Who Was the Real Cleopatra
- Submitted by: belreynolds
- Views: 740
- Category: History: People
- Date Submitted: 03/27/2011 04:25 PM
- Pages: 6
- Report this Essay
Who was the real Cleopatra?
Most of the information about Cleopatra perceived her as an evil, scheming women as it was written by her enemies in Rome. Anything written by her supporters was probably destroyed after she died. Plutarch, a Greek historian, provided some of the most important information about Cleopatra although he lived 100 years after her and had to rely on these accounts written by her enemies.
Cleopatra was born about 70BC into the royal family that ruled Egypt nearly 300 years ago; Egypt at this time was a very rich nation but was badly ruled. Rome was extremely powerful during this time and had the real control in that area. Her father Ptolemy XII became King of Egypt in 80 BC but by 58BC the people of Egypt were fed up with him and drove him out of the country. He was replaced as ruler by his daughter Berenice who did everything she could to stop her father returning to Egypt. Three years later Roman armies helped Ptolemy XII return to power and he had Berenice and her husband killed. The Romans supported him as they knew Egypt was a rich and important nation and wanted to have some control over the country. He was king for another four years before dying in 51 BC.
The thrown was now left to Cleopatra and the elder of her two brothers, Ptolemy XIII they ruled Egypt together. There was a large age difference between them, Cleopatra being about nineteen while Ptolemy XII about nine or ten years old. The two hated each other and quickly worked to gather their own supporters. After three years of ruling together Ptolemy XIII and his supporters finally managed to drive Cleopatra out of Egypt.
Cleopatra fled eastward to Syria were she gathered together an army of her own supporters, planning fight her way back to regain power over Egypt once again. Before she could do this though, Julius Caesar, one of the most powerful people in Rome, arrived in Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. Julius Caesar had sailed to Egypt to fight his enemy, Gnaeus...
Most of the information about Cleopatra perceived her as an evil, scheming women as it was written by her enemies in Rome. Anything written by her supporters was probably destroyed after she died. Plutarch, a Greek historian, provided some of the most important information about Cleopatra although he lived 100 years after her and had to rely on these accounts written by her enemies.
Cleopatra was born about 70BC into the royal family that ruled Egypt nearly 300 years ago; Egypt at this time was a very rich nation but was badly ruled. Rome was extremely powerful during this time and had the real control in that area. Her father Ptolemy XII became King of Egypt in 80 BC but by 58BC the people of Egypt were fed up with him and drove him out of the country. He was replaced as ruler by his daughter Berenice who did everything she could to stop her father returning to Egypt. Three years later Roman armies helped Ptolemy XII return to power and he had Berenice and her husband killed. The Romans supported him as they knew Egypt was a rich and important nation and wanted to have some control over the country. He was king for another four years before dying in 51 BC.
The thrown was now left to Cleopatra and the elder of her two brothers, Ptolemy XIII they ruled Egypt together. There was a large age difference between them, Cleopatra being about nineteen while Ptolemy XII about nine or ten years old. The two hated each other and quickly worked to gather their own supporters. After three years of ruling together Ptolemy XIII and his supporters finally managed to drive Cleopatra out of Egypt.
Cleopatra fled eastward to Syria were she gathered together an army of her own supporters, planning fight her way back to regain power over Egypt once again. Before she could do this though, Julius Caesar, one of the most powerful people in Rome, arrived in Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. Julius Caesar had sailed to Egypt to fight his enemy, Gnaeus...