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Queens of Egypt, Part III
Cleopatra
The Ptolemic Period recalls several queens in
Egypt named Cleopatra; the most famous and influential in history
was the seventh.
 "Cleopatra I" was a Syrian princess who has
married "Ptolemy V Epiphanes" (230 – 180 AD) as a
political marriage to end conflicts between Egypt and Syria. Her
dowry was Egypt giving up control over Coele-Syria, which was
later the issue of a debate whether it was true ownership or just
political control. After his death, she became regent for her son
"Ptolemy VI Philometor". Her 4 years reign was fair and
peaceful, keeping good relations with Syria and Rome, thus Egypt
remained free of invasion.
After her death, "Ptolemy VI Philometor" ascended the
throne and married his sister "Cleopatra II" in
175 BC. With further conflicts with Syria and riots against him by
the Alexandrians, another diplomatic marriage took place between
his daughter, "Cleopatra Thea", and the new Syrian king.
In 145 BC, "Ptolemy VIII" killed his nephew and
usurped the throne. According to the Romans’ advice, "Cleopatra
II" married him to become co-regent on Egypt. In order to
limit her authorities, "Ptolemy VIII" married their own
daughter "Cleopatra III", who was as ambitious as
her mother. Due to his brutality, riots out broke in Alexandria,
and "Ptolemy VIII" fled to Cyprus with "Cleopatra
III", leaving "Cleopatra II" to reign alone. They
came back 3 years later, and "Cleopatra III" had to flee
to Syria seeking shelter with her daughter "Cleopatra Thea".
Despite their later conciliation and her return to Egypt,
conspiracies did not end. With the death of "Ptolemy
VIII" in 116 BC, "Cleopatra III" killed her mother
in a mysterious way, ending the history of a queen who reigned
solely as well as co-regent with 2 kings.
Cleopatra IV and V were daughters of "Cleopatra III".
Their brother, "Ptolemy IX" became king of Egypt in 116
BC and married his sister "Cleopatra IV", both
events against the will of his mother. He was forced to divorce
her and marry his other sister "Cleopatra V" (Cleopatra
Selene) in 115 BC. In 107 BC, with the aid of the Romans, "Cleopatra
III" conspired against her son who fled to Cyprus. His
brother "Ptolemy X Alexander" replaced him, and reigned
jointly with his mother. In fact, "Cleopatra III" became
the effective ruler of Egypt and Cyprus until her death in 101 BC.
Shortly before the death of "Ptolemy XII" (Flute
Player) in 51 BC, he proclaimed his eldest surviving daughter
"Cleopatra VII" (aged 18), and his eldest son
"Ptolemy XIII" (aged 10) co-regents.
Cleopatra VII The Philopator
(Goddess Loving Her Father)
Give me my robe, put on my crown;
I have immortal longings in me.
Now, no more the juice of Egypt’s grape shall
moist this lip.
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick
Methinks, I hear Anthony call: I see him rouse
himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after-wrath.
Husband, I come:
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am fire and air; my other elements
I give to baser life.
So,
Have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farwell kind Charmian:
Iras, long farewell.
Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is a lover’s pinch,
Which hurts, and is desir’d. Dost thou lie
still?
If thus thou vanished, thou tell’st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.
William Shakespeare - Anthony and Cleopatra - Act
V Scene II.
Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra
"Cleopatra VII" was not as pretty as her charm
and ambition, that made two Roman leaders - Julius Caesar and Mark
Anthony - fall into deep love with her. Despite her political
foresight, she had notably contributed to the fall of both, and
her political career ending in absolute failure.
She became queen of Egypt as co-regent with her brothers
"Ptolemy XIII" (51 - 47 BC) and "Ptolemy XIV"
(47 – 44 BC), then with her son "Ptolemy XV Caesar"
(44 - 30 BC) until her suicide, after her defeat by Octavius.
Egypt then fell under Roman domination.
Cleopatra was that last sovereign of the Macedonian dynasty,
and though with no Egyptian blood, she proclaimed herself as
"Daughter of Ra", the "Sun God of
Egypt". She dedicated her efforts to enforce her royal status
as queen of Egypt, to restore the glories of Ptolemies and recover
their dominions in southern Syria and Palestine, as well as to
share in the central Roman authority. Shortly after the start of
her reign, she was involved into the struggle between Julius
Caesar and Pompey. Cleopatra supported the later by a fleet of 50
ships and 500 men, which was not accepted by the Alexandrians. She
was thus forced to flee to the eastern border of Egypt, where she
was able to form an army of Bedouins to restore the throne from
her brother. With Pompey’s defeat, Julius Caesar considered
Egypt as a Roman property. He arrived at Alexandria and called
Cleopatra and Ptolemy to resolve their conflict according to their
father’s will.
To avoid the conspirators, Cleopatra was sneaked into the royal
palace to meet Caesar, wrapped into a carpet. At first sight,
Caesar fell in love with her, and hence granted her the throne.
Ptolemy in rage accused them both of treason, and led the army
from the east to siege the palace. Caesar sent for supplies from
Rome, and to avoid a military combat, he burnt 110 Egyptian ships
at the harbour and dockyards. The fire extended to the Great
Library of Alexandria, and a huge amount of treasures and human
heritage was lost.
"Ptolemy XIII" was killed in combat, and Caesar
announced Cleopatra as queen, in co-regency with her younger
brother "Ptolemy XIV" in 47 BC. She remained to be
Caesar’s mistress until her returned to Rome, and she bore him a
child named "Caesarion".
In pursuit of declaration of her authority, as well as her son’s
right to inherit Caesar, Cleopatra went to Rome in 46 BC. Caesar
built her a golden statue in the Temple of Venus, and declared his
parenthood to her son. Her ambition and secret alliances raised
much hostility against her by the senates. Upon Caesar’s
assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra retired to Egypt, awaiting the
outcome of the next round in the Roman political struggle. To
enforce her son’s rights against the Romans, she made him
co-regent in the same year. Her temple at Dendra depicts Caesarion
as pharaoh, while she was the goddess Hathor.
 Cleopatra remained neutral during the struggle between Caesar’s
followers, the three triumvirs (Mark Anthony, Octavius and Lepidus)
and the conspirators led by Brutus and Casius. With the latter’s’
defeat, Anthony was assigned to restore order in the eastern Roman
provinces, while Octavius returned to Rome.
Anthony sent for Cleopatra to meet him in Asia Minor. She knew
that a second chance has come to gain control over the most
powerful man in Rome. Initially, Cleopatra ignored Anthony to
heighten his expectations, until he sent for her again. She then
set out to the meeting in a barge loaded with gifts, and in all
signs of luxury and amusements. She refused to embark the ship,
and insisted that he was the one to come for her. Captivated by
her charm, Anthony cancelled his campaigns and followed Cleopatra
to Alexandria, where he treated her not as a sovereign protected
by the Roman Empire, but as an independent monarch.
Two years later, in 40 BC, Anthony returned to Rome to face
Octavius. A settlement was concluded in which the Roman Empire was
split among the three generals. Anthony’s share was the eastern
provinces, as far as Albania. Octavius retained the west, while
Lepidus controlled North Africa. Anthony was also forced to marry
"Octavia" - Octavius’ sister - as a sign of loyalty,
and to reign from Athens. This enraged Cleopatra, who in the
meanwhile, gave birth to twins, "Alexander Hilius" (The
Sun) and "Cleopatra Selene" (The Moon).
Three years later, Anthony became convinced that he could never
come to terms with Octavius. He sent his wife Octavia back to
Rome, headed to Asia Minor, and sent for Cleopatra to follow him.
There, Anthony announced his legal marriage to Cleopatra and his
parenthood to his children. This was not only an insult to
Octavius and his sister, but also invalid according to the Roman
law. Octavius was hence able to unite all Rome against Anthony.
Cleopatra by Michael Angelo
As a dowry for the marriage, Cleopatra persuaded Anthony to
return to her the old Ptolemy Empire. She was granted Syria,
Phoenicia, Cyprus and Crete. She was also given the coasts of
Palestine, but not the rest of the Herod’s kingdom in Palestine.
Another son was born, whom she named "Ptolemy Filadelphos"
to commemorate the restoration of the empire of "Ptolemy
II".
In 35 BC, Anthony was defeated in Parthia, and Octavia came
from Rome with supplies for him against the wishes of her brother.
One year later, Anthony returned to challenge Rome, when he
celebrated his successful conquest of Armenia in Alexandria, in
contrast to the Roman traditions. This seemed to signal the
transfer of the capital from Rome to Alexandria.
In a further challenge to Octavius, Anthony and Cleopatra sat
in a celebration at the Gymnasium with their three children and
Caesarion. Anthony proclaimed himself as Caesar’s son, though it
was Octavius whom Caesar has previously adopted. Cleopatra was
hailed as "Queen of the Queens" and Caesarion as
"King of the Kings". "Alexander Helios"
was awarded Armenia, Media and Parthia, his brother "Ptolemy
Filadelphos" was awarded Syria, Phoenicia and all lands west
to the Euphrates, while their sister "Cleopatra Selene"
was given Cyrene. He also gave Cleopatra a new library of 200,000
books as a compensation to that burnt in 48 BC.
A Japanese Version of Cleopatra
In Rome, Octavius revealed Anthony’s will to the senate and
Roman people. This disclosed Anthony’s bestowing of Roman
possessions to a foreign woman, and his intentions to transfer the
capital from Roman to Alexandria. The will also included Anthony’s
wish to be buried in Alexandria, even if he dies in Rome. With
Anthony remaining to challenge Octavius by divorcing Octavia in 32
BC, the senate considered him a traitor, and deprived him his
consulate. In turn, Octavius declared war against Cleopatra, not
Anthony.
When war was finally declared against Cleopatra, the imprudence
of her policy against Herod was revealed. Cleopatra had previously
embroiled him with the King of Petra, and hence Anthony lost a
potential ally. War started on shores of the Adriatic Sea where
Anthony was heading to victory, but Cleopatra convinced him to
proceed into a naval battle at Actium. Octavius succeeded to face
the their combined forces, and the combat was resolved on 2
September 31.
Cleopatra and her Son, Caesarion
Though the details of the terrestrial combat were recorded in
details, there has been much debate among historians as regards
the naval one. It has not been confirmed whether Cleopatra
suddenly withdrew her fleet and set course for Egypt in betrayal
to Anthony, or it was a predetermined plan between them. Some
historians believe that the shift from a terrestrial war to a
naval war was only a covering for the withdrawal of Cleopatra’s
fleet. With the inevitable defeat, Anthony followed Cleopatra to
Egypt. Cleopatra thought of a further confrontation in Spain.
With Octavius’ forefront reaching the suburbs of Alexandria,
Anthony succeeded in dispersing them on the first day. He was
unable to gather his troops on the following day as his commanders
deserted him and joined Octavius. He had no choice but to return
to the city, where he heard the rumours of Cleopatra’s death. In
despair, Anthony committed suicide by his sword, but before his
death words came from his lover that she was still alive. He was
transferred to her in her mausoleum, in which she has gathered all
her treasures and belongings. Anthony died in her arms as he
always wished.
Octavius eventually entered the city without any resistance and
ordered the capture of Cleopatra. Cleopatra refused to give up
unless Octavius would promise to give the throne to one of her
sons. Upon a brief meeting together, she realized his intentions
to take her back to Rome as prisoner to adorn his parade of
victory, so she decided to commit suicide. In her full royal
costume and wearing the pharaohs’ uraeus, she let the divine
royal cobra sting her. On opening the doors of the mausoleum by
force, Octavius and his men found her lying dead upon her golden
bed with all her royal ornaments. They buried her with Anthony, as
they both wished. Octavius formally brought Alexandria and Egypt
under Roman rule, and in punishment he abolished the Alexandrian
Senate and built his own city at the suburb of el-Raml.
With Octavius’ defeating one of the most dreadful enemies of
Rome (the other was Hannibal), Octavius was deified. The Roman
Republic came to an end, and he was able to achieve the
emperorship, which the Romans denied Caesar.
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