Who Was Cleopatra?

Cleopatra was the ruler of Egypt from the age of 18 when she inherited the realm along with her brother who was 10 at the time. As it was in those days, she married her brother to unite the Egyptian kingdom.

Cleopatra was very cunning and smart. She wanted complete control of the country and did her best to learn everything she could about politics and warfare. By the time she was 18, she knew 9 languages and could converse with statesmen from around the world.

Even though she was married to her brother, she continued to find ways to take complete control. Befriending Julies Caesar and having his child gave her more power in Egypt. Determined to bring her brother down, she a masted armies of skilled military fighters who would be loyal to her.

When Caesar was killed she realigned herself with Marc Antony who became her lover and he received her financial assistance with his efforts in making the Roman empire larger. Together they would combine forces and eventually fight against the very Roman society that had raised him.

Cleopatra married Marc Antony after her brother was killed. They had three children. When they were parted for a time, Marc Antony's armies deserted him to go back and alien with Rome. For some reason which is not clear in the history books, Marc Antony suspected that Cleopatra had betrayed him.

When Cleopatra heard of his suspicion she panicked and sent word to him that she was dead.

Not able to live with the thought, Antony took his own sword and plunged it into his stomach to end his life. He could not bare the thought of living without her.

She found out that he had done this horrific deed and requested that he come to her, announcing that she was indeed still alive. In his pain and agony he returned to her in time to die in her arms.

Two days later, a distraught Cleopatra committed suicide. There are two versions of the ending of her life. No one will ever know for sure. Some say she enticed a cobra to bite her, infecting her with poison. The other story is that she took poison by a cup.

However this story unfolded, it has gone down in history as one of the most tragic love affairs of all time.