ancient history meme | women 4/9
Kleopatra VII Philopator ( Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ ) was the last active ruler of Ptolemaic Empire of Egypt, born in 69 BC in Alexandria. She was a daughter of Ptolemy XII, probably by his sister-wife Kleopatra V. Her family, the Ptolemaic Dynasty, were in fact Macedonian Greeks and not Egyptian by blood, however they did have a little Persian blood in their line. The Ptolemies believed themselves superior to the native Egyptians and exploited Egypt for their own gain. Kleopatra was a thoroughly Greek woman in terms of culture and dress, though she was quite popular with the people she ruled over. She was the only Ptolemaic ruler to bother to learn Egyptian (in addition to several other languages) and presented herself as Isis-Aphrodite to appeal both Egyptian natives and Greek Alexandrians. Though her usual attire was Hellenistic clothing, as evident in her official coinage and her busts, she would dress in traditional Egyptian clothing for ceremonial occasions.
After her father’s death, she had become the joint ruler of Egypt at the age of 18, with her brother Ptolemy XIII, as had been stipulated in their father’s will. Relations between the half-siblings quickly broke down, and Kleopatra had to flee to Syria for her own safety. There she raised an army, intending to take back her crown. Kleopatra found herself reinstalled as Queen of Egypt in 48 BCE, after gaining the support of Gaius Julius Caesar. She had herself smuggled into the city again to meet with him, and the two became lovers. He was the father of her eldest son, Caesarion, born in 47 BCE.
She was a successful queen in her own right, and remade Alexandria the great learned Greek city it used to be, surrounding herself with artists, philosophers, architects,and the like. She was known as a learned scholar herself and it was said there were few nations she spoke to using an interpreter. The Augustean propaganda that she had many lovers is completely unfounded; she had only two, Caesar, and eventually, her probable husband Antony. When visiting Rome with her son in 44 BCE Caesar was assassinated. She left for Egypt shortly after, pregnant with her second child by Caesar, but lost the child during her flight or shortly after her arrival. Caesar’s nephew, Octavian, was declared official heir, though there was a rumour Caesarion was made to be heir, but if that was true any documentation of it was likely destroyed. After having her second brother/husband, Ptolemy XIV, murdered, she made Caesarion her joint ruler and declared him Caesar’s son and heir.
She continued to rule as a beloved queen, eventually aligning herself with Mark Antony. They one day became lovers, and probably at some point became husband and wife. They had three children: twins Kleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios in 40 BCE, and Ptolemy Philadelphos in 36 BCE.
When relations between Antony and Octavian broke down (theY had formed a triumvirate with Lepidus IN the wake of Philippi), Kleopatra naturally sided with Antony, who entered into a full scale war for control of Rome against Octavian (Octavian’s war actually being fought by his friend and general, Marcus Agrippa, not himself). Kleopatra herself proved to a competent, strategic, and exemplary leader during the war. Unfortunately, Kleopatra and Antony lost the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, sealing their fate. The next year, Antony committed suicide when he heard falsely Kleopatra had died upon Rome’s invasion of Alexandria. He died in her arms. On 12 August 30 BCE, after securing the future of her much beloved children, Kleopatra herself committed suicide. It was only after she died her greatest hope, Caesarion, was murdered on Octavian’s orders. Her two other sons died under Octavian’s care (Philadelphos probably through illness, Helios possibly through assassination). However, Kleopatra’s daughter Selene carried on her mother’s legacy and memory as Queen of Mauretania, honouring her parents and the Ptolemaic dynasty, naming her son and heir, via her husband Juba II, Ptolemy. ( for @tiny-librarian!)
