Who is Cleopatra's husband. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt: a biography. Interesting Facts. Life path of the last pharaoh

Cleopatra already during her lifetime became the heroine of legends; her tragic death further strengthened the tendency to romanticize the image - so that the romantic halo created by ancient Roman authors and the enthusiasm of modern filmmakers interfere with an objective look at the queen - undoubtedly the most famous of all women of antiquity ...

short biography

Cleopatra VII Philopator - the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt from the Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty. She is the last Egyptian pharaoh. Cleopatra VII ruled Egypt for 22 years consecutively in co-government with her brothers (they are traditionally formal husbands) Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, then in actual marriage with the Roman commander Mark Antony.

She was the last independent ruler of Egypt before the Roman conquest and is often, although not entirely correctly, considered the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She gained wide popularity thanks to her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. By Caesar she had a son, by Antony two sons and a daughter.

Cleopatra's love affairs

If it didn't exist, it would have to be invented. Her life inspired first painters and poets, then playwrights and cinematographers.

They like to present her relationship with Caesar and Mark Antony in the form of a classic love triangle: some authors believe that she adored Caesar, others, no less authoritative minds, are sure that the only true love of her life is Mark Antony.

Appearance and character of Cleopatra

Contrary to popular belief, the last Egyptian queen was not at all good-looking. On ancient coins, we see her image - a long nose, masculine features. But the gods endowed Cleopatra with a charming voice and charisma.

In addition, she was a well-educated woman. And let the spiteful critics shut up - Cleopatra VII was the first pharaoh from the Ptolemaic dynasty who could speak Egyptian. In addition, she knew 8 more languages. It was no secret to anyone that Ptolemy XIII was only called pharaoh, while Cleopatra ruled the country.

Cleopatra grew up in the outstanding center of that time - Alexandria. Poetry, arts, sciences found shelter in this city, and at the courts of the Egyptian kings there were quite a few outstanding poets and artists. The girl received an excellent education and was fluent in several languages, studied philosophy, was well acquainted with literature and played various instruments.

She was educated, intelligent, having inherited a political mind from her ancestors. But at the same time, she had a voluptuous nature. To satisfy her desires, Cleopatra kept many beautiful men. In those days, it was not considered immoral at all.

There are testimonies of a contemporary who writes that Cleopatra appointed death at the cost of her love and that there were admirers who were not afraid of such a condition. For the night spent with the queen, the madmen paid with their lives, and their heads were exhibited in front of the palace of the seductress!

Pharaoh's daughter

She was born in 69 BC. Her parents are Pharaoh Ptolemy XII Avlet and Cleopatra V, the sister and wife of Ptolemy (a common practice for representatives of the ruling dynasties of Egypt at that time). In addition to little Cleopatra, two older sisters grew up in the family - Cleopatra VI and Berenice, a younger sister - Arsinoe, and two younger brothers - Ptolemies.

The last Egyptian pharaohs were not Egyptians: Ptolemy I was a general in the army of Alexander the Great. After the death of the great commander, he became the king of Egypt. If you are unlucky and you were not born the eldest child in the royal family, then your chances of taking the throne are extremely small. In 58 BC, the people of Alexandria rebelled against the tyrant Auletes and overthrew him. The elder sister Berenice ascended the throne.

Berenice marries her cousin, but very soon, on her orders, the unprivate spouse will be strangled so that the queen can connect her life with another. For three years Berenice has been in power. During her reign, Cleopatra VI, the next contender for the throne, dies of an unknown illness.

In 55, Ptolemy XII regains the throne with the support of the Roman general Pompey. Berenike and her husband are decapitated. Now the eldest child is Cleopatra VII.

If you are in power, you should have been prepared for the fact that they will try to take away this power from you. The first attempt to overthrow the queen was made ... by her own husband, three years after the wedding. The 15-year-old Ptolemy XIII was not an independent figure, but behind him stood the ambitious mentor Pofinus...

In 48, an uprising began in Alexandria, Cleopatra fled Syria along with her younger sister Arsinoe.

Cleopatra and Caesar

But Cleopatra was not one to give up easily. Very soon, she moved the army to the Egyptian border ... Brother and sister, husband and wife were going to sort things out on the battlefield.

At the same time, there was also a fight for power in the Roman Empire: between Julius Caesar and Pompey. After losing the battle of Pharsalos, Pompey flees to Alexandria, hoping to obtain political asylum there. But in power is not the Ptolemy, whom at one time the Roman general helped to return to the throne, but his weak-willed offspring.

The advisers believe that it is unwise to quarrel with Caesar, so Pompey is killed right in front of the pharaoh. Three days later, Julius Caesar, who arrived in Alexandria, is presented with a kind of "gift" from Ptolemy XIII - the head of Pompey. The advisers miscalculated - before the struggle for power began, Pompey was a friend of Caesar, so the "gift" horrified the Emperor. Caesar ordered a halt to hostilities and ordered his brother and sister to come to the palace for clarification.

Cleopatra was well aware that as soon as she appeared in Alexandria, her brother's henchmen would immediately kill her. The queen comes up with a brilliant move - she is wrapped in a carpet and secretly brought to the palace as a gift to the great Caesar. The carpet is unrolled... Caesar falls under her charm. That night they become lovers.

The next day, Ptolemy discovered that the older sister had outsmarted him. He tries to storm the palace, but Caesar orders his arrest. Have you forgotten about Pofinus yet? Led by him and (look) Cleopatra's younger sister Arsinoe, the Egyptian army launches an offensive.

The Alexandrian War lasted six months, until its ideological inspirer Pofinus fell in one of the battles, and Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile, trying to escape.

Alexandria swore allegiance to Caesar, Arsinoe was arrested, the throne returned to Cleopatra, who marries ... the only surviving brother Ptolemy XIV (12 years old).

After the victory, Caesar and Cleopatra set off on a two-month journey down the Nile. It was during this period that Cleopatra became pregnant and in due time gave birth to a son, who was named Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Caesar recognized the boy as his son.

From now on, three Roman legions are in Alexandria to protect the queen. A year later, Cleopatra, with her son and husband, arrives in Rome to celebrate the end of the war. Captives are driven through the Roman streets, including Arsinoe. Caesar saved her life, but a little later, Mark Antony would kill Arsinoe at the request of her older sister Cleopatra.

For two years, Cleopatra and her son live near Rome. Her royal lover idolizes her: a golden statue of the queen of Egypt is placed in the temple of Venus; Caesar is even trying to change the law in order to marry Cleopatra and make Caesarion his only heir... Alas, Caesar had a legal wife, Kalpurina, a woman whom few remembered then and remembers now.

On March 15, 44 BC, the famous meeting of the Senate will take place, during which a group of conspirators kill Caesar.

Cleopatra immediately leaves Rome and heads back to Egypt. Shortly after her arrival, Ptolemy XIV dies, poisoned by order of the queen - no one should stand between power and her son - Caesarion.

Arrival in Rome

Cleopatra and Mark Antony

After Caesar's death, Caesar's nephew Octavian, Mark Lepidus and Mark Antony shared power among themselves.

In 42, Mark Antony orders Cleopatra to appear in Tarsus to find out if she supports his enemies. The queen arrives on a barge dressed as Venus, surrounded by maids dressed as sea nymphs and cupid boys. She unmistakably identifies the weaknesses of Mark Antony and skillfully plays along with him. Cleopatra is not embarrassed by the fact that the new lover is somewhat uncouth and loves crude soldier's humor.

Mark Antony is fascinated, he drops everything and goes with the queen to Alexandria. Throughout the winter, orgies and dubious entertainment continue. Cleopatra does not leave him unattended day or night. With great difficulty, the Roman manages to escape from this circle of pleasures and return home.

6 months after his departure, Cleopatra gave birth to twins - Cleopatra Selena and Alexander Helios. She will see their father again only after 4 years. By the time Mark Antony marries Octavian's half-sister Octavia, in this marriage he will have two daughters, both will be called Anthony.

In 37, Mark Antony begins another military campaign. But very soon he finds himself in the arms of Cleopatra, who in 36 becomes his wife. Another heir is born - Ptolemy Philadelphius.

Unexpectedly, Octavia's wife goes to visit her spree husband. In Athens, a letter from Antony awaits her, in which he informs her that she does not need to go further, he will come to Athens himself. Upon learning of this, Cleopatra uses all the female tricks to prevent Mark Antony from meeting his first (legitimate) wife. She succeeds - Mark Antony cancels the trip, Octavia returns to Rome without seeing her husband.

The Romans are outraged by this attitude of Mark Antony towards his lawful wife. The last straw was the proclamation of Alexander Helios the king of Armenia, Cleopatra Selene the queen of Crete, Ptolemy Philadelphius the king of Syria. Caesarion was declared "king of kings" and Cleopatra "queen of kings".

Outraged, Octavian declares war on Egypt. In a fatal battle near Actium (Greece), Cleopatra, deciding that Mark Antony is losing, hastily leaves the battlefield and actually “surrenders” her lover.

For three days Antony refuses to see her, to talk to her. The lovers return to Egypt, where they are overtaken by the news that the troops of Mark Antony are surrounded and defeated. It's time to prepare for death. Cleopatra experiments with various poisons to find out which one brings quick and painless relief.

In the year 30, Octavian's army is on the outskirts of Alexandria. The army of Mark Antony swears allegiance to Octavian - after the Battle of Actium, no one doubts that Mark Antony lost his head because of a woman and is unable to think for himself.

Cleopatra orders her servants to announce to Antony that she has died. In desperation, he stabs himself with a dagger. Still alive, Mark crawls to the mausoleum of Cleopatra. The queen is afraid to open the door, so the mortally wounded Mark Antony is forced to climb through the window, along the ropes thrown by Cleopatra. He dies in her bed.

Death of the Great Queen

When Octavian's warriors surrounded the mausoleum, Cleopatra refused to open the door and attempted suicide. But she was disarmed and taken prisoner.

After Antony's funeral, she tried several times to commit suicide - the warned guards stopped all attempts. To deceive the vigilance of the future emperor, the proud queen fell at the feet of Octavian, begging for her life. Surprisingly, the astute ruler of Rome believed in the sincerity of the suffering woman.

The queen had no illusions about her future - like her sister Arsinoe, she had to walk in chains through the streets of Rome. The only thing she asked Octavian about was that the Egyptian throne should remain with her children.

Cleopatra managed to avoid shame: servants devoted to the queen handed her a basket with fig fruits. The guards examined the basket and found nothing suspicious in it.

After dinner, Cleopatra wrote a letter asking Octavian to bury her next to Mark Antony. Alarmed, Octavian sent guards in case she attempted suicide again. But it was too late - the poison of a small snake kills almost instantly, when the guards arrived at Cleopatra's chambers, the queen was dead.

Cleopatra VII was the last pharaoh, after her death Egypt became one of the Roman provinces.

Her son Caesarion, by order of Octavian, was strangled by a teacher, her daughter Cleopatra Selene married the king of Mauritania, nothing is known about the fate of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphius.

Probably there is no such person in the world who would not know the vivid legend about the death of the last Egyptian ruler from the Ptolemaic dynasty, Cleopatra VII. According to this legend, after the defeat in the famous battle of Actium, in order to avoid the shameful procession through Rome as a trophy, the fatal queen went to the kingdom of Osiris thanks to the bite of a snake, an asp, following her beloved Mark Antony. The legend itself is undeniably spectacular and beautiful, because according to ancient Egyptian beliefs, a snake bite bestowed immortality. The snake was a symbol of royal power, its images adorned the headdress of the Egyptian rulers.

This version of the death of the great queen Cleopatra existed for two thousand years, but how close is it to the truth? Something in this story is clearly wrong and definitely casts doubt on its authenticity, even if it was completely out of character and spirit of the queen to die in this way: Cleopatra, who grew up in the midst of endless conspiracies, cruel betrayals, murders and bloodshed, she was a true fighter in life and with great difficulty it is believed that she could give up so easily. The queen was a strong and strong-willed person, possessing an unbending character, an outstanding mind and excellent ingenuity, she always and against all odds fought with her last strength to the bitter end. So what really caused Cleopatra's death?

We can only assume how things really happened and try to separate fact from fiction. The death of the queen is shrouded in countless mysteries, however, just like her life. From the world of Cleopatra to the present day, in fact, nothing has been preserved. As a result of an earthquake more than one and a half thousand years ago, the queen's palace was under water, and its ruins lie there to this day, and the mausoleum where she died was never found.

Everything that we know about the last Hellenistic ruler Cleopatra is nothing but a myth, a legend, a beautiful fairy tale, but no more. I so want to touch history as close as possible, lift the veil of secrecy and try to find out more about this mysterious and amazing woman, one of the brightest rulers in the history of Egypt, who had unsurpassed education, erudition, was an excellent politician, a subtle psychologist, a brilliant diplomat. Among other things, Cleopatra passionately and devotedly loved her beautiful country, although she was not a true Egyptian: paradoxically, Greek blood flowed in the veins of the queen. Thanks to her brilliant mind, diplomatic gift, political calculation, endless, unsurpassed female charm, as well as the art of seduction, this amazing woman managed to restrain the Roman aggressor for a quarter of a century and preserve the independence of Egypt.

The most reliable descriptions of the death of Cleopatra can be found in Plutarch and Dion, but they were written a hundred years after her death and are full of contradictions that inevitably catch the eye, certainly casting doubt on the reliability of these facts. Plutarch, in his biographies, talks about a fruit basket that was secretly delivered to Cleopatra when she was in custody and allegedly a snake lurked in this very basket: she saved Cleopatra from inevitable shame and humiliation.

Dion, on the contrary, points to the jug in which the very snake hid, protecting the queen from inevitable disgrace and bestowing immortality, which she so dreamed of during her lifetime.

However, Plutarch frankly admits that he does not know how Queen Cleopatra actually died. In addition, speaking of Plutarch, it should be noted that he was to some extent an inventor and relying entirely on his notes does not seem reasonable.

It is not possible to find descriptions of Cleopatra's death from direct eyewitnesses, witnesses: they simply do not exist and this greatly complicates the task. The earliest references to Cleopatra are also hearsay. All this further suggests that Cleopatra's death from a snakebite is nothing but a beautiful fairy tale.

According to legend, the queen was followed by her two faithful servants. However, the likelihood that all three died from a snakebite is very small. Moreover, given the circumstances, a woman as intelligent and brilliantly educated as Cleopatra could not entirely rely on a snake bite and its effects.

Plutarch in his works puts forward another alternative version of the queen's death - poisoning. If we consider this version of suicide, then most likely it could be hemlock. But could hemlock have killed Cleopatra in the minutes that had passed since the suicide note was sent to Octavian and the moment she was found dead?

None of these versions seem convincing. Many inconsistencies and contradictions further suggest that Cleopatra could well have been killed by her treacherous adversary Octavian. However, ancient sources claim that he needed the queen alive, because he was so eager to humiliate her. On the other hand, the young Caesarion, the son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, posed an even greater threat to Octavian than the queen herself, since he could claim the title of Roman emperor. Octavian had absolutely every reason to decide on this crime, and in order to avert suspicion from himself, he could well pass off what happened as a suicide.

As it was in reality, alas, it is no longer possible to know for sure, but the name of Cleopatra still lives on, confirming the fact that the queen's dreams of immortality did come true.

Everyone knows about Cleopatra, the legendary Egyptian, fatal temptress of her time, who played a prominent role in world history and in the history of world drama. Well, that is, not that they “know”, but they heard anyway. As well as the dramatic story of her last love and tragic death. As you know, in our time it has become fashionable to debunk myths, and in recent years they have been trying hard to debunk the story of the death of Cleopatra. But first you need to figure out if there is anything to debunk ...

Classic version, "thank you" Plutarch
The generally accepted version of the death of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII, who lived and ruled in the 1st century BC, was the original narrative of the ancient Greek writer and historian Plutarch, picked up and embellished by later creators, including Shakespeare. So, according to this version, Cleopatra's last amorous hobby was the Roman commander and political activist Mark Antony, a former ally of Caesar, who aspired to power in Rome. On his way was a distant relative of Caesar Octavian, in alliance with whom Mark Antony had previously defeated common enemies, Caesar's killers. In 30 BC, the combined military forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by the troops and fleet of Octavian, who captured Egypt.

The lovers decided at all costs not to fall into the hands of the enemy, and Mark Antony committed suicide after hearing the false news that Cleopatra had already committed suicide. The queen herself had to wait with the fulfillment of her plan: according to the most common version, she still hoped with her feminine charms to convince Octavian to keep Egypt independent, and behind her the Egyptian throne. But soon she realized that she would not succeed and that she would face a shameful conclusion and sent to Rome. Some time after this, Cleopatra and two of her maids were found dead in a room. According to rumors, two tiny wounds were found on the queen’s arm, as if from a bite. From this they concluded that Cleopatra committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by a poisonous snake. The snake itself was not found in the room, but it was decided that it could have crawled away.

Is it another sensation?

Recently, two reports appeared in the media, each of which allegedly carried some new sensational information shedding light on the circumstances of Cleopatra's death. First of all, this is the conclusion of German scientists that the snake was not at all involved in the death of the Egyptian queen. Several arguments have been put forward against the "snake version". Firstly, the snake itself was never found, although the room, judging by the memories, was quite hermetic. Secondly, it is doubtful that one poisonous snake could kill three adults at once in a short time - since two maids died along with Cleopatra. Thirdly, nothing is reported about any bites on the bodies of the maids. Fourthly, the Egyptian kings of Hellenistic Egypt were very knowledgeable in poisons, so it is doubtful that Cleopatra chose death from snake venom - very painful, lasting several hours and also leaving unseemly marks on the body and face.

Scientists have suggested that Cleopatra used poison and even suggested a specific version that was well known in the Egyptian royal court - a mixture of opium and aconite and hemlock plants. So, is it really a sensation and the true cause of Cleopatra's death is open? Not at all. The fact is that even ancient authors, the same Plutarch, drew attention to the fact that the true cause of Cleopatra's death is unknown. Including the version was expressed that the queen passed away with the help of some effective and painless poison. And even options were offered for how exactly the poison was taken - from a hiding place in a hairpin or even on a hair comb. So there is no sensation in the assumption of German scientists that Cleopatra went to the other world not with the help of a snake, but with the help of poison, no, there is only an argument in favor of one of the versions that existed from the very moment of the death of the queen.

Not enough motive to kill

The second contender for a sensation in the “Cleopatra death case” is US criminologist Pat Brown, who made a reasonable, in her opinion, assumption that Cleopatra did not take her own life, but was killed. Brown does not provide any concrete evidence in favor of this, she did not have any new historical evidence, she simply decided to follow the well-known principle of criminological inquiry - “who benefits?”. And the death of Cleopatra, according to Brown, was beneficial only to Octavian, the future Roman emperor Augustus, who thereby got rid of the queen of Egypt and included this country in his possessions. So he ordered the murder of Cleopatra, presenting the case as a suicide.

Everything would be fine in Pat Brown's version if this version was based not on speculation and assumptions, but on knowledge of historical facts. And the evidence suggests that Octavian was extremely interested in Cleopatra's life - at least until the moment she arrived in Rome. Octavian had already actually captured Egypt and enlisted the support of the local nobility, who were more profitable to prosper within the powerful Roman Empire than trying to maintain their position in a troubled independent Egypt. By that time, Octavian had already executed the illegitimate son of Caesar and Cleopatra, Caesarion, who, by virtue of his origin, could pose a real danger to the power of the future Augustus in Rome.

Sources indicate that Octavian really wanted Cleopatra to become part of his triumph - that is, a solemn procession through the streets of Rome, in which his trophies as a commander would be demonstrated, and the main one of them was the captured famous queen of Egypt. After the triumph, Octavian could do anything with her, but until then he needed her. All sources, without exception, say that Octavian ordered that all measures be taken so that Cleopatra could not commit suicide, and when her body was discovered, he tried his best to bring her back to life - for example, special people were used who knew how to suck snake venom from wounds. Therefore, Brown's sensational version that Cleopatra was killed is not based on anything - there was no one to kill her, the main suspect was more than anyone interested in her life and health.

Alexander Babitsky

The legendary beauty of the ancient world, Queen Cleopatra, still excites the imagination. What is behind the death of the most beautiful woman of all time - murder or suicide?

The death of Cleopatra is a historical mystery

The famous seductress, the fatal beauty, who was familiar with both the cold calculation and the ardor of sincere feelings, Cleopatra, has always aroused great interest among historians and cultural figures. She became the heroine of hundreds of art paintings, anthologies about the love affairs of famous women, films and serious historical research. It is authentically known about the love affair of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, about the political intrigues of Cleopatra, but how exactly the life of the great Egyptian queen ended is unknown, despite the presence of the "official version", Cleopatra's death remains a mystery.

Death of Cleopatra: Power Struggle

Cleopatra was a friend of the Romans, as Caesar claimed, and the result of the close friendship of the two rulers was the birth of the son of Caesarion, but after the death of Caesar, two relatives of the emperor, the great-nephew of Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony, who stood a little further on the ladder of kinship than Octavian, began the struggle for power. Quite briefly, the contenders for power managed to agree, but Octavian longed for sole rule.

The connection of Mark Antony with Cleopatra came in very handy, Octavian declared her a harlot with her hands stained with blood, delivered a diatribe against Antony in front of the Senate and declared a real war to Cleopatra. Octavian's troops moved to Egypt, and then everything happened very quickly, the defeat of the consolidated troops of Antony and Cleopatra, the suicide of Mark Antony and the death of Cleopatra herself.

Death of Cleopatra: versions

There is no historical information about the death of Cleopatra left by her contemporaries. The main sources that tell about this tragic event are the works of the ancient Greek historians Plutarch and Dio Cassius, which appeared a century after the events described. The works of these historians contain very contradictory information about the death of the Egyptian Queen, Plutarch writes about suicide with the bite of a poisonous snake-asp, Cassius mentions some kind of jug. Despite the fact that both pundits agree that Cleopatra committed suicide, there is a parallel hint that Cleopatra was poisoned.

Death of Cleopatra: snake bite

Cleopatra, by order of Octavian, was in custody. The hopes that Egypt would remain independent and that Caesarion would become the rightful emperor grew more and more illusory. On that day, a basket of fruit is secretly delivered to the queen, in which a poisonous snake is hidden. Cleopatra writes a suicide letter and asks to give it to Octavian. The guard was gone for a matter of minutes, but upon his return he finds Cleopatra dead and two of her maids, who fought in their death throes. Two small marks on the queen's hand gave reason to believe that Cleopatra committed suicide by simply allowing the snake to bite her. No snake was found in the queen's chambers or near them.

Death of Cleopatra: Poison

Some historians believe that Cleopatra, who showed a manic concern for her beauty, would hardly want to look unattractive after death. The Egyptian queen was well aware that a snake bite causes agony, suffocation and painful death, and would hardly have done such a thing. If, nevertheless, suicide took place, Cleopatra's death could have occurred as a result of poisoning. A lethal dose of poison hidden in a comb or ring "in case of emergency" was the most common thing at that time.

According to one version, Cleopatra took poison hidden in a hollow hair comb, and it was a mixture of hemlock, opium and aconite. This hypothesis also does not look particularly convincing, since a comb or any other decoration would not fit the amount of poison sufficient to kill three healthy women. The question, as they say, remains open, although the version with snakes and poison looks quite romantic and still inspires writers and artists.

Death of Cleopatra: Murder?

There were no reasons for the natural death of Cleopatra, she was completely healthy, the version of suicide does not look very convincing, what then remains? Murder? Scientists do not discount this version, since the living Cleopatra, known for her determination and desire for power, could prevent Octavian August from fully enjoying his power. And Cleopatra's demands for the recognition of Caesarion as the legitimate heir also did not bode well. No matter how strong a political figure Cleopatra is, historians do not see at that time anyone whom this woman could “annoy” so much, except for Octavian. And here again the question arises? How did they kill? Poisoned? And where did the wounds on Cleopatra's hand come from then? The investigation, as they say, reached a dead end.

Death of Cleopatra: assumptions

The idea that Cleopatra died a violent death and the “customer” of the murder was none other than Octavian came up with Pat Brown (apparently, the name Brown is somehow strangely connected with revelations and sensations), a well-known woman - forensic scientist from the USA. The version, unlike the others, but theoretically possible, in fact, has no historical evidence, and Brown, expressing such an opinion, relied solely on his own conclusions. Also, in favor of the contract killing version, some historians cite the fact that Cleopatra never gave up, and in the Ptolemaic family, there were anyone, intriguers, murderers, participants in incest, but there were never suicides.

Death of Cleopatra: the role of Octavian

There is historical evidence that Octavian did not need the death of Cleopatra. Having dealt with Mark Antony, Octavian saw Cleopatra as his main trophy. It was said that he wanted to lead her in chains through the city, celebrating his Egyptian triumph, but the parliamentarians sent to Cleopatra with Octavian's conditions did not say anything of the kind, but promised her the emperor's merciful attitude and even the opportunity to consider the rights of her heirs.

Octavian's triumph would not have been complete without Cleopatra's participation in it, after that anything could happen, but until that moment she had to remain alive. Upon learning of the death of Cleopatra, Octavian tried to do everything to make her heart beat again. They tried to suck out the poison from the wounds, tried other means known at that time, but all was in vain.

Death of Cleopatra: Tomb

The death of Cleopatra is as ambiguous as the Egyptian ruler herself was multifaceted. In her homeland, she was known as a living embodiment of the goddess, for the Greeks - a liberator, for the Romans - a whore, but at the same time a brilliant politician, scientist and loving mother.

The tomb of Cleopatra is another mystery associated with the name of the Egyptian queen. Where it is is still not known for certain, but a recent discovery by Greek scientists off the coast of Alexandria suggests that the tomb of Cleopatra and her lover Mark Antony is located in a complex system of underground tunnels under the temple of Taposiris Magna. During the excavations, an alabaster mask of Mark Anthony, coins with the image of Cleopatra were found, scientists really hope that the excavations will help them get closer to unraveling the mystery of Cleopatra's death.

chuchotezvous.ru

The famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra died not from a snakebite, as was commonly believed, but from a deadly cocktail of opium and a hemlock plant, German scientists, led by historian Christopher Schaefer, found out.

A queen known for her beauty would hardly have subjected herself to a long and disfiguring death. The experts traveled to Alexandria, where they studied ancient medical texts and consulted snake experts. The latter reported that death from a cobra bite occurs within a few days, and spots appear on the body of the victim. Cleopatra, on the other hand, wanted to remain beautiful even after death in order to preserve her myth. According to scientists, she used a mixture of opium and such poisonous plants as hemlock and aconite and died within a few hours without experiencing pain.

Cleopatra was the last queen of ancient Egypt. Born in 69 BC, Cleopatra was one of the daughters of King Ptolemy XII. She became queen at the age of 17 and until her death (and Cleopatra died at the age of 40) remained a person about whom the most beautiful and most terrible stories were told. The image of Cleopatra is shrouded in a romantic halo of mystery and is still of great interest. The story of the life, love and tragic death of this great woman remains unsolved to this day. The death of Cleopatra is one of the main secrets of the Egyptian ruler. From sources that have come down to us, it is known that the queen committed suicide after the death of her beloved great Roman commander Mark Antony. According to legend, Cleopatra buried her beloved with full honors in an exquisite tomb, and then locked herself in her own tomb, where she was later found dead.

Two years ago, Egyptian archaeologists reported that they had found the tomb of Cleopatra and Antony. According to scientists, about 45 kilometers from Alexandria, under the ruins of the temple of Osiris, they discovered a 120-meter tunnel filled with sand. After cleaning it, scientists found the death mask of Antony, a statue of Cleopatra and 20 coins minted in Egypt during her reign.

Judging by the profile of Cleopatra on the coins, she had an attractive face, which speaks in favor of the legend of the amazing beauty of the ruler of Egypt. “The findings from Taposiris reflect the charming appearance of Cleopatra,” the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt shares his conclusions. “And they show that Cleopatra was not at all ugly as they see her.”

British scientists acted as the first critics of the legend of Cleopatra's beauty, which until recently was undeniable. In 2007, Newcastle University academics stated that the Egyptian queen was by no means a beauty, since her appearance is characterized by a pointed nose, thin lips and protruding jaws. This estimate was made after studying the image of Cleopatra on a Roman coin.

Vasilisa Ivanova

Reading time: 10 minutes

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When it comes to the greatest women in history, Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) is always listed first. She was the mistress of the eastern Mediterranean. She managed to conquer two of the most influential men of her era. At one point, the future of the entire Western world was in the hands of Cleopatra.

How did the Egyptian queen achieve such success in just 39 years of her life? Moreover, in a world where men reigned supreme, and women were assigned a secondary role.

Conspiracy of silence: why is it difficult to give an unambiguous assessment of Cleopatra's personality?

None of the contemporaries of the great queen left her full and detailed description. Sources that have survived to our time are scarce and tendentious.

The authors of the testimonies considered reliable did not live at the same time as Cleopatra. Plutarch was born 76 years after the death of the queen. Appian was separated from Cleopatra by one century, and Dion Cassius by two. And most importantly, most of the men writing about her had reasons to distort the facts.

Does this mean that you should not even try to find out the true story of Cleopatra? Definitely not! There are plenty of tools to help clear the image of the Egyptian queen from myths, gossip and clichés.

Video: Cleopatra - a woman legend

Origin and childhood

The library has replaced the mother for this girl who only had a father.

fran Irene "Cleopatra, or the Inimitable"

As a child, nothing indicated that Cleopatra could somehow surpass her predecessors who bore the same name. She was the second daughter of the Egyptian ruler Ptolemy XII of the Lagid dynasty, founded by one of the commanders of Alexander the Great. Therefore, by blood, Cleopatra can rather be called a Macedonian than an Egyptian.

Almost nothing is known about Cleopatra's mother. According to one hypothesis, it was Cleopatra V Tryphena, the natural or half-sister of Ptolemy XII, according to another, the king's concubine.

The Lagids are one of the most scandalous dynasties known to history. For more than 200 years of reign, not a single generation of this family has escaped incest and bloody internal strife. As a child, Cleopatra witnessed the overthrow of her father. The rebellion against Ptolemy XII was raised by the eldest daughter Berenice. When Ptolemy XII regained power, he executed Berenice. Later, Cleopatra will not shy away from any methods to keep the kingdom.

Cleopatra could not help but adopt the rigidity of her surroundings - but, among the representatives of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was distinguished by an incredible craving for knowledge. In Alexandria, there were all the possibilities for this. This city was the intellectual capital of the ancient world. Near the Ptolemaic palace was one of the largest libraries of antiquity.

The head of the Library of Alexandria was at the same time the educator of the heirs to the throne. The knowledge gained by the princess in childhood turned into a universal weapon that allowed Cleopatra not to get lost in a series of rulers from the Lagid dynasty.

According to Roman historians, Cleopatra spoke Greek, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Abyssinian and Parthian. She also learned the Egyptian language, which none of the Laghids had bothered to master before her. The princess was in awe of the culture of Egypt, and sincerely considered herself the incarnation of the goddess Isis.

Cleopatra's Rubicon: how did the disgraced queen come to power?

If knowledge is power, then even greater power is the ability to surprise.

Karin Essex "Cleopatra"

Cleopatra became queen thanks to her father's will. This happened in 51 BC. By that time, the princess was 18 years old.

According to the will, Cleopatra could receive the throne only by becoming the wife of her brother, 10-year-old Ptolemy XIII. However, the fulfillment of this condition by no means guaranteed that real power would be in her hands.

At that time, the actual rulers of the country were royal dignitaries, known as the “Alexandrian trio”. The conflict with them forced Cleopatra to flee to Syria. The fugitive gathered an army, which set up camp near the Egyptian border.

In the midst of a dynastic conflict, Julius Caesar arrives in Egypt. Arriving in the country of the Ptolemies for debts, the Roman commander declared that he was ready to resolve the political dispute that had arisen. Moreover, according to the will of Ptolemy XII, Rome became the guarantor of the Egyptian state.

Cleopatra finds herself in an extremely dangerous situation. The chances of dying at the hands of a brother and a mighty Roman were about the same.

As a result, the queen makes a very non-standard decision, which Plutarch describes as follows:

“She climbed into a bag for the bed ... Apollodorus tied the bag with a belt and brought it across the courtyard to Caesar ... This trick of Cleopatra seemed bold to Caesar - and captivated him.”

It would seem that it is impossible to surprise such an experienced warrior and politician as Caesar, but the young queen succeeded. One of the biographers of the ruler rightly noted that this act became her Rubicon, which gave Cleopatra the opportunity to get everything.

It is worth noting that Cleopatra did not come to the Roman consul for the sake of seduction: she fought for her life. The initial disposition of the commander towards her was explained not so much by her beauty, but by the Roman's distrust of the gang of local regents.

In addition, according to one of his contemporaries, Caesar was inclined to show mercy to the vanquished - especially if he was brave, eloquent and noble.

How did Cleopatra subdue two of the most powerful men of her era?

As for a talented commander there is no impregnable fortress, so for her there is no heart that she has not filled.

Henry Haggard "Cleopatra"

History knows a huge number of beautiful women, but few of them have reached the level of Cleopatra, whose main advantage was clearly not her appearance. Historians agree that she had a thin and flexible figure. Cleopatra had full lips, a hooked nose, a prominent chin, a high forehead and large eyes. The queen was a brunette with honey skin.

There are many legends about Cleopatra's beauty secrets. The most famous says that the Egyptian queen loved to take milk baths.

In reality, this practice was introduced by Poppaea Sabina, the second wife of Emperor Nero.

Plutarch gives a very interesting description of Cleopatra:

“The beauty of this woman was not that which is called incomparable and strikes at first sight, but her appeal was distinguished by irresistible charm, and therefore her appearance, combined with rare persuasiveness of speeches, with great charm, showing through in every word, in every movement, crashed into soul."

The way Cleopatra behaved with the male sex shows that she had an extraordinary mind and a subtle female instinct.

Consider how the relationship of the queen with the two main men of her life developed.

Union of Goddess and Genius

There is no evidence that a love affair between a 50-year-old Roman general and a 20-year-old queen began immediately after the first meeting. Most likely, the young queen did not even have sensory experience. However, Cleopatra quickly turned Caesar from judge to advocate. This was facilitated not only by her intelligence and charm, but also by the untold wealth that promised the consul an alliance with the queen. In her person, the Roman received a reliable Egyptian puppet.

After meeting with Cleopatra, Caesar told the Egyptian dignitaries that she should rule with her brother. Not wanting to put up with this, Cleopatra's political opponents start a war, as a result of which the queen's brother dies. The common struggle brings the young queen and the aging warrior closer together. No Roman went so far in supporting an outside ruler. In Egypt, Caesar first felt the taste of absolute power - and knew a woman unlike any of those whom he had met before.

Cleopatra becomes the sole ruler - despite the fact that she marries her second brother, 16-year-old Ptolemy Neoteros.

In 47 BC a child is born to the Roman consul and queen, who will be named Ptolemy-Caesarion. Caesar leaves Egypt, but very soon calls Cleopatra to follow him.

In Rome, the Egyptian queen spent 2 years. It was rumored that Caesar wanted to make her his second wife. The relationship of the great commander with Cleopatra greatly worried the Roman nobility - and became another argument in favor of his murder.

The death of Caesar forced Cleopatra to return home.

The story of Dionysus, who could not resist the charms of the East

After the death of Caesar, one of the prominent positions in Rome was taken by his associate Mark Antony. The whole East was under the rule of this Roman, so Cleopatra needed his location. While Antony needed money for the next military campaign. An inexperienced young girl appeared before Caesar, while Mark Antony was to see a woman at the zenith of beauty and power.

The queen did everything possible to make an unforgettable impression on Antony. Their meeting took place in 41 BC. on board a luxurious ship with scarlet sails. Cleopatra appeared before Antony as the goddess of love. Most researchers have no doubt that soon Antony truly fell in love with the queen.

In an effort to be close to his beloved, Anthony practically moved to Alexandria. His main occupation here was all kinds of entertainment. Like a true Dionysus, this man could not do without alcohol, noise and spectacular spectacles.

Soon the twins Alexander and Cleopatra are born to the couple, and in 36 BC. Anthony becomes the queen's official husband. And this despite the presence of a legal wife. In Rome, Antony's behavior was considered not only scandalous, but also dangerous, because he presented his beloved with Roman territories.

Antony's careless actions gave Caesar's nephew, Octavian, an excuse to declare "war against the Egyptian queen." The apogee of this conflict was the Battle of Actium (31 BC). The battle ended with the complete defeat of the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra.

Why did Cleopatra commit suicide?

Parting with life is easier than parting with glory.

William Shakespeare "Antony and Cleopatra"

In 30 BC. Octavian's troops captured Alexandria. The unfinished tomb served as a haven for Cleopatra at that time. By mistake - or maybe on purpose - Mark Antony, having received the news of the suicide of the queen, rushed to the sword. As a result, he died in the arms of his beloved.

Plutarch reports that a Roman in love with the queen warned Cleopatra that the new conqueror wants to spend her in shackles during his triumph. To avoid such humiliation, she decides to commit suicide.

August 12, 30 BC Cleopatra is found dead. She died on a golden bed with signs of pharaonic dignity in her hands.

According to a common version, the queen died from a snake bite, according to other sources, it was a pre-prepared poison.

The death of a rival greatly disappointed Octavian. According to Suetonius, he even sent special people to her body who were supposed to suck out the poison. Cleopatra managed not only to appear brightly on the historical stage, but also to leave it beautifully.

The death of Cleopatra VII marked the end of the Hellenistic era, and turned Egypt into a Roman province. Rome consolidated world domination.

The image of Cleopatra in the past and present

The posthumous life of Cleopatra turned out to be surprisingly eventful.

StaceySchiff "Cleopatra"

The image of Cleopatra has been actively replicated for more than two millennia. The Egyptian queen was sung by poets, writers, artists and filmmakers.

She has been an asteroid, a computer game, a nightclub, a beauty salon, an arcade machine - and even a brand of cigarettes.

The image of Cleopatra has become an eternal theme played up by representatives of the art world.

In painting

Despite the fact that it is not known for certain what Cleopatra looked like, hundreds of paintings are dedicated to her. This fact, probably, would have disappointed Cleopatra's main political rival, Octavian Augustus, who, after the death of the queen, ordered the destruction of all her images.

By the way, one of these images was found in Pompeii. It depicts Cleopatra together with her son Caesarion in the form of Venus and Cupid.

The Egyptian queen was painted by Raphael, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Salvador Dali and dozens of other famous artists.

The most common was the plot "The Death of Cleopatra", depicting a naked or half-naked woman who brings a snake to her chest.

In literature

The most famous literary image of Cleopatra was created by William Shakespeare. His tragedy "Antony and Cleopatra" is based on the historical records of Plutarch. Shakespeare describes the Egyptian sovereign as a vicious priestess of love, who is "more beautiful than Venus herself." Shakespeare's Cleopatra lives by feelings, not by reason.

A slightly different image can be seen in the play "Caesar and Cleopatra" by Bernard Shaw. His Cleopatra is cruel, imperious, capricious, perfidious and ignorant. In Shaw's play, many historical facts are changed. In particular, the relationship between Caesar and Cleopatra is purely platonic.

Russian poets did not bypass Cleopatra either. Separate poems were dedicated to her by Alexander Pushkin, Valery Bryusov, Alexander Blok and Anna Akhmatova. But even in them, the Egyptian queen appears far from being a positive character. For example, Pushkin used the legend according to which the tsarina executed her lovers after a night spent together. Such rumors were actively spread by some Roman authors.

To the cinema

It was thanks to the cinema that Cleopatra earned the fame of a fatal temptress. She was assigned the role of a dangerous woman, capable of driving any man crazy.

Due to the fact that the role of Cleopatra was usually played by recognized beauties, a myth arose about the unprecedented beauty of the Egyptian queen. But the famous ruler, most likely, did not possess even a modicum of beauty Vivien Leigh ("Caesar and Cleopatra", 1945), Sophia Loren ("Two Nights with Cleopatra", 1953), Elizabeth Taylor ("Cleopatra", 1963 .) or Monica Bellucci (“Asterix and Obelix: Mission of Cleopatra”, 2001).

The film about Cleopatra, filmed in 1963, became one of the most expensive in the history of cinema. Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

The films in which the listed actresses played focus on the appearance and sensuality of the Egyptian queen. In the series Rome, filmed for the BBS and HBO channels, Cleopatra generally appears as a promiscuous drug addict.

A more realistic image can be seen in the 1999 Cleopatra mini-series. The main role in it was played by the Chilean actress Leonor Varela. The creators of the tape selected the actress based on the portrait resemblance.

The popular idea of ​​Cleopatra has little to do with the true state of affairs. Rather, it is a kind of collective image of a femme fatale, based on the fantasies and fears of men.

But Cleopatra fully confirmed that smart women are dangerous.