Cleopatra: The Ultimate Queen

Romanticizing an historical figure is nothing new. Many have been over the years including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, King Arthur and many others. One figure stands out in history as an intriguing, passionate and yet clever leader. That is Cleopatra, the Egyptian leader who became known as the Queen of the Nile. She headed Egypt, which was a world power at the time and she romanced some of Rome’s greatest leaders including Caesar. In books, movies, and a few plays, Cleopatra has been glamorized as a Hollywood starlet. The real Cleopatra may not have been Elizabeth Taylor, but she still lived a fascinating life that still captures the imagination of historians and movie buffs alike.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was born in January 69 B.C. She shared her role as ruler of Egypt with her father and brothers before she became its sole leader. Cleopatra did achieve Pharaoh status. She was the last Pharaoh of Egypt.

Her famous liaison with Julius Caesar assisted her hold on Egypt’s throne. When he was assassinated, she paired with Marc Anthony, a Roman general. She had three children with Marc Anthony and one with Caesar. Caesarion, Cleopatra’s son with Caesar, was executed on orders from Augustus Caesar, most likely by strangulation.
Cleopatra spoke Greek as her first language; however, she did take the time to learn Egyptian, something that made her more popular with the Egyptians. In addition, Cleopatra learned the ways and beliefs of the Egyptians solidifying her position as Pharaoh even more.

Cleopatra’s death has been just as glamorized as her life. Strabo, a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher, records that Cleopatra died as a result of an asp bite. Poets in Rome also mention Cleopatra’s death by asp. Other stories say that Cleopatra died from a toxic ointment. The reason for her suicide stems from the fact that Actium and Julius Caesar Octavian, who later became Augustus Caesar, defeated Marc Anthony in battle. It is believed Cleopatra died Aug. 12, 30 B.C.

Cleopatra has become known as a seductress of sorts, someone who used her sexuality to gain what she wanted. While it cannot be augured that Cleopatra romanced some of the great leaders of her day, it can also be said she demonstrated patriotism while ruling Egypt. Regardless, Cleopatra is still considered one of the most storied and romanticized figures in the annuals of history. Read more about Cleopatra at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Cleopatra: Her Myster Endures

Elizabeth Taylor portrayed her as a queen who seduced many great men. History shows her to be ruthless, but a generally well-liked, leader. Who was Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile? Although she has been glamorized in the movies, books and plays, Cleopatra remains one of history’s most enduring figures. Her ability to maintain power while courting some of the great leaders of that time is remarkable. It tells of a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it. On the Smithsonian Magazine website, there is an article about a fascinating discovery about Cleopatra, which has only come to light in 2007.

Cleopatra: Romance, intrigue and mystery
One of interesting facets about Cleopatra’s life was that she was able to seduce great leaders such as Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony. Cleopatra romanced with Caesar and had a child with him. She had three with Anthony. Her death has also been a source of intrigue and mystery. It is commonly believed that Cleopatra died from the bite of an asp. She apparently used the asp to commit suicide after Anthony was defeated in battle. She had previously ruled Egypt with her brother, Ptolemy XIII, until he died. She was last Pharaoh in Egypt.



Read More About Cleopatra: The Queen of the Nile
To read more about the life and romances of Cleopatra, read Smithsonian Magazine’s fascinating article. It is available at their main website. You can visit the website by logging on to http://www.smithsonianmag.com/.

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Cleopatra The Great

Whether you love watching movies about Cleopatra, reading books, attending theater, etc the personality of Cleopatra is infamous. One of the most famous queens from the ancient world and one of the most savvy and ruthless politicians, Cleopatra ruled in an exciting period of time and created alliances with some of the great men of history. While her life was tragic in the end, there is plenty to learn from this great lady.

Cleopatra was born to King Ptolemy the XII. She was forced to share power with her brother Ptolemy the XIII and through a power struggle and smart political alliances took over the throne of Egypt. As she vowed never to have another struggle with her siblings, she murdered her remaining brother and sister. Regarding alliances, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt had plenty of problems remaining stable and in power. She had to find alliances that were powerful and influential. Originally, she found an alliance with Julius Caesar, however at his untimely death, she was forced once again to seek out an alliance- this time with Marc Antony which not only offered her protection, but true, passionate love. In fact, she had two children with Marc Antony and their tragic love is well known through the ages.

To read more about the great Cleopatra, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an insightful article on who the real Cleopatra is. You can read it today at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Political Cleopatra

Cleopatra is known for infamous beauty, love affairs with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony and her political savvy which kept her in power as the Queen of Egypt. While her name and personality lives on in today’s cinema, books, theater, etc there is plenty that is still uncovered about the real Cleopatra.

Cleopatra: Political Savvy
Cleopatra was born to the king of Egypt- PtolemyX11, she was forced to marry and share the throne with her brother Ptolemy X111. However, due to her political savvy, she was able to unseat her brother and keep control of the entire kingdom. In fact, in the process of controlling the kingdom of Egypt, she had her remaining brother and sister killed so there would no longer be a chance for a political squabble. Throughout her life, since she had quite a few enemies, she used her charm and beauty to seduce major politicians such as Julius Caesar and Mark Antony for political alliances. In the latter case, she had a torrid love affair- one that was full of so much passion, love and heartbreak it still stirs the masses today.

Read More About Cleopatra
For those interested in Cleopatra, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an intriguing article about her. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile

One of the most popular historical figures to constantly be showcased in the cinema, theater, books and TV is Cleopatra. There is no denying that Cleopatra had an incredibly interesting life and that her story is not only fantastic, but full of intrigue, sorrow and passion. While many that are enthralled with Cleopatra are usually interested in her historic love affairs with some of the great men in history, there has been much research done on Cleopatra recently which has uncovered incredible facts about her life. If you are fascinated with Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile, you will definitely love the article that Smithsonian Magazine is currently offering at their website.

Cleopatra: Seductress of the Ages
One of the reasons that many are fascinated with Cleopatra is that she seduced some of the most powerful men in the history of the world. She was born to the pharaoh of Egypt Ptolemy XII. Along with her brother, Ptolemy XIII she jointly shared the throne. In fact, she was legally married to her brother, however a power struggle ensued that lasted for years. Ultimately, her brother died and she became the sole ruler of Egypt. However, in these days, it was important to align yourself politically with a ruler that would offer protection and since Cleopatra had many enemies and those that would like to steal power from her, she required one of the strongest alliances available.

She infamously involved herself with Julius Caesar and even had a child with him to ensure that the throne of Egypt was safe in her hands. Cleopatra was very politically savvy and did not let anything stand in her way and power. In fact, after coming to sole power after the death of Ptolemy XIII, she had her remaining brother and sister killed so that no one would contest the throne.

While Julius Caesar proved a very important alliance, he was murdered and forced her to find another great man and strong ruler to protect her empire. The man that she finally fell in love with was Marc Antony. Eventually Cleopatra would have two kids with him and their love affair would be known for its passion throughout the ages.

Read More About Cleopatra: The Queen of the Nile
To read more about Cleopatra, her life and personality, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an insightful article. It is available at their main website which you can visit by following the link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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The Political Savvy Cleopatra

Cleopatra is one of the most infamous historical figures. Throughout the millennia and certainly during the last century, Cleopatra has fascinated millions of people with her beauty, political savvy and sad life story. While portrayed as one of the most beautiful ladies to ever walk the earth in movies, books, theater, etc, many of those that have showed interest in the life of Cleopatra do not know all the facts about her life. In fact, new research today has uncovered a wide variety of evidence to suggest her life was much different than most people assumed. For those intrigued by the beauty and allure of Cleopatra, the Smithsonian Magazine has an article available for your reading pleasure.

Cleopatra- the Egyptian Pharaoh
Cleopatra was the daughter of Pharaoh Ptolemy XII Auletes and during this time it was customary to marry your brother and share the throne. As a young woman, Cleopatra was married to her brother Ptolemy XIII. While these marriages were created to stabilize power, Cleopatra and her brother had political quarrels which developed into a power struggle. In order to hold power, Cleopatra had to find allies that would help protect her right to the throne and this came in the mighty Roman Caesar.

Cleopatra the Savvy Politician
Cleopatra would find that she yearned for power and searching for alliances to hold power she built strong political alliances throughout Egypt and the ancient world. With Caesar on her side, she was able to retain the throne once her brother died (mysteriously drowning in a pool). And once Queen of Egypt, she sought to make sure that she and she alone held its power by murdering her other siblings so they would not depose her.

Once Caesar was murdered, it was clear that Cleopatra had a big problem. She was forced to find strong allies or risk losing her power. With her political savvy and her allure and charm, Cleopatra seduced and fell madly in love with Mark Antony. Throughout the years, she had 2 children with Mark Antony and their relationship was that of Hollywood movies- real, passionate love.

Read More About Cleopatra the Last Pharaoh of Egypt
Cleopatra's love affair with Mark Antony is a story of the ages and how this love affair ends is a truly incredible story. To read more about Cleopatra, her life, her political alliances and new information that has been discovered about her, please visit the Smithsonian Magazine’s main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Cleopatra and her Political Savvy

Cleopatra is known throughout the world as one of the most beautiful woman that has ever walked the earth. Her story has become infamous and continues to pique the interest of all cultures throughout the millennia. In the last century, her life still intriguing became one of the most successful motion pictures including an appearance of one of our most beautiful woman of the time- actress Elizabeth Taylor. With plenty of media such as cinema, books, theaters, etc focused on the life of Cleopatra, it is fascinating, that so much is still unknown about this infamous figure.

Who is the Real Cleopatra?
Cleopatra has long been embodied with the traits of beauty, political savvy, being a seductress and being ruthless to her political opponents. In fact, being once married to her brother-sharing power of Egypt, she had a huge power struggle and many say had her brother killed. After gaining control of the Egyptian empire, she continued to consolidate her power by murdering both her brother and sister to ensure no other member would fight her for power. However, even with no rightful heirs to the throne, she still had enemies and relied on the strongest political figures of the day to help her- Caesar and Mark Antony- both of which she had children with.

Read More About Cleopatra
The Smithsonian Magazine has a very interesting article about Cleopatra, to read it please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Cleopatra: Her Real Life

For many, the name Cleopatra brings up images of an incredibly beautiful queen, a formidable and savvy power broker and a seducer of the most powerful men in the world. While many of these images have some truth to them, the real life of Cleopatra was far different than what is commonly portrayed in movies and culture today. For those that are interested in who the real Cleopatra was, the Smithsonian Magazine has a fascinating article on the subject.

Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt
Cleopatra was queen of Egypt, as well as sharing the throne with her husband- which was her brother, however after power disputes, Cleopatra sought out political alliance to rid her brother of the throne and make here sole leader of Egypt. Once this political alliance succeeded, she didn’t let any other member of her family have an opportunity to control her thrown and murdered both her brother and sister.

Political Alliances
While Cleopatra relied on political alliances to keep her in power, she was dealt an almost deadly blow when one of her political allies Julius Caesar was murdered. This forced her to seduce Mark Antony, which she subsequently had a passionate loving relationship with and two children. To read about the real life of Cleopatra, visit the Smithsonian Magazine’s main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Cleopatra Mystique

Cleopatra not only had a very interesting life, but has become a historical figure that continues to intrigue us and in many ways entertain us. While most know Cleopatra as from beautiful woman portraying her in books, cinema and theater there continues to be a fascination and mystique surrounding Cleopatra.

Who is Cleopatra?
Cleopatra was the queen of Egypt, once married to her brother, she was the mother of two children and true love of Marc Antony, a political ally of Julius Caesar, a murderer of both her brother and sister (who were thought to one day try to dethrone her) and a very smart and calculating person. There are many faces of Cleopatra and removing the many layers of this historical figure can be quite fascinating.

It should be noted that while we many think much of what is reported is true, from her beauty, to her love life, to her political alliances, there is evidence that these stories may just be myths. In fact, many researchers now believe that Cleopatra may be average looking at best.

Read More About Cleopatra
The Smithsonian Magazine offers plenty of insight into who the real Cleopatra is. There is plenty of interesting information to digest from our article and we invite you to read it today at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Mysterious Cleopatra

One of the most famous queens ever to rule not only a kingdom, but the silver screen is Cleopatra. Cleopatra is infamous and while she was an extremely important historical figure, much of what we know today about this mysterious queen, is more rooted in myth than actual fact. For those that grew up adoring the legend of Cleopatra, you will be fascinated by what many researchers have recently uncovered. If you are looking to know for who was the real Cleopatra- our recent article will be able to give you a little more insight into the truth.

The Beauty and Political Savvy of Cleopatra
Cleopatra was known for her legendary beauty, her political savvy and her undeniable power to attract the opposite sex. Her life was full of intrigue and power struggles. As an Egyptian queen she was married to her brother. As a ruler, she was in alliance with Julius Caesar until his assassination and as a mother, she fell in love, married and had children with Marc Antony.

Read More About Cleopatra
For those looking to read more about this mysterious queen Cleopatra, the Smithsonian Magazine has an article revealing many facts about this legend. To read our article, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Cleopatra: The Mythical Queen

For many, Cleopatra encompasses the magnificent beauty, political savvy and tragedy of some of the best epics ever written and today more and more of her fans are interested in who the real Cleopatra was. With Cleopatra an indelible part of pop culture, it harder than ever to tease out truth from fiction- however the Smithsonian Magazine has researched Cleopatra and offers an article with some of the answers. If you have ever been intrigued by this legendary figure, now is the time to uncover the truth of this mythical queen.

Cleopatra and Her Mythical Beauty
Who could resist the beauty and passion of Cleopatra? In fact, this is a major factor in why many Hollywood studios presented her on the silver screen. And of course Cleopatra’s reputation as a magnificently beautiful lady was also promoted with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor which had the effect of pushing so-called Cleopatra’s beauty to unattainable heights. However, it might be interesting to note that Cleopatra was not as beautiful as most might think. In fact, researchers that have poured over the evidence conclude that Cleopatra can be considered average at best.

Cleopatra’s Love Life
Another facet of Cleopatra’s life was her incredible romances. Yes, Cleopatra was extremely adept at seducing men and used here intellect and power as a definite tool of attraction. Throughout her life, Cleopatra had several lovers and many close male acquaintances- unfortunately many of these romances soured and turned into enemies. While her relationships were plenty, she did find them quite useful for promoting here own agenda.

Cleopatra & Marc Antony: A True Power Couple
As queen of Egypt, Cleopatra required the help of powerful political alliances. Julius Caesar was one of these alliances that served as a protector for the queen and her kingdom. Unfortunately, after a Julius Caesar was assassinated Cleopatra was left vulnerable and needed to find someone as strong and devoted as Julius. She turned to Mark Antony. Mark Antony was the enemy of her greatest enemy- Octavius and after a whirlwind romance, Cleopatra and Mark Antony wed, ultimately having three children.

This whirlwind romance between Cleopatra and Marc Antony did not last forever. To learn how this tragic story unfolds and also some more interesting facts about the real Cleopatra, please visit our main website at Smithsonian Magazine. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt

Cleopatra is one of the most well known historical figures ever to walk the earth. With countless movies, books, television shows and theatrical adaptations of her story, the world knows Cleopatra for her beauty, her political savvyness and her strong will.

While Cleopatra is known in the public and has a reputation that some say is second to none, many researchers have been studying this historical figure to understand better who she really was. With more and more research separating fact from fiction, the real Cleopatra- Queen of Egypt is now starting to come to life.

Cleopatra was a brilliant woman that had an extremely interesting- yet difficult life. She was the Queen of Egypt- at one point being married to her brother, protected herself and her empire by political maneuvering and fell in love with Marc Antony. However, there are some facts that are starting to emerge that dull the corners of this great historical figure- one is her beauty. Believed to be the most beautiful woman ever to walk the earth, research today shows she was only average- deflating one of her most well known mythical attributes.

For those that are enamored with Cleopatra, Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article on who the real Cleopatra was. You can read it at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Mystery of Cleopatra

Cleopatra is known throughout the world as the most beautiful woman ever to grace the world stage. During her lifetime, she became a powerful Queen and ruled Egypt. She had love affairs and finally fell in love with Mark Antony. While there are many things we think we know about Cleopatra, a lot of her life is still a mystery. In fact, there are many things that researchers are only starting to understand about her life and the people that influenced it.

Cleopatra as many believe was one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the world. However, researchers believe that evidence recently uncovered actually paints a different picture. It is said that history has been very kind to Cleopatra regarding her beauty. If this central part about who Cleopatra is possibly untrue, what other items may be false as well.

For those that have always enjoyed the story of Cleopatra and aspired to her beauty, Smithsonian Magazine now has an interesting article that shouldn’t be missed. In this article, new evidence and theories are espoused filling in the blanks on what Cleopatra’s real life could have been.

To read this fascinating article on Cleopatra, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Lady Known as Cleopatra

We all instantly know the name Cleopatra as being that of the beautiful Egyptian Queen. Cleopatra has intrigued not only historians, but pop culture throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. While many of us might not know the many facts behind her incredible life, we surely know that she was played by some of the most gorgeous starlets Hollywood has ever turned out (including Elizabeth Taylor).

Cleopatra has had an incredible life, not only does she have a reputation of being one of the most beautiful women that has ever walked the earth (even though many researchers now believe her beauty was average at best), but Cleopatra fell in love with some of the most powerful men in the world at the time and in her own right was extremely powerful and dueling politically with many including her brother which she married to share Egypt with.

The myth of Cleopatra is alive and well. For those that are fascinated in who the real Cleopatra is and some of her most famous exploits, this is a story that should not be missed. Her life is full of incredible victories and depressing defeats. Visit the Smithsonian magazine for an extremely interesting article on this extraordinary persona. For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Incredible Highs and Lows of Cleopatra

One of the most fascinating historical figures to ever rule is Cleopatra.  Cleopatra has remained quite popular throughout the millennia, as well in today’s popular culture largely due to recent Hollywood depictions by major movie starlets.  With the many story lines that the character Cleopatra finds herself represented in, she never seems too far from the public’s consciousness.  While we may all know who has played Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor for one), many of us are not as well versed on her true historical significance.

Cleopatra has been famous for over 2,000 years for quite a few reasons.  Not only was she said to be incredibly beautiful (although new research suggests that she was average looking at best), but her political savvy is one of her most intriguing traits.  During her lifetime, she was married to her brother, dueled politically for control of an empire, found true love in Marc Anthony and died with a broken heart.

While the myth of Cleopatra is extremely strong, there are definitely parts of her life that are not as well known.  For those interested in politics, ancient Egypt and Rome and the beauty and power of Cleopatra, an article by Smithsonian Magazine offers a fresh look at the incredible highs and lows of Cleopatra.  For more information, please visit the following link:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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The Men in the Life of Cleopatra

Cleopatra is always portrayed as an incredible beauty and a handy seducer of men. And while new evidence shows that perhaps her beauty wasn’t all it was rumored to be, her charm and appeal to men couldn’t be overestimated. Throughout her life, Cleopatra had many lovers and close male acquaintances… and while some of these turned out to be her enemy, many of her relationships were very useful to her.

The Ptolmeys XIII and XIV. The first man in Cleopatra’s life, Ptolemy XIII was Cleopatra’s brother, her husband… and soon after, her enemy. After the death of their father, Cleopatra was bound by Egyptian law to marry her brother, and they were to rule together. But the idea of co-ruling didn’t sit well with the pair, and when Cleopatra tried to take over, Ptolemy XIII had her exiled.

After she won back the throne, Ptolemy XIII was accidentally drowned in the Nile, and Cleopatra was forced to marry another brother, Ptolemy XIV. She must not have liked him much, as she later had him killed in order to protect the throne for her son.

Julius Caesar. To persuade him to help her in the fight for the throne of Egypt, Cleopatra snuck into palace (from which she was officially banished) to meet Julius Caesar. Legend has it that she rolled herself up inside a carpet, and had the carpet delivered to Caesar as a gift. When he unrolled, it… out she popped!

It’s thought that Caesar was immediately charmed into helping her; which seems very probable, as Caesar gave her more than his help with the throne. Almost exactly nine months after that meeting, Cleopatra bore him a child. Despite a 30-year age gap (Cleopatra was 21 and Caesar 50), the pair were lovers during Caesar’s stay in Egypt, from 48 BC to 47 BC. And Cleopatra was restored to the throne.

Marc Antony. And now we get to one of the most famous, tragic love stories of all time. After her protector, Julius Caesar, was assassinated, Cleopatra had to find another way to protect Egypt. She joined forces with Mark Antony, who was the enemy of her greatest enemy, Octavius. And it worked. The two entered a long relationship, siring three children and marrying in 36 BC.

But it didn’t last forever; and Cleopatra, though she did love Antony, betrayed him. Fearing her husband’s anger, she locked herself up and sent a message to Antony telling him that she was dead. Believing this, Antony attempted to kill himself. Instead of dying, however, he ended up with a terrible wound, and Cleopatra, repenting of what she did, sent for him. Seeing him close to death, Cleopatra tore her clothes and screamed in grief and regret… but soon after arriving in her chamber, Antony died. To avoid being taken prisoner by Antony’s rival, Octavian, Cleopatra committed suicide.

To learn more about the life and love of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, visit the Smithsonian Magazine website at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Who is the Real Cleopatra?

We have all heard about the Egyptian queen named Cleopatra, however with her high Q rating, many of us still find her to be extremely mysterious, not only due to her personality, but because the historical person has been shrouded and tangled thick by Hollywood, literature, etc.  So who was the real Cleopatra?

Cleopatra definitely had an incredibly interesting life and mixed with the worlds historically ancient elite of not only Egyptian, but Roman figures.  While her beauty was one of the reasons she was so popular in the eyes of many (and played by Hollywood’s most beautiful starlets including Elizabeth Taylor), history has been very kind.  It is now believed that Cleopatra was only of average beauty or less depending on how discriminating you are.

However, for those that love Cleopatra’s historical period, her strong will and personality, her relationships and her political battles, you will be extremely pleased with the article offered by Smithsonian Magazine.  Not only does the article take an insightful and extremely interesting look at many of the major episodes of her life, it also cuts through the fat and deliver truthful morsels regarding who the real Cleopatra was. 

To learn more about Cleopatra, this extraordinary female historical figure, please visit Smithsonian Magazine at the following link:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com


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The Infamous Cleopatra

You have probably seen many famous Hollywood starlets portray the infamously beautiful Queen Cleopatra, but for those that are truly interested in her amazing life and her interesting personality there is much more than glamour and power.

Cleopatra is one of the timeless figures in history and while she maneuvered herself to be the sole pharaoh of Egypt, she was driven from the palace by Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII which happened to be her brother, husband and co-ruler.

While her power was stripped by Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII, she cleverly made allies that would provide security and increase her standing on the world stage. She became even better known when she fell madly in love with Marc Antony and bore him three children. While this love was true, his strength and security would not last. Cleopatra’s story is one for the ages. In some ways stranger than fiction, yet full of vibrancy and sophistication, the Story of Cleopatra should not be missed.

For those that are interested in this extremely fascinating historical figure, Smithsonian Magazine offers an interesting article that delves deep into the life and times of Cleopatra. You can access this article by simply visiting Smithsonian Magazine’s main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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The Faces of Cleopatra

Most of us --even those not particularly interested in Egyptian history-- are familiar with black-eyed image of dark and beautiful Queen Cleopatra, rolling out of a carpet and into the shocked presence of Julius Caesar. But even more fascinating than the dark and sexy screen vixen we’ve seen depicted in dozens of films is the real Cleopatra. An incredibly intelligent, vibrant, and ruthless woman, Cleopatra was an intriguing historical character.

The Queen’s real history began in 49 B.C., when Cleopatra was in her early twenties. After a failed attempt to establish herself as the sole Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra was driven from the palace by Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII (Cleopatra’s brother, husband, and co-ruler). But she soon returned with an army, setting up camp outside the palace in Alexandria and setting herself and her brother into something of a stalemate.

Soon, Julius Caesar of Rome took up residence in the palace, trying to bring peace between brother and sister. But when summoned to the palace by Caesar for a peace conference with Ptolemy XIII, Cleopatra was barred entrance by her brother. Desperate for Caesar’s help (and with something of a flair for the dramatic), Cleopatra came up with a plan to sneak into the palace. She had her servant roll her in a carpet and present the carpet to Caesar. Her dramatic gesture won over Caesar, and when Cleopatra rolled out and begged him for help regaining her throne, he agreed.

Though her brother-husband, Ptolemy XIII, rebelled against Caesar’s decision to return Cleopatra to the throne, the civil war that resulted was soon ended by Ptolemy XIII’s drowning. After his death, Cleopatra wasn’t willing to take any more risks. After bearing a son to Caesar (a son who was next in line for the Egyptian throne), Cleopatra had both her brother, Ptolemy XIV, and her sister, Arsinoe, killed to keep the throne safe for herself and her son.

Left free to rule, Cleopatra was a popular ruler. Her main goal as Pharaoh was to keep Egypt free from the Roman Empire, which was rapidly expanding. So she allied herself with Roman general Mark Antony, who was rival to Octavian, next-in-line for the Roman throne. And though their relationship was beneficial to Cleopatra and to her throne, she actually loved Antony --a love which would become legendary as time went on-- and bore him three children.

But Antony’s protection didn’t last forever, and in 30 B.C., Cleopatra committed suicide to avoid being captured by Octavian, using either a vial of poison or the venom of an asp. This ended the life of one of history’s most fascinating female figures, and began a legend that would live on for thousands of years.

Interested in Pharaoh Cleopatra and her history? Visit the Smithsonian Magazine website at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ for fascinating facts about Cleopatra, including the surprising revelation that the Queen was not the legendary beauty she was made out to be.