By: Ali Abu Dashish
No queen throughout all eras had ever enjoyed love and admiration as famous Cleopatra VII did. The Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt was almost not on the scene until Cleopatra's took over Egypt's rule.
Cleopatra hastened the Roman occupation to Egypt, not only through military force, but through winning the hearts and minds of the Roman kingdom's leaders. This forced them to colonize Egypt and convert it to a part of the Kingdom.
Egyptologist Hussien Abdel Bassir said, "After Ptolemy XII Auletes' death, the crown moved to his son and daughter. Each of them craved to rule Egypt alone, so they strongly fought. The queen then discovered that she was not only fighting against her brother, but also against all the palace's men. So she decided to escape and wait until circumstances would be suitable for her return."
The queen was setting a plan to take over Egypt's rule. Simultaneously in Rome, the conflict between Pompeii and Julius Caesar, his friend, was so tough. Pompeii was defeated and he escaped to Egypt with the hope that Ptolemy XII's sons would return his favor, as he was the one who brought their father back to Egypt.
Pompeii arrived Egypt, but he was killed. Julius Caesar arrived to Egypt. When he knew about Pompeii's death, he felt so sad and he honored his friend's death. After he accepted reality, he started walking around the city as if he was the country's king. This act provoked many of the patriotic Alexandrians.
When Julius Caesar knew about the problems that ensued between Cleopatra and her brother, he asked to meet them. The queen entered the palace, thanks to her servant, who enrolled her in a carpet, of which she came out as an Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty coming out from inside a shell. Thus, Julius Caesar was fascinated. After her brother's defeat, Julius Cesar announced her as the queen of Egypt.
Afterwards she had to pay Julius Cesar's favor and the price was a Nile's trip for three months, from which she returned pregnant. The queen then gave birth to Julius Cesar's son whose name was Cesar and nicknamed by Egyptians Caesarion.
During her ruling era Egypt was strong economically and politically. When Cleopatra visited Roma, she met Julius Cesar and felt as if she became Roma's queen. She stayed there for two years. Julius Cesar then was killed inside the senator.
Julius Cesar's end was unexpected for Cleopatra who, out of deep sadness, returned to Egypt. She declared her son as her partner in ruling Egypt. This declaration came after she killed her brother Ptolemy XIV.
Moving to Rome, a serious conflict broke out between Julius Cesar's enemies and his supporters. Mark Antony and Octavius leaded the supporters' army. Julius Cesar's enemies were defeated and the kingdom was pided between both leaders. Marc Antony had the kingdom's eastern part.
Antony asked to meet the queen who did not pay effort to attract him. She had three children from him whom he declared legal sons. He even declared their marriage, bearing in mind that the Roman law did not allow getting married to foreigners, and porced his wife, who was the sister of Octavius. Also he proclaimed that all the eastern states belonged to Cleopatra, and that Alexandria became the capital of the Roman Kingdom's eastern part.
Antony asked to meet the queen who did not pay effort to attract him. She had three children from him whom he declared legal sons. He even declared their marriage, bearing in mind that the Roman law did not allow getting married to foreigners, and porced his wife, who was the sister of Octavius. Also he proclaimed that all the eastern states belonged to Cleopatra, and that Alexandria became the capital of the Roman Kingdom's eastern part.
No wonder, Octavius declared war against his former friend and partner. He started defaming Antony and Cleopatra whom he described as a promiscuous woman. Octavius managed to obtain the senator's approval to start war against both. He swore to bring Cleopatra chained to Rome.
Indeed, Cleopatra and Antony fought against Octavius in the maritime battle of Actium. Cleopatra and Antony escaped to Egypt after their defeat. To provoke Antony's power, Cleopatra spread rumors about her death. Afterwards Antony died and Octavius entered Egypt via Syria and seized it completely.
The queen tried all methods with Octavius. When she failed, she committed suicide through a cobra. On the other side, historian Plutarch believed that Octavius was behind her death.
Actium is considered a decisive throughout the Ptolemy's dynasty and Rome. It was a war that broke out between two countries outside their borders and changed their destiny.
Speaking more in details about such an important battle, its main reason was Octavius making propaganda against his former partner who left his sister Octavia, married Cleopatra, announced this marriage legal, and expressed his desire to be buried in Alexandria.
Ocatvius publicly expressed, in the senator, that he will revenge against the "promiscuous woman" who was ruling Egypt. He began to prepare for the war to end up with the "Foreign woman" who was ambitious to control Roma.
Cleopatra and Antony placed their forces at Actium, at Greece's western shores. When Plutarch was narrating Antony's story, he mentioned that Cleopatra refused to follow the advice of staying away from war and going back to Egypt, because she was afraid from any agreement that would occur between Antony and Octavius, so she would lose her partner and power.
Plutarch continued mentioning that Cleopatra was wrong about fighting a naval battle as it was known that Antony was clever at land battles. Octavius won the battle's first pat, a victory that paved his way to Alexandria. Meanwhile, Antony was trying to defend Alexandria, but he failed because morally his soldiers were down. The news of Cleopatra's suicide spilled out, which impacted Antony who preferred death rather than living without her.
Octavius entered Alexandria and Cleopatra, whom he wanted to chain up across the streets of Roma, offered to concede the throne to her children so he would guarantee her safety, but Octavius refused. Cleopatra killed herself by a cobra. On the other hand, some mentioned that Octavius managed to kill her.
After Cleopatra's defeat and death, Ptolemy dynasty collapsed and Egypt became a part of the Roman Kingdom, starting from 30 B.C.
Cleopatra, descendant from Pharaohs and Ptolemies, became a remarkable historical figure that inspired numerous artists.
Translator: Maydaa Abo El-Nadar
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