Fall of Kemet aka Egypt
Cleopatra VII, more commonly known simply as ‘Cleopatra’, was born around 70 BC. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII, the mother of the last Ptolemy of Egypt, and is considered by historians to be the last pharaoh of Egypt (it’s important to note that in the Egyptian language, the term, Pharaoh, is a gender-neutral title that could be taken on by a man or woman, depending on the needs of the time).
When her father died in 51 BC, the Egyptian throne passed to then 18-year-old Cleopatra and her 10-year-old brother, Ptolemy XIV. Her advisers, greedy for power, tried to assassinate her in 49 BC, forcing Cleopatra to flee to Syria.
When Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria after the murder of his rival, Pompey, Cleopatra knew a rising power when she saw one, and wanted to turn Caesar into an ally. According to Roman scholars, she smuggled herself into the royal palace and seduced Julius Caesar. He then restored her and her younger brother to the throne, and was so smitten with her that he stayed in Egypt with her for several years.
Around 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to the last Ptolemy, Ptolemy Caesar. He was believed to be Julius Caesar’s child, and was often referred to as Caesarion, or ‘Little Caesar’.
In 45 BC, Julius Caesar took Cleopatra and their son back to Rome. All was not well in Rome, however, and in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by his own senate, who feared his growing power. Cleopatra quietly returned to Egypt with Caesar’s son. By then, Cleopatra’s little brother had died.
Cleopatra decided she would try and split these co-regents apart in order to take the power of Rome for herself. She set her sights on Mark Antony, Julius Caesar’s adopted heir and crowd favorite. Cleopatra believed that if she could win over Antony, she could win Rome itself. According to Plutarch, she seduced Mark Antony in 40 BC, lured him away from his wife, and the two of them spent a winter in Egypt together. After Antony returned home to Rome, Cleopatra gave birth to twins: Alexander Helios, and Cleopatra Selene.
Egypt continued to flourish under Cleopatra’s rule for ten more years. With Antony wrapped around her little finger, she convinced him to name her son, Cesarion, as future ruler of Rome, securing Cleopatra as queen of both Egypt and Rome itself. It was all going so smoothly, completely according to Cleopatra’s plan. In fact, it all would have worked out except for one tiny little detail: Octavian.
Octavian, furious with Antony’s decision, convinced the Roman Senate that Antony was weak, and got them to strip Mark Antony of his power as co-regent of Rome and declared war on both Antony and Cleopatra. His superior armies easily defeated Antony’s in 31 BC. Antony committed suicide, leaving Cleopatra and Egypt vulnerable to attack.
Months after Antony’s defeat, Octavian’s armies were on Cleopatra’s doorstep. Cleopatra shut herself in her bedchamber and quietly committed suicide.
Cleopatra VII, more commonly known simply as ‘Cleopatra’, was born around 70 BC. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII, the mother of the last Ptolemy of Egypt, and is considered by historians to be the last pharaoh of Egypt (it’s important to note that in the Egyptian language, the term, Pharaoh, is a gender-neutral title that could be taken on by a man or woman, depending on the needs of the time).
When her father died in 51 BC, the Egyptian throne passed to then 18-year-old Cleopatra and her 10-year-old brother, Ptolemy XIV. Her advisers, greedy for power, tried to assassinate her in 49 BC, forcing Cleopatra to flee to Syria.
When Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria after the murder of his rival, Pompey, Cleopatra knew a rising power when she saw one, and wanted to turn Caesar into an ally. According to Roman scholars, she smuggled herself into the royal palace and seduced Julius Caesar. He then restored her and her younger brother to the throne, and was so smitten with her that he stayed in Egypt with her for several years.
Around 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to the last Ptolemy, Ptolemy Caesar. He was believed to be Julius Caesar’s child, and was often referred to as Caesarion, or ‘Little Caesar’.
In 45 BC, Julius Caesar took Cleopatra and their son back to Rome. All was not well in Rome, however, and in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by his own senate, who feared his growing power. Cleopatra quietly returned to Egypt with Caesar’s son. By then, Cleopatra’s little brother had died.
Cleopatra decided she would try and split these co-regents apart in order to take the power of Rome for herself. She set her sights on Mark Antony, Julius Caesar’s adopted heir and crowd favorite. Cleopatra believed that if she could win over Antony, she could win Rome itself. According to Plutarch, she seduced Mark Antony in 40 BC, lured him away from his wife, and the two of them spent a winter in Egypt together. After Antony returned home to Rome, Cleopatra gave birth to twins: Alexander Helios, and Cleopatra Selene.
Egypt continued to flourish under Cleopatra’s rule for ten more years. With Antony wrapped around her little finger, she convinced him to name her son, Cesarion, as future ruler of Rome, securing Cleopatra as queen of both Egypt and Rome itself. It was all going so smoothly, completely according to Cleopatra’s plan. In fact, it all would have worked out except for one tiny little detail: Octavian.
Octavian, furious with Antony’s decision, convinced the Roman Senate that Antony was weak, and got them to strip Mark Antony of his power as co-regent of Rome and declared war on both Antony and Cleopatra. His superior armies easily defeated Antony’s in 31 BC. Antony committed suicide, leaving Cleopatra and Egypt vulnerable to attack.
Months after Antony’s defeat, Octavian’s armies were on Cleopatra’s doorstep. Cleopatra shut herself in her bedchamber and quietly committed suicide.
. She's even depicted on Roman coins as being ugly asf with an ugly nose and you can actually believe the Romans because, unlike the Greeks, they depicted people exactly as they were when they were alive.
