Surprise! She’s not Egyptian

Despite being one of the most known Egyptian rulers by name, Cleopatra wasn’t actually Egyptian by blood. She was born in Egypt, however, her family originated from Macedonia, Greece.

Greek princess of Egypt

Cleopatra was born into the Ptolemian dynasty which had ruled Egypt for 300 years. Because her family was originally Greek, she grew up speaking, reading, and writing Greek. However, she also learned other languages - mostly importantly Egyptian.

When her father died, the throne was passed on to Cleopatra and her younger brother. Because she was older, she quickly took over the throne for herself.

Fight for the throne

Although her brother was at first content with his sister having the throne because he was still young, when he got older, he wanted more power and thus forced Cleopatra from the throne. Having gotten rid of her, he took over as Pharaoh.

Cleopatra fled to Syria and began building an army to take back the throne. In 48 B.C, she returned to challenge her brother in Egypt with her army.

During this time, Cleopatra found an unexpected ally. Julius Caesar who’d been fighting a civil war against Roman general Pompey came to Egypt when he’d heard that Cleopatra’s brother had had him assassinated. While in Egypt, Caesar met Cleopatra and fell in love. She was able to persuade Caesar to help her take back the throne from her brother.

With the help of Caesar and his army, Cleopatra now had enough military power to forcefully take the throne back from her brother. After defeating Ptolemy's forces during the Battle of the Nile, Cleopatra was restored to the throne.

Cleopatra as Pharaoh

Cleopatra was quite popular as Pharaoh and it’s not surprising considering that she built the Egyptian economy and initiated trade with many Arab nations during her time as ruler. She also embraced Egyptian culture which made her more accepted in Egypt despite having Greek blood.

Death and new love

In 41 B.C, Cleopatra was summoned by Mark Antony (one of the three new leaders of Rome) after Caesar was suddenly assassinated.

When they met, he was so entranced by her beauty when he laid eyes on her that he fell in love with her and they had an affair.

This love brought a new partnership. Antony sought her for her military force whilst Cleopatra desired the return of Egypt's eastern empire.

Cleopatra has been known for her beauty throughout time, having many illustrations made of her. Here are 50 Seductive Facts About Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile.

Spela Sraka

Spela is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She enjoys writing very much, however, she also finds amusement in drawing, video editing, and gaming.