Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, reigning from 51 to 30 BCE.

Cleopatra VII was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, reigning from 51 to 30 BCE. Her political alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony made her a key figure in the late Roman Republic.

What it is

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was a queen of Egypt from the Macedonian Greek Ptolemaic dynasty. She ruled as co-regent with her brothers and later with her son, while remaining the dominant political figure in the kingdom. Her reign ended Ptolemaic rule and led to Roman control of Egypt.

Key details

Cleopatra was born in 70 or 69 BCE in Alexandria. She became queen in 51 BCE after the death of her father, Ptolemy XII. She formed alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, tying Egypt to Roman civil wars. After her defeat by Octavian at the Battle of Actium, she died in 30 BCE in Alexandria. The exact cause of death is uncertain; tradition says she used an asp.

Why it matters

Cleopatra's death marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the beginning of Roman rule in Egypt. Her story is widely studied in Canadian schools and appears in museums and popular history discussions as a major figure of ancient Mediterranean history.