Monday, November 10, 2008

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/


Daredevil, Cheetah Facts, Tattoo Art, Cleopatra, Wrigley Field, Benjamin Franklin