The History of Rome All the News Romans Need to Know 11/9 Rome THE LIFE OF THE LAST QUEEN IN EGYPT By Haoran Hu

Cleopatra VII was the protagonist in the politics and was the reason for wars that marked the end of the Roman Republic and an independent Egypt. She was born in 69 B.C. and ruled Egypt from 51 B.C. to 30 B.C. for 21 years, and there are plenty of complexities during her whole life. In her early control in Egypt, she quarreled with the general Archillas, had him murdered, and assumed control over the army. Also, she used Julius Caesar and Mark Antony to solidify her rule and extend her empire. It is said that Cleopatra was not only a beautiful woman but also a wise person. To protect Egypt she became Julius Caesar’s lover. He was a general from Rome, and had a child with her. But, she didn’t get married with Caesar but instead her younger brother. Her aim was not to become the wife of her younger brother but to control more rights in the Egyptian empire. She murdered her husband by using a poison and named her son, the three- year-old Caesarion, joint ruler of Egypt. To make it safer for Egypt, she ruled jointly with the most powerful Roman in the east, and had an Empire that extended well beyond her patrimony of Egypt. Because Romans believed Cleopratra was not a good person and they thought Egyptians are not as good as Antony thought, they wanted Cleopatra to return to Egypt. However wise Cleopatra still stayed with Caesar. Later, after caesar’s assassination, Cleopatra left Caesar and went with Antony, who was another general in Rome. During the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. with Antony, Cleopatra’s ships were stationed in rear, far from Antony’s army. Antony put his treasure aboard fast ships that were also stationed in the rear. So Antony gave up his ships and his army to pursue Cleopatra. As a result, he lost the battle in the end. Also, on the way Antony committed suicide before Octavian arrived in Egypt. This is one of the riddles that historians couldn’t figure out why Cleopatra ran away. After that, Cleopatra was caught by Octavian and he planned to parade her as a captive in his victory. Because Cleopatra knew this, she killed herself by poison from an asp. But another statement says Cleopatra was murder by Octavian. However, the legends of this queen have not ended, people still study her whole life- - the last queen of Egypt and the person who caused the wars which marked the end of Roman Empire.

Source: Lightman, Marjon and Lightman, Benjamin. Ancient Greek and Roman Women.

Q1: How many years did Cleopatra rule Egypt?

Q2: Why did Cleopatra marry her brother?