Antiken Museum, Berlin. 35 B.C.

The last of the Macedonian rulers of Egypt, Cleopatra VII has been
preserved in legend as a woman of formidable intellect and ambition
who used her beauty and charm to advance Egypt’s fortunes. In 51 B.C.
she became joint ruler with her father Ptolemy XII and then with her
brother and husband Ptolemy XIII. When he died in 47 B.C., her
younger brother (also her husband) Ptolemy XIV succeeded him. When
Ceasar came to Alexandria, Cleopatra persuaded him to support her
cause and she regained her throne and jointly ruled with their son
Caesarion from 36 B.C. After Caesar’s death, she joined Mark Anthony
hoping that he would help to restore Egypt to its past glory by using
Rome’s power. Mark Anthony gave Cleopatra much of Rome’s eastern
possessions but his Roman rival Octavian used this episode as a
pretext to turn the Roman senate against Mark Anthony and begin a war
against him & Cleopatra. Augustus Octavian defeated him at the battle
of Actium. Anthony and Cleopatra withdrew to Alexandria where they
committed suicide. Cleopatra was a remarkable woman and a formidable
queen. She was the only Ptolemaic ruler to learn to speak Egyptian.

Product SKU: E-100S