Cleopatra

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Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of Egypt, reigning from 51-30 BC, she ruled first with her two younger brothers and then with her son.

Early reign.

Cleopatra’s family had been ruling Egypt for centuries (Bragg and O'Malley 20). She was 18 years old when she became Queen of Egypt in the year 51 BC (Stanley and Vennema 6). Following custom, she got married to her ten-year-old brother, Ptolemy XIII (Blackaby 13). Cleopatra and Ptolemy ruled together and three advisers guided Ptolemy because of his young age (Stanley and Vennema 6). At the age of 20, Cleopatra’s ambitiousness caused her to be driven out of Egypt by these advisers (Stanley, Diane, and Peter Vennema 6).

Power Struggle: Caesar and Antony

Cleopatra fled to Syria and was determined to fight for her throne, so she raised an army there (Stanley and Vennema 8). Cleopatra was setting up camps in front of the capital and she was prepared to go to war against her brother (Crawford). The arrival of Roman general Julius Caesar in Alexandra interrupted the battle before it could begin (Stanley and Vennema 8). Cleopatra was aware that she could use Caesar’s interest in her family feud for her benefit (Crawford). She asked her servant, Apollodorus, to roll her up in a carpet and send her to Caesar (Blackaby 23). On this night they became man and wife (Stanley and Vennema 10). Caesar wanted to make peace with Ptolemy, but it came to war in the end (Stanley and Vennema 10). The war lasted for 6 months and ended in Ptolemy being drowned (Blackaby 26). Cleopatra was once again crowned the queen of Egypt but this time she ruled with her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV (Stanley and Vennema 10).

Caesar wanted to see more of Egypt so Cleopatra planned a cruise up the Nile for hi...

... middle of paper ...

...s two prick marks on her arms. (Bragg and O'Malley 22). Cleopatra had painlessly killed herself by stabbing herself with poisoned hairpins (Bragg and O'Malley 22). Octavia raised Cleopatra’s Children. (“Cleopatra”) and Egypt was part of the Roman Empire for the next four centuries (Bragg and O'Malley 23).

Works Cited

Blackaby, Susan. Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen. New York: Sterling, 2009. Print.
Bragg, Georgia, and Kevin O'Malley. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully
Famous. New York: Walker &, 2011. Print.
"Cleopatra." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2014.
"Cleopatra: The Woman Behind the Name." Touregypt.net. Tour Egypt, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2014.
Crawford, Amy. "Who Was Cleopatra?" Smithsonian. N.p., 1 Apr. 2007. Web. 19 Jan. 2014.
Stanley, Diane, and Peter Vennema. Cleopatra. New York: Morrow Junior, 1994. Print.

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