Cleopatra facts egypt
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Cleopatra was much more than the femme fatale or tragic heroine history often portrays her as: she was a fearsome leader and brilliantly astute politician. During her rule between 51–30 BC, she brought peace and prosperity to a country that had been bankrupt and split by civil war.
Here are 10 facts about Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of the Nile.
1. She was the gods ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty
Although she was born in Egypt, Cleopatra was not Egyptian. Her origins trace back to the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Macedonian Greek royal family.
She was a descendant of Ptolemy I Soter, a general and friend of Alexander the Great. The Ptolemies were the last dynasty to rule Egypt, from to 30 BC.
After her father Ptolemy XIIs death in 51 BC, Cleopatra became co-regent of Egypt alongside her brother Ptolemy XIII.
Bust of Cleopatra VII Altes Museum Berlin
Image Credit: © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro
2. She was highly intelligent and well educated
Medieval Arab texts
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Cleopatra
Queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC
For other uses, see Cleopatra (disambiguation).
Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (Koinē Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Θεά Φιλοπάτωρ, lit.'Cleopatra father-loving goddess';[note 4] 70/69BC 10 August 30BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30BC, and the last active Hellenistic pharaoh.[note 5] A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.[note 6] Her first language was Koine Greek, and she is the only Ptolemaic ruler known to have learned the Egyptian language, among several others.[note 7] After her death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, marking the end of the Hellenistic period in the Mediterranean, which had begun during the reign of Alexander (– BC).[note 8]
Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, who named her his he
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Cleopatra (c BC - 30 BC)
Cleopatra of Egypt ©Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, ruling Egypt from 51 BC - 30 BC. She is celebrated for her beauty and her love affairs with the Roman warlords Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.
Cleopatra was born in 69 BC - 68 BC. When her father Ptolemy XII died in 51 BC, Cleopatra became co-regent with her year-old brother Ptolemy XIII. They were married, in keeping with Egyptian tradition. Whether she was as beautiful as was claimed, she was a highly intelligent woman and an astute politician, who brought prosperity and peace to a country that was bankrupt and split by civil war.
In 48 BC, Egypt became embroiled in the conflict in Rome between Julius Caesar and Pompey. Pompey fled to the Egyptian capital Alexandria, where he was murdered on the orders of Ptolemy. Caesar followed and he and Cleopatra became lovers. Cleopatra, who had been exiled by her brother, was reinstalled as queen with Roman military support. Ptol