Cleopatra

__**CLEOPATRA**__
Cleopatra played a leading role in the Egyptian and Roman time. She lived from 69-30 B.C. She started to rule when she was about 18 years olds, in 51 B.C. She first ruled with her father but when he died, she ruled with her elder brother Ptolemy XIII. He didn't want to rule with Cleopatra so he plotted to kill her. When she found out what her brother was planning, she fled from Egypt and started to make her own army, with Roman help. The war continued until 47B.C when the Romans put her back in power. Then, Ptolemy XIII was drowned so she ruled with her other brother Ptolemy XIV.



URL: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/DEV/PJP600~Cleopatra-Posters.jpg

In 48 B.C, Caesar came to Egypt looking for his rival, Pompey. Cleopatra arranged for her to meet Caesar. When they met, Caesar was captivated by her charm. She convinced him to help her get her throne back and she did, but she was sharing the throne with Ptolemy XIV. They got married and had a baby called Caesarion, which means "little Caesar". They all went back to Rome, including the baby. Cleopatra and Caesarion lived in Caesar's villa. When Caesar was murdered, Cleopatra went back to Egypt. Shortly afterward, Ptolemy XIV died, who was most possibly poisoned by Cleopatra, and she made her son co-ruler with her and named him Ptolemy Caesar.

After Caesar's death, there was a civil war and Mark Antony charged Cleopatra for helping the enemies. When she went to see Mark Antony, he was fascinated with her and went to Alexandria with her. After a winter with Cleopatra, Antony returned to Rome. He married Octavia, Octavian's sister but he still loved Cleopatra who had borne him twins. When Antony went to the East, he called for her and they got married.

Octavian got very angry so a war started over Cleopatra. Antony and Cleopatra fought back with 500 ships but they didn't succeed and the famous battle of Actium followed in 31B.C. They ran away but Octavian caught them in Egypt and they were defeated again.

URL: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Lawrence_Alma-Tadema-_Anthony_and_Cleopatra.JPG So they hid again and then one day, Antony got a message that Cleopatra was dead and stabbed himself, but it was actually a false message. He was taken to Cleopatra's hiding place and died in her arms. She then arranged to have a poisonous snake sent to her in a basket of figs. She aggravated the snake so it bit her and she died. Since, Cleopatra was dead, Caesarion would be the ruler, but he was already captured and killed, so Octavian took over.



URL: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/CleopatraVIICoin.jpg/300px-CleopatraVIICoin.jpg

Even though she died young, she still achieved many things. She ruled Egypt as a Pharaoh from 51 to 30 B.C. and she was very strong. She fought for the throne many times; she even killed her brothers to stay in power. At one time during her reign, the Roman's endangered Egypt with invasion. Her alliance with Caesar and Antony helped keep the Romans away and let Egypt stay independent for 20 years. She was also the last person to rule Egypt before it was over taken by Rome.

__**Citations:**__


 * “Antony and Cleopatra.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. 29 Oct. 2007 .


 * “Cleopatra.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Editioin. 25 Oct. 2007 <[|http://www.britannicaschool.eb.com/‌comptons/‌article-9273700>.]


 * “Explore the Exibition.” Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth. 31 Oct. 2007 <[|http://www.fieldmuseum.org/‌cleopatra/‌cleoexhibitb.html>.]

By: Andrea