Top 07 Cleopatra History Facts: Her Early Life, Romantic Relationships, Children, And Much More!

Here are some of the most unknown Cleopatra history facts. Read on to learn all about her early life, love relationships, children, and much more!

The ancient history of the world has been full of women who were not just there like puppets but also highly intellectual and smart and in positions of power.

And when we talk about these adjectives, Cleopatra, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, might easily pop up in all of our minds.

According to many scholars and historians, Cleopatra was much more than the tragic heroine or femme fatale that history generally portrays; she was an amazing leader and talented politician.

During her reign, which lasted from 51 to 30 BC, she brought peace and prosperity to a country that had been bankrupt and divided by civil strife, following many chronicles.

Besides, Cleopatra has been one of history’s best-known women, famous for her alleged beauty and intelligence, as well as her love romances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

But, it is not very known to many about her life in totality.

So, today, let’s explore her extraordinary life, her thirst for power, and her untimely demise in this article that is based on some popular Cleopatra history facts.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Cleopatra Was The Last Monarch Of The Ptolemaic Dynasty-

Cleopatra’s first taste of authority came at the age of 14 when she was appointed co-regent with her father after his return to the throne after three years in exile, albeit with restricted powers.

Ptolemy XII’s return to the throne had taken the life of Cleopatra’s elder sister, Berenice, who had seized control in his absence.

Cleopatra VI Tryphaena, another elder sister, may have existed, but she had died by this time. All of this meant that when her father died in March 51 BC, Cleopatra, at 18, became co-regent with her brother, Ptolemy XIII (then ten).

2. She Married Two Of Her Brothers-

Members of the Ptolemaic dynasty, like many other royal houses, frequently married within the family to protect the purity of their bloodline.

More than a dozen of Cleopatra’s ancestors married cousins or siblings, and her own parents were most likely brothers and sisters.

Cleopatra eventually married both of her adolescent brothers, each of whom acted as her ceremonial spouse and co-regent at various points during her reign.

3. At The Time Of Caesar’s Assassination, She Was Living In Rome-

There was a time when Cleopatra was in danger after Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, so she fled immediately. She had been living in her own palace on the other side of the Tiber from Caesar’s family with her little son, Caesarion.

So, Cleopatra was forced to escape Rome after Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman senate in 44 B.C., but she had already left her imprint.

Cleopatra even had one son with Julius Caesar, whom she named Caesarion (‘Little Caesar’). Caesarion was executed by the Roman emperor Augustus following her suicide.

Cleopatra had more children. She had three children with Mark Antony: Ptolemy ‘Philadelphus’ and twins Cleopatra ‘Selene’ and Alexander ‘Helios’.

However, none of her descendants survived to inherit Egypt.

4. Cleopatra’s Beauty Was Not Her Most Valuable Attribute-

Contrary to Elizabeth Taylor and Vivien Leigh’s modern representations, there is no evidence among ancient historians that Cleopatra was a wonderful beauty.

According to many historians, Cleopatra was portrayed in Roman propaganda as a debauched temptress who utilized her sex appeal as a political tool, but she may have been more famous for her intelligence than her attractiveness.

To let you know, following many old writings, she was even schooled in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy and spoke up to a dozen languages.

Egyptian sources later characterized her as a monarch “who elevated the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their company.”

Plutarch, for one, stated that Cleopatra’s beauty was “not altogether incomparable,” and that it was her mellifluous speaking voice and “irresistible charm” that made her so desirable.

5. She Made Political Use Of Her Appearance-

As we mentioned above, Cleopatra was clearly more than just a beautiful face. Her intellect and ruling strategies were remarkable and helped her keep her reign stable for years.

Following different history manuals and Cleopatra’s historical facts, she used her appearance differently for different events, situations, and surroundings.

For example, Cleopatra was acutely aware of the link between image and power. So, she used to appear at ceremonial ceremonies dressed as the goddess Isis and surround herself with luxury.

In fact, John Fletcher, a historian, described her as “a mistress of disguise and costume.”

 

Besides, her images looked completely different on coins from that time. She looked manly, portraying her as a true ruler. According to historians, she purposefully depicted herself as masculine to demonstrate her might.

To let you know, her unique hairstyle and pearl jewelry established a fashion craze, and historian Joann Fletcher claims that “so many Roman women adopted the ‘Cleopatra look’ that their statues have often been mistaken for Cleopatra herself.”

6. Cleopatra May Not Have Perished From An Asp Bite –

In 32 BC, she married Mark Antony. Cleopatra was kidnapped by Octavian’s soldiers after Antony surrendered and took his own life after being defeated by him.

According to some accounts, Cleopatra had an asp smuggled into her room and let it bite her, poisoning and killing her.

While Antony is claimed to have stabbed himself in the stomach and died as a result, Cleopatra’s manner of suicide is less certain to date.

According to many historians, she died by luring an “asp”—most likely a viper or Egyptian cobra—to bite her arm, but the ancient scribe Plutarch confesses that “what really took place is unknown to no one.”

In addition, Cleopatra was also known to conceal a lethal poison in one of her hair combs, according to him, and the historian Strabo further speculates that she may have applied a fatal “ointment.”

Given this, many researchers believe she used a pin soaked in a strong toxin, maybe snake venom.

But, no one clearly knows how Cleopatra died, and there are different theories presented at different times with some truth and lies in them.

7. Cleopatra Was Not Complete Egyptian-

This might be one of the most shocking Cleopatra history facts you ever come across.

Cleopatra was born in Egypt, although her ancestors came from Macedonia and Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Great’s generals.

Following Alexander’s death in 323 B.C., Ptolemy established a dynasty of Greek-speaking monarchs that lasted nearly three centuries.

Despite not being of Egyptian origin, Cleopatra adopted many of her country’s old customs and was the first member of the Ptolemaic family to learn Egyptian.

Cleopatra was the third of six children born around the year 69 BC, all of whom had the same father, Ptolemy XII.

Since 305 BC, Egypt used to rule by the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Macedonian-Greek royal family with ties to Alexander the Great.

At that time, male kings were traditionally known as Ptolemy, while female rulers were known as Cleopatra, Arsino, or Berenice.

So, these were some of the most intriguing and fascinating Cleopatra history facts you should know about. But this is not the end. Here’s a brief overview of the latest controversy surrounding the late Cleopatra after even centuries of her death.

The Latest Controversy About Queen Cleopatra:

 

Well, the latest Netflix docuseries, Queen Cleopatra, produced by Jada Pinkett Smith, has made Egyptians really angry.

The controversy surrounding this film is mainly because of the portrayal of Pharaoh Cleopatra by the black actress Adele James.

You Can Watch the Netflix Queen Cleopatra Docuseries Trailer Right Here-

The controversy has gone so far that even a new big-budget Cleopatra documentary has been announced by an Egyptian television network in response to Netflix’s contentious Queen Cleopatra series.

Critics contend that portraying Cleopatra as black is a “violation of the country’s media laws” because she was of European heritage.

The Egyptian government’s Supreme Council of Antiquities has referred to the Netflix documentary as a “falsification of Egyptian history and a blatant historical fallacy.”

So, what’s your take on this latest controversy around Queen Cleopatra? Have you watched the Queen Cleopatra docuseries on Netflix? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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