Cleopatra: biography and historical significance

Cleopatra of Egypt is perhaps one of the most well-known of all historical figures and yet what is "known" about her, is mostly from Hollywood movies, books, and plays. Most records about the queen were written long after she had passed away and so, much of what is accepted as fact is really conjecture or acceptance of the validity of documentation written as much as a century after the events they describe. The "real" Cleopatra may never be known. What historians do know to be factual proves that the woman was far more intelligent, far more cunning, and far more interesting than the greedy and gorgeous sexual predator that she has been portrayed as by many actresses for more than 500 years.

Cleopatra, daughter of Ptolemy XII, was made co-ruler of Egypt with her 10-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII when their father died. Married to her younger brother, Cleopatra determined to become ruler and slowly began to take power away from him, so much so that it was her face alone that appeared on the coins of the realm (Roller 27). About a year later, this failed and Cleopatra was sent into exile until Julius Caesar seized power in Egypt. In an effort to win support from Caesar in her battle for control, Cleopatra became sexually involved with the Roman Emperor. To her, "the power he held, along with his weakness for women, made Caesar not only a valuable ally for Cleopatra, but also a man susceptible to her strategies for gaining that alliance" (Jones 29). Cleopatra would go on to bear his child Caesarion, named in honor of his father.

Following the assassination of Caesar, Cleopatra became embroiled in the battle between Mark Antony and Brutus over who would take control over the Roman Empire. Again to secure her position, Cleopatra became involved with Mark Antony, bearing him twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II. This relationship was not a passing fling and Cleopatra and Antony were married according to Egyptian rite, even though he was already married to Octavia Minor under Roman law. In the ensuing years, Cleopatra was able to use her lover's support to rebuild the Egyptian empire of her ancestors. All of Cleopatra's children were given titles and kingdom's of their own to rule and Cleopatra herself was given the title "Queen of Kings." Author Duane Roller points out in his biography of the queen that, "She was the only woman in all classical antiquity to rule independently -- not merely as a successor to a dead husband -- and she desperately tried to salvage and keep alive a dying kingdom in the face of overwhelming Roman pressure" (2). It is easy to forget in the wake of her reputation how difficult her rule was and how very hard she worked to keep her nation whole.

Much has been made about Cleopatra's propensity for spectacle and gala. Prudence Jones theorizes that one of the reasons for the queens theatricality was to overcome language barriers in her nation and also to appear in a position of authority. "By using ritual and spectacle to convey the message, Cleopatra found yet another way to transcend barriers of language and culture" (20). To some however, this pageantry was more pomposity than a matter of royal pride or an attempt at understanding.

The people of Rome were becoming more and more concerned about the influence this foreign queen who they dubbed the reincarnation of Isis. Their leader Octavian was equally weary of the Egyptian queen and began to break apart the relationship between the Emperor and Mark Antony. Antony attempted to battle Octavian, but his followers were no match for the Roman fleets and in little time, Octavian arrived in Alexandria and began to march towards Cleopatra's home.

What happened at the end of Cleopatra's life is more storytelling and speculation than anything that can be proved. What is generally believed is that, upon seeing the destruction of her empire and believing Mark Antony to be dead or near it, the former Queen of Kings poisoned herself through the bite of an Egyptian cobra or an asp.