Julius Caesar and Cleopatra: How they met A coin with the head of Cleopatra, Egypt. The Last Hellenistic Pharaoh of Egypt: The Greek rulers of Hellenistic Egypt were both kings in the sense that the Macedonian rulers Philip and his son Alexander had been and pharaohs in the. None of her descendants lived to inherit Egypt.In this article of Historicaleve, we will focus on making a summary of the History of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, who starred in one of the most important moments in the respective end stages of their different countries, as Cleopatra was the queen of Hellenistic Egypt, which would fall in the hands of Octavius in the year 30 BC While Julius Caesar was the figure that would end the Roman Republic and although this was killed by senators on March 15 of 44 BC left everything done for Octavius to end up being the emperor.
After her suicide, Caesarion was killed under orders by the Roman emperor Augustus.Ĭleopatra had three children with Mark Antony: Ptolemy ‘Philadelphus’ and twins Cleopatra ‘Selene’ and Alexander ‘Helios’. She had four childrenĬleopatra had one son with Julius Caesar, who she named Caesarion – ‘little Caesar’. She had her brother Ptolemy XIV poisoned with aconite and replaced him with her son, Ptolemy XV ‘Caesarion’. Upon her return to Egypt, Cleopatra immediately took steps to consolidate her rule. His assassination put her own life in danger, and she fled with their young son across the river Tiber. She was in Rome when Caesar was killedĬleopatra was living in Rome as Caesar’s mistress at the time of his violent death in 44 BC. But by allying herself with Octavian’s rival, she helped defend Egypt from becoming a vassal of Rome. Image Credit: Jean-Léon Gérôme, oil on canvas, 1866īy all accounts she and Mark Antony were truly in love. In her best finery, she begged Caesar for his help to regain the throne. Caesar was to arbitrate a peace conference between the warring siblings.Ĭleopatra persuaded her servant to wrap her in a carpet and present her to the Roman general.
Her lovers were also her political alliesĬleopatra’s relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were as much military alliances as romantic liaisons.Īt the time of her meeting with Caesar, Cleopatra was in exile – cast out by her brother. Under her rule, Egypt was the richest nation in the Mediterranean and the last to remain independent from the rapidly expanding Roman Empire.Ĭleopatra built up the Egyptian economy, and used trade with Arab nations to bolster her country’s status as a world power. She learned the Egyptian language and commissioned portraits of herself in the traditional Egyptian style. Unlike her Ptolemaic forebears – who spoke Greek and observed Greek customs – Cleopatra identified as a truly Egyptian pharaoh. She was a popular pharaohĬontemporary Egyptian sources suggest that Cleopatra was loved among her people. She would appear dressed as the goddess Isis at ceremonial events, and surrounded herself with luxury. Historian John Fletcher described her as “a mistress of disguise and costume.” She used her image as a political toolĬleopatra believed herself to be a living goddess and was keenly aware of the relationship between image and power. Roman historians portrayed her as a harlot who used sex to bewitch powerful men into giving her power. Her reputation as a dangerous and seductive temptress was in fact the creation of her enemy Octavian. Her actual beauty…was not so remarkable that none could be compared with her. A contemporary silver coin bearing Cleopatra’s faceĬontemporary visual sources show Cleopatra with a large pointed nose, narrow lips and sharp, jutting chin.
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