The Queen in the Silver Screens
She was bold, beautiful and made for the movie screens. She was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, bringing ancient Egypt under her three-decade reign from 51 BCE - 30 BCE She was historied for her beauty and her love affairs with the Roman warlords Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. (Pettinger, 2011) She was no other than Cleopatra VII Philopator or “Cleopatra” for short.
The Ascension to Throne
Cleopatra was born circa 69 BCE from an act of incest. In efforts to retain the purity of the bloodline, more than a dozen of Cleopatra’s ancestors married within the family which enhances the possibility of her parents being of the same lineage. (Andrews, 2015) Her father, Ptolemy XII, passed in 51 BCE when she was at the mere age of 18.
Contrary to popular beliefs, the Queen of Egypt was not Egyptian. She was one of Greek origin and a sister of the Ptolemaic dynasty, who dominated the Egyptian empire from 300 BCE to 30 BCE (Pettinger, 2011) Holding traditions in high regard, Cleopatra pursued the same practices in marriage and ringed both of her adolescent brothers who served alongside her as co-ruler of the ancient Nile at different times.
Out of spite and hunger for power, Brother-husband Ptolemy XIII and his advisers went against his father’s dying wish of the co-ruling of Egypt with his sister and exiled Cleopatra. The act eventually placed him in full command of the country. Following her exile, it was then recognized that Julius Caesar who helped Cleopatra in regaining her throne. (Jarus, 2014)
The Warrior who was seduced
The run into between warlord Julius Caesar and Cleopatra was unintended. After numerous defeats, Roman general Pompey fled towards Egypt in 48 BCE with hopes to forge an alliance with Ptolemy XIII in the civil war. (Jarus, 2014) However, the young ruler executed Pompey and presented Caesar with his head upon his landing in Alexandria. The warlord was infuriated by the offering from Ptolemy XIII and regarded it as a murder of a Roman consul by a foreign subject. (Pettinger, 2011)
With stealth and strategy, Cleopatra exploited Caesar’s displeasure with Ptolemy XIII and pled her unfortunate case against her once co-regent brother-husband. Caesar was charmed and was “persuaded to support her cause” according to egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley. In his assistance to Cleopatra’s case, Caesar discovered and “read out the will of late Ptolemy XII and made it clear that he expected the elder brother and sister to rule Egypt together.” (Jarus, 2014)
Eventually, the two grew intimate and beared a son known as Caesarion. Ptolemy XII died in a failed rebellion and was replaced by Ptolemy XIV, who was murdered by Cleopatra soon after. She also had her sister Arsinoe IV killed then appointed her son, Caesarion, the title of co-ruler. (Jarus, 2014)
The Queen who became the Lover
Following the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE on the Ides of March, Cleopatra got demanded before Mark Anthony for questioning regarding the lack of support for his troops who fought against the assassins of her late spouse. Enchanted by the charisma of Cleopatra, Anthony was attracted to the Queen. The attraction was mutual and the duo had three children together despite being married to the sister of Octavian, his civil-war partner.
Octavian viewed the affair between Anthony and Cleopatra as an insult to his family. (2018) Additionally, Octavian believed that his partner was blinded by his love for the Queen of Nile. The antagonism between both parties led up to a civil war in 31 BCE with Cleopatra fighting alongside her lover against Octavian’s forces in western Greece.
The clash was a costly defeat for the Egyptians. With no chance of escape, it is believed that Mark Anthony and Cleopatra both took their own lives on 12 August 30 BCE. The tragic love story caught the attention of Shakespeare, who translated the story into one of his literary works. (Jarus, 2014) Even after her time, Cleopatra continued to spark the curiosity of many and was one of the few historical figures who made it to the silver screens. Today, the 1963 film “Cleopatra” remains one of the priciest movies in history with a $44 million production cost.
References
Primary Source:
Evan Andrews, 10 Little-Known Facts About Cleopatra, c. 12 August 2015, History.com, https://www.history.com/news/10-little-known-facts-about-cleopatra
Secondary Source:
Cleopatra VII. (2018, February 27). Retrieved October 14, 2018, from
https://www.biography.com/people/cleopatra-vii-9250984
Jarus, O. (2014, March 13). Cleopatra: Facts & Biography. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from
https://www.livescience.com/44071-cleopatra-biography.html
Pettinger, T. (2011, February 1). Cleopatra Biography. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from
https://www.biographyonline.net/women/cleopatra.html
Tyldesley, J. (2011). Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.sg/books/about/Cleopatra.html?id=fW4y5vvw2FUC&redir_esc=y
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