Cleopatra VII: Her Early Life, Family And Her Relationships

In this research paper I will be writing about Cleopatra VII. Her early life, family and her relationships’. Cleopatra VII was born around 69 BC and was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra V of Egypt. Her parents got married in the year 79 BC. Her father Ptolemy XII Auletes was the king of Egypt during 80-58 B.C. and 55-51 B.C. He was born in 117 BC and was also known as the “Piper” because he played the flute. He died in 51 BC, Alexandria, Egypt from being exiled. Her mother Cleopatra V was the queen of Egypt, born in 95 BC. She vanished around the time of Cleopatra’s birth in 69 BC then died in 57 BC. Some people believe she was either murdered or that she may have died while giving birth. (“Cleopatras Family”)

Cleopatra VII had four known siblings, two brothers and two sisters. Her brothers were Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator, and Ptolemy XIV of Egypt. Her sisters were Arsinoe IV of Egypt, and Berenice IV of Egypt. Berenice IV took power away from her father and became ruler of Egypt in 58-55 B.C.E. When her father came back to Egypt he became ruler again and executed her. Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator was Cleopatra’s younger brother, when he was 12 and she was 18 they married each

They later began to have an affair and had 3 children in 40 B.C. Antony married Cleopatra in 36 B.C., and made her the ruler of Egypt, Cyprus, Crete, and Cyria. The Roman Senate did not like all the power they had and called Antony a traitor. In 31 B.C. after they lost a battle at sea Cleopatra and Mark Antony had to leave Egypt. Because she was so ashamed she spread a rumor that she had died from committing suicide. When Mark Antony heard about what happened to his wife and he didn’t know that it was a rumor. The results of it were that he stabbed himself to death. When Cleopatra heard what Antony had done she then killed herself by letting a poisonous snake bite her. (“Mark Antony and