The Ptolemaic dynasty, a Macedonian-Greek royal family that had ties to Alexander the Great, had ruled Egypt since 305 BC. But beneath the gold and glamour lies a far darker tale of sibling rivalry taken to the extreme, and a thirst for power that would change the course of history.īorn c69 BC, Cleopatra was the third of a possible six children, all of whom shared a common father, Ptolemy XII. Her story is one that has been retold throughout history – full of romance and love, riches and betrayal. An enigmatic heroine to whom William Shakespeare devoted one of his greatest tragedies. A woman immortalised in film, on canvas and in print. Legend has it that she encouraged a snake to bite her.Ĭleopatra VII: Ancient Egypt’s most famous daughter, and its last active Pharaoh. Arab writers refer to her as a scholar, and 400 years after her death a cult statue of Cleopatra was being honoured at Philae, a religious centre that also attracted pilgrims from further south, outside Egypt.Ĭause of death: Took her own life, possibly with poison. Outside Europe, in Africa and in Islamic tradition, she was remembered very differently. Known for: Being the last pharaoh of Egypt, being a fabled beauty, her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and – alongside Mark Antony – waging a war on Rome, which she ultimately lost. Reigned: She assumed control of Egypt in 51 BC after the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, intially co-ruling with her brother XIII.
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