Who Is Cleopatra
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Cleopatra VII was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. She governed from 51 BC to her own death in 30 BC, and was remembered for her wit, beauty, and intelligence.
Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XII, and succeeded him in 51 BC when she was only 18 years old. She was part of a ruling family in Egypt, which descended from the Macedonian general Ptolemy I Soter who founded the 331 BC. Her name Cleopatra signifies “her father’s glory.”
Cleopatra ascended to the throne together with her brothers in 51 BC, forming a powerful triumvirate. Unfortunately, the siblings were quickly prone to conflict and eventually Cleopatra found herself sidelined in her own rule. She understood the need to make strategic alliances, and married her brother who she later had murdered. She then moved on to marry her other brother and took the title of Pharaoh, making herself the absolute ruler of Egypt.
Throughout her reign, Cleopatra made many enemies, including Rome and Julius Caesar. Her alliances with Marc Antony, an important Roman statesman, were seen as a dangerous game for Rome, and eventually led to her death in 30 BC.
After being mistaken by Antony as dead, Cleopatra committed suicide with a fatal bite from an asp — a symbol of divine rebirth. Her death marked the end of the rule of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
Cleopatra remains part of ancient history as one of the greatest rulers known to mankind. She was remembered for her wit, beauty, and exceptional intelligence; her life and death are the foundations of the myths that surround her.