Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator: The Last Ruler Of The Macedonian Dynasty

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, also known as Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty. She was born around 69 B.C. and died in 30 B.C. Her race is very speculated, many people believe that she is Greek descent but the theory of her being black African has arose now.

Her family had ruled Egypt for over 100 years. The reign began when Alexander the Great’ general, Ptolemy, became the ruler of Egypt. The next 3 centuries his relatives would follow in his footsteps to rule over Egypt. Cleopatra’s father was King Ptolemy XII. After his death in 51 B.C. he left the throne to his daughter Cleopatra just 18 years old and her brother Ptolemy XIII just 10 years old at the time. During the time of their ruling it was believed that the

two married, as it was customary.
During their ruling the two faced many problems. From Egypt’s poor economy to having a scarce of food. Many complications between the two. Cleopatra finally fled to Syria, where she gathered an army to overthrow her brother to take the throne for herself. In 48 she finally returned to Egypt with her massive army and met her brother’s forces on the eastern side of Egypt.
Cleopatra had many different suitors in her lifetime. One of the first was Julius Caesar. During this time period there was a civil war between Julius and Pompey. Pompey searched for refuge in Egypt, but Ptolemy ordered for him to be killed. Julius followed his rival to Egypt where he met Cleopatra and fell in love. Because of this happening she now had enough army power to overthrow her brother to tighten her grip on Egypt. After Caesar’s army defeated Ptolemy’s force at the Battle of the Nile, Caesar had fully restored the throne and all the power back to Cleopatra.
Around 47 B.C. Cleopatra had a son with Caesar named Ceasarion. Even though Caesar never thought the child was his offspring. Historical debate still does continue to this day about who the real father is of the child.
Despite all of this Cleopatra returned with Caesar back to Rome, but just to return again to Egypt 44 B.C. following Caesar’s assassination.
The next suitor was Marc Antony. In 41 B.C. Antony requested Cleopatra to answer questions about her loyalness to the fallen ruler. Of course Cleopatra accepted and made a grand entrance to the city of Tarsus.
Antony being overwhelmed by Cleopatra;s beauty and personality, he began to have a love affair with her which produced 3 children.

Out of these children there was a set of twins named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene.

During this time period Antony was in a battle over the control of Rome. Antony saw in Cleopatra a chance to have financial aid and military support for his own troops. Cleopatra on the other hand had her own plan. In the exchange for help she wanted in return Egypt’s eastern empire, which included Lebanon and Syria.

In the year 34 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra returned to Alexandria. Hundreds of people gathered in the Gymnasium to see the couple seated on their golden thrones with their children seated right beside them. During this time Antony declared to his rival Octavian that Caesarion was Caesar’s real son and heir not Octavian. Octavian fought back by telling the Roman people that Antony had turned over all of Roman’s possessions to Cleopatra and that the couple had plans to make Alexandria the Roman capital.

In the year 31 B.C. Cleopatra and Antony combined their armies to defeat Octavian along Greek’s west coast. The damage would be so costly for the Egyptians that Antony and Cleopatra had to flee back to

Egypt.
Antony soon returned to the battlefield where he was told the cleopatra died when she really did not. Upon hearing the news the Roman leader decided to commit suicide by stabbing himself. Once Cleopatra heard of the news she followed her lover’s footsteps and decided to also commit suicide by being bitten by an Egyptian cobra. She died on August 12, 30 B.C.The couple was buried next to each other, as they wished.