Cleopatra was the queen of the ancient Egyptian Kingdom for nearly three decades. Though she died many years ago, she remains one of the most fascinating women in history. The Queen of the Nile was renowned for her controversial life that has been the inspiration behind many movies and historical novels. Still, there are some interesting facts about her that you probably do not know.
1. Cleopatra wasn’t Egyptian
Cleopatra may have been born in Egypt, but she wasn’t truly Egyptian. In fact, her roots are traced to Macedonia and Greece. She was the offspring of Ptolemy XII Auletes, a ruler with ancestry that descends to one of Alexander the Great’s generals. The Ptolemy dynasty took control over Egypt in 305 BCE, consequently ruling for more than three centuries. When Cleopatra’s father (Ptolemy XII) died, she and her brother (Ptolemy XIII) took over the reins in Egypt. However, unlike other Ptolemy Dynasty rulers, Cleopatra embraced many Egyptian traditions and even went ahead to learn the native language.
2. She significantly improved Egypt
Another fact that many people don’t know about Cleopatra is that she hugely contributed to the improvement of Egypt. Her well-known love affairs with the two Roman leaders, namely, Mark Antony and Julius Caesar were not just personal. By creating an association with a powerful country, she wasn’t just consolidating her power but also maintaining Egypt’s independence. Apart from that, the queen had a strong foreign trade policy. She traded with Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia and India. By doing this, she developed Egypt’s economy, thus elevating her country’s position as a global powerhouse.
3. How she died was never clear
In 30 BCE, Cleopatra and Mark Antony took their own lives after they lost the Actium battle to enemy forces. For Antony, it’s widely known that he died after stabbing himself in the abdomen. But how the Queen of the Nile killed herself is still a topic of debate. Based on popular belief, she committed suicide by provoking an Egyptian cobra into biting her hand. However, some historians and scholars think otherwise. They believe that Cleopatra killed herself by dipping a sharp instrument like a pin into some poisonous substance before injecting herself with it.
4. She was an intellectual
Among the well-known facts about this queen is her attractive physical appearance. To date, it’s a popular belief that she was very beautiful and that she used her beauty as a political weapon. Nevertheless, it’s highly likely that this was just Roman propaganda and that she was not as physically attractive as believed. In fact, it appears that Cleopatra was more intelligent than she was beautiful. As previously mentioned, she was one of the non-Egyptian rulers who learned and spoke the native language fluently. Additionally, she was educated in astronomy, philosophy, oratory and mathematics.
5. She was Egypt’s last active Pharaoh
Cleopatra was the last active pharaoh of Egypt. She ended the 300-year-long rule over Egypt by the Ptolemaic dynasty having inherited the throne from his father, Ptolemy XII Auletes. Among the rulers who came before her include Ptolemy IV Philopator, Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy X Alexander. Although Cleopatra ruled together with her siblings and later with her son, she was the dominant ruler, holding most of the power to herself. The Battle of Actium and her consequent death marked the end of her rule and the beginning of the Roman reign in Egypt.
Conclusion
Cleopatra is a very significant and interesting figure that has captivated people’s imagination for many centuries. Her life is a never-ending book since we can talk about her for days, and we still won’t be able to cover everything. The Egyptian queen has been portrayed in numerous films, including “Cleopatra”, the 1963 Hollywood blockbuster starring Elizabeth Taylor. Furthermore, she’s the inspiration behind the development of many online games, including casino games. For instance, www.platincasino.co.uk used Cleopatra as an inspiration for one of its games called ‘Charlie Chance and the Curse of Cleopatra’.
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