

Cortez 2 Julius Caesar, born in 100 BC, arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, accidently after seeking out a Roman general Pompey. Caesar was in a civil war, the Battle of Pharalus, against Pompey who fled to Egypt to get help from Ptolemy XIII, however, Ptolemy wanted nothing to do with him. Ptolemy then had Pompey executed, which dissatisfied Caesar. Caesar stayed in Egypt to help settle the dispute between Cleopatra and her brother. Owen Jarus, Live Science Contributor, wrote the reason why Caesar wanted to help was because Rome depended on Egypt for its grain supplies and a stable Egypt was seen by Caesar as being in Romes interest. Caesar did want to play a part in the battle the was going on between the siblings but at this point he hadnt chosen which side to be on, that is, not until Cleopatra got a hold of him. The Encyclopedia of World Biography argues that, Cleopatra made preparations to return by force, but when Caesar arrived in Alexandria after the Battle of Pharalus, she saw the opportunity to use him. She knew that having Caesar on her side was strategic move and she used her charming ways to get him. Cleopatra needed to arrange a way to meet with Caesar so she could pled her case to him. According to Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students, She had herself rolled in a carpet and delivered as a gift to the powerful Roman general Julius Caesar. It is obvious that Cleopatra was determined to get Caesars assistance and she did go through great lengths to get it. Caesar, won over by Cleopatras charisma, agreed to help her and with Roman support, he finally defeated Ptolemy after four months of war. Ptolemy XIII died in battle against Caesar and Cleopatra returned to power, although now she ruled with her younger brother Ptolemy XIV. It was then that Caesar and Cleopatra began their love affair. Caesar stayed in Egypt with Cleopatra for some time and in 47 BC she bore a son, Ptolemy Caesar, although people knew him as Caesarion. The people of Egypt believed this was Caesars son, however, he never acknowledged the baby as his own. In that same year Cleopatra

Cortez 3 followed Caesar to Rome with the child and they lived in the palace that Caesar had built for them. Caesar spent little time with Cleopatra and her presence in Rome was not welcome. The people of Rome felt that the relationship that had flourished between Cleopatra and Caesar was a betrayal. In 44 BC Caesar was assassinated, and in his will he left everything to his adopted son, Octavian. This news devastated Cleopatra and she took her son and fled back to Egypt. Not long after Cleopatras return, Ptolemy XIV mysteriously died. Not many questioned his death to a great extent but some say Cleopatra had her brother murdered intentionally. With Ptolemy XIVs death, Cleopatra made Caesarion co-regent. History.com claims, With her infant son as co-regent, Cleopatras hold on power in Egypt was more secure than it had ever been. The reason why this is true is because Caesarion was three years old at the time. This made it extremely unlikely for him to turn on his mother and cause a power struggle. The real power struggle that had erupted was in Rome. With Caesars death, three of Caesars allies; Mark Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus, and his assassins, Brutus and Cassius, began the Battle of Philippi to see who would take over. Both sides asked for Egyptian support and Cleopatra, after extending the request as much as possible, favored the triumvirate, however the battle ended before they were able to offer their assistance. Brutus and Cassius were defeated leaving Mark Antony and Octavian to divide power in between themselves. It is unknown of what happened to Lepidus but it can be assumed he died in battle, although this is not confirmed. The two champions agreed that Octavian would take the western empire and Antony would take the east. Antony had summoned Cleopatra to the Cicilian city of Tarsos so she could explain the role she played in the Battle of Philippi. Antony accused her of siding with Brutus and Cassius but Cleopatra quickly cleared her name. She also convinced Antony to murder three people she

Cortez 4 said were a threat. Cleopatra also considered them a threat to her thrown though she left that part out to Antony. Michel Chauveau, author of Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra, says This encounter in Tarsos, which had been intended to humiliate Cleopatra, instead provided her an opportunity to display her uncommon talent for diplomatic persuasion and it decisively settled the future of Egypt. Cleopatra saw that she could get what she wanted from Antony, Matching her preparations to the man whose weaknesses she knew, she dazzled Antony and bent him to her will, insists the Encyclopedia of World Biography. With this, Cleopatra saw another protector for her title and from this point she knew she had another powerful Roman general she could seduce to get her way. Cleopatra had returned to Egypt once again and sure enough, Antony followed soon after. Her left behind his third wife, Fulvia, and their children. Cleopatra and Antony stayed together in Alexandria in 41 40 BC. In the spring of 40 BC, he returned to Rome when news came that his wife became ill and died. Also around that time, Cleopatra had given birth to twin, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. Meanwhile, disputes began to erupt Antony and Octavian. Octavian felt Antony had to prove his loyalty to him by having Antony marry his sister, Octavia. Octavian ordered Octavia to retreat to Italy due to the fact that she was pregnant. This left Antony to plan a war against Octavian that would change his and Cleopatras fate. Antony was away from Cleopatra for three years. He was preparing for war against the kingdom of Parthia. He met with Cleopatra in 37 BC to obtain funding for the way and promised her in return that he would restore parts of the eastern empire to Egypt. She agreed and they had another love affair. In 36 BC, Cleopatra bore Antony a third child, Ptolemy Philaderphos. After Antony was victorious in his battle at Parthia and a big celebration took place in 34 BC. Octavia

Cortez 5 was hoping to celebrate with her husband but instead Antony went to Egypt to be with Cleopatra. Antony declared Cleopatra and Caesarion joint rules and he granted them, as well as his children, a piece of land he one. Octavian was outraged by this. History.com claims, This began a war of propaganda between [Antony] and the furious Octavian, who claimed that Antony was entirely under Cleopatras control and would abandon Rome and find a new capital in Egypt. Octavian was completely right, Cleopatra got more power because know her and her children ruled over more territory. Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students add, She hoped [Antony] would make her children his heirs and Romes future rulers. This proves that even when she would eventually die, she still wanted a part of her to live on and rule. In 32 BC, the Battle of Actium began and in 31 BC, Cleopatra and Antony were defeated. The Encyclopedia of World Biography states, After Actium, Cleopatra tried to negotiate with Octavian for the recognition of her children as her successors in Egypt. Octavian was quick to comply, but in return he wanted Antony dead. Cleopatra declined, then she returned to Egypt. Antony followed after her. When he arrived in Egypt he heard false rumors of Cleopatras death. Devastated by the news he killed himself just as the information was coming that she was in fact alive. In 30 BC, Antony was buried. After the burial of Antony, Cleopatra locked herself in her chamber with two servants. It was there that she committed suicide. How she killed herself is not known. It is assume however that she let and Egyptian cobra bite her. Cleopatra was buried with Antony. After all these years Cleopatra is still being discussed and studied.

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Cortez 7 Work Cited Chauveau, Michel. Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and Society under the Ptolemies. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 2000. Print. Cleopatra. Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 Detroit: Gale, 2004. 105-06. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. Cleopatra (c.69 BC 30 BC). BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. History.com Staff. Cleopatra. History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. Jarus, Owen. Cleopatra: Facts & Biography. LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 13 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. Middleton, John, ed. Cleopatra. Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 2002. 147-48. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. Wright, Neil. Cleopatras World: Almost 2,188 Years Ago, a Baby Girl Was Born in the City of Alexandria in Egypt. Daughter of the Pharaoh, or King, of Egypt, She Was a Princess at Birth. Her Name Means Fathers Glory. Cleopatra Eventually Became the Pharaoh Herself and One of the Most Famous Women in History. General OneFile. Appleseeds, Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.