Cleopatra Vii

Cleopatra VII: The Life and Death of a Pharaoh Cleopatra was born to Ptolemy XII (or Autles) and his sister Cleopatra Tryphaena in 69 B.C. She was one of six children-Cleopatra VI (who disappeared sometime between 58 B.C.- 55B.C.), Berenice IV, Ptolemy XIII, Ptolemy XIV, and Arsinöe IV. Though born a member of Egyptian royalty, she was Greek and Macedonian by blood. She and her siblings were well learned from the library in Alexandria, despite custom that women should not be educated. She spoke nine languages, and was the only individual in her family who could speak Egyptian. In 58 B.C., the Egyptians unfavorable opinion of Ptolemy XII became violent, and he fled to Rome with Arsinöe and Cleopatra VII, seeking shelter and assistance from Pompey, a member of Rome’s Triumvirate. During this interval, his daughter Berenice seized the throne. Extreme and Tyrannical, the Egyptians dislike her even more than they had her father. Very little opposition was met three years later when Ptolemy returned with the support of Pompey. Berenice was beheaded in 55 B.C., alone and abhorred. Ptolemy ruled Egypt until his death in 51 B.C. He had given much thought as to who his successor might be, and believed that Cleopatra had the charm and intelligence needed to rule the country. However, a queen could not rule alone in ancient Egypt- she was named co-ruler with her then ten-year-old brother Ptolemy XII. Pompey was to supervise the entire matter. Though he was regarded as primary ruler, Cleopatra was determined to have the upper hand. She removed her brother’s name from official documents and ordered that the coinage bear her profile. Pompey became concerned with her ambitiousness and convinced Ptolemy XIII to overthrow Cleopatra and take full control of the throne. Cleopatra fled to Syria in September of 48 B.C., in hopes of building an army strong enough to restore her throne. Earlier in the year, Pompey had been fighting a civil war with Caesar after Rome’s ruling