If it were not for it, it would be worth inventing. Her life inspired first painters and poets, then playwrights and filmmakers. Her relationship with Caesar and Mark Antony is fondly presented 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 real love her life - Mark Antony.
Behind all this, the fact that Cleopatra VII was the last Egyptian pharaoh was somehow completely forgotten.
CHILDHOOD: 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, the family had two older sisters - 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 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, by her order, the unfortunate spouse will be strangled so that the queen can link her life with another.
Berenice has been in power for three years. During her reign, Cleopatra VI, the next contender for the throne, dies from an unknown illness.
In 55, Ptolemy XII regains the throne with the support of the Roman general Pompey. Berenice and her husband have their heads cut off. Now Cleopatra VII becomes the eldest child.
YOUTH: THE QUEEN OF EGYPT
Pharaoh Ptolemy XII dies in 51. The throne passes to Cleopatra VII and one of her younger brothers, 12-year-old Ptolemy XIII, whom she immediately marries. She turned 17 that year.
Contrary to popular belief, the last Egyptian queen was not at all good-looking. On old coins we see her image - a long nose, masculine features. But the gods endowed Cleopatra with a bewitching 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.
If you are in power, you should have been prepared for the fact that they would try to take this power away 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 was the ambitious mentor Pofinus ...
In 48, a rebellion began in Alexandria, Cleopatra fled Syria with her younger sister Arsinoe.
CLEOPATRA AND CAESAR
But Cleopatra was not one to give up easily. Very soon she moved an 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 get there political refuge... But the power is not held by the same Ptolemy, whom the Roman general helped to return to the throne, but by 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, who arrived in Alexandria, Julius Caesar 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 Caesar's friend, so the "gift" horrified the Emperor. Caesar ordered an end to hostilities and ordered his brother and sister to appear at the palace for clarification.
Cleopatra was well aware that as soon as she appeared in Alexandria, her brother's minions would immediately kill her. The queen comes up with an ingenious move - she, wrapped in a carpet, is secretly brought to the palace as a gift to the great Caesar. The carpet is unrolled ... Caesar falls under her charm. On the same night, they become lovers.
The next day, Ptolemy discovered that his older sister had outwitted him. He tries to take the palace by storm, but Caesar gives the order to arrest him.
Have you forgotten about Pofinus yet? Led by him and (see) Cleopatra's younger sister Arsinoe, the Egyptian army begins 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 is marrying ... the only surviving brother of Ptolemy XIV (12 years old).
After the victory, Caesar and Cleopatra set off on a two-month journey along 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 for the celebrations marking the end of the war. Prisoners, including Arsinoe, are being driven through the streets of Rome. Caesar saved her life, but a little later Mark Antony would kill Arsinoe at her request. older sister Cleopatra.
For two years Cleopatra and her son have been living in a villa near Rome. Her royal lover worships her: a golden statue of the Queen of Egypt is placed in the temple of Venus; Caesar even tries to change the law in order to marry Cleopatra and make Caesarion his only heir ... Alas, Caesar had the legal wife of Kalpurin, a woman that few people remembered then and remember now.
On March 15, 44 BC, the famous Senate meeting will take place, during which a group of conspirators assassinates Caesar.
Cleopatra leaves Rome immediately and heads back to Egypt. Soon after her arrival, Ptolemy XIV dies, poisoned by the order of the queen - no one should stand between the authorities and her son, Caesarion.
CLEOPATRA AND MARK ANTHONY: THE CALCULATION TURNED WRONG
After Caesar's death, power was shared by Caesar's nephew Octavian, Mark Lepidus and Mark Antony.
In 42 AD, Mark Antony orders Cleopatra to come to Tarsus to find out if she is supporting his enemies. The queen arrives on a barge, dressed in a Venus costume, 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 adores rough soldier humor.
Mark Anthony is fascinated, he drops everything and goes with the queen to Alexandria. Orgies and dubious entertainment continue throughout the winter. 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 that time, Mark Antony will marry Octavian's half-sister Octavia, in this marriage he will have two daughters, both will be called Antony.
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.
Suddenly, wife Octavia goes to visit her spouse on a spree. In Athens, a letter from Anthony awaits her, in which he informs that she does not need to go further, he will come to Athens himself. Upon learning of this, Cleopatra uses all female tricks to prevent Mark Antony from meeting with his first (legal) wife. She succeeds - Mark Antony cancels the trip, Octavia returns to Rome without seeing her husband.
The Romans are outraged by such an attitude of Mark Antony towards his legal wife. The last straw was the proclamation of Alexander Helios as king of Armenia, Cleopatra Selena as queen of Crete, Ptolemy Philadelphius as 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 Aktium (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 Anthony are surrounded and defeated. It's time to prepare for death. Cleopatra is experimenting with various poisons to find out which one brings quick and painless relief.
In 30 year the army of Octavian 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 independently.
Cleopatra orders the servants to announce to Antony that she is dead. Desperate, 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.
CLEOPATRA AND OCTAVIAN: LEAVE THE KINGDOM TO MY CHILDREN
When Octavian's warriors surrounded the mausoleum, Cleopatra refused to open the door and tried to commit suicide. But she was disarmed and taken prisoner.
After Anthony's funeral, she tried several times to commit suicide - the forewarned guards thwarted all attempts. To deceive the vigilance of the future emperor, the proud queen fell at the feet of Octavian, begging him to save her life. Surprisingly, the shrewd 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 for was to keep the Egyptian throne for her children.
DEATH OF THE LAST PHARAOH
Cleopatra managed to avoid shame: the 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 in which she asked Octavian to bury her next to Mark Antony. Alarmed, Octavian dispatched 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, daughter Cleopatra Selena married the King of Mauritania, nothing is known about the fate of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphius.
When it comes to the greatest women in history, Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) is always mentioned among the first. She was the ruler 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 given a secondary role.
Conspiracy of silence: why is it difficult to give an unambiguous assessment of the personality of Cleopatra?
None of the contemporaries of the great queen left her complete and detailed description. The sources that have survived to this day are scarce and tendentious.
The authors of the testimonies believed to be reliable did not live at the same time as Cleopatra. Plutarch was born 76 years after the death of the queen. Appianus was one century from Cleopatra, and Dion Cassius was two. And most importantly, most of the men who write about her had reasons to distort the facts.
Does this mean that you shouldn't 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 is a legendary woman
Origin and childhood
The library replaced the mother for this girl who only had a father.
Fran Irene "Cleopatra, or the Inimitable"
In childhood, nothing indicated that Cleopatra could somehow surpass her predecessors who bore the same name. She was the second daughter Egyptian ruler Ptolemy XII from the Lagid dynasty, founded by one of the generals of Alexander the Great. Therefore, by blood, Cleopatra can be called Macedonian rather than Egyptian.
Almost nothing is known about Cleopatra's mother. According to one hypothesis, it was Cleopatra V Tryphena, the sister 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 of Berenice. When Ptolemy XII regained power, he executed Berenice. Later, Cleopatra would not disdain any methods to keep the kingdom.
Cleopatra could not help but adopt the harshness of her environment - but, among the representatives of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was distinguished by an incredible thirst for knowledge. Alexandria had every opportunity for this. This city was the intellectual capital of the ancient world. One of the largest libraries of antiquity was located near the Ptolemaic palace.
The head of the Alexandria Library was at the same time the educator of the heirs to the throne. The knowledge acquired by the princess as a child turned into a universal weapon that allowed Cleopatra not to get lost in the line 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 Lagids had bothered to master before her. The princess was in awe of the culture of Egypt, and sincerely considered herself the embodiment 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. Nevertheless, the fulfillment of this condition did not at all guarantee that real power would be in her hands.
At that time, the de facto rulers of the country were the royal dignitaries, known as the "Alexandrian trio". A 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 being killed by 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 the bag for the bed ... Apollodorus tied the bag with a belt and carried it across the courtyard to Caesar ... This trick of Cleopatra seemed courageous 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 ruler's biographers 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 was fighting for her life. The initial disposition of the commander towards her was explained not so much by her beauty as by the distrust of the Roman to 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 courageous, eloquent and noble.
How did Cleopatra conquer 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 amount beautiful women, but few of them reached the level of Cleopatra, whose main advantage was clearly not her appearance. Historians agree that she had a slender and flexible figure. Cleopatra had full lips, a hooked nose, a prominent chin, a high forehead, and large eyes. The queen was a honey-skinned brunette.
There are many legends telling about the secrets of Cleopatra's beauty. 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.
A very interesting characteristic of Cleopatra is given by Plutarch:
“The beauty of this woman was not the one that is called incomparable and strikes at first sight, but her appeal was distinguished by irresistible charm, and therefore her appearance, combined with rarely convincing speeches, with tremendous charm that shone 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 delicate female instinct.
Consider how the queen's relationship with the two main men of her life developed.
Union of goddess and genius
There is no evidence that the love affair between the 50-year-old Roman general and the 20-year-old queen began immediately after the first meeting. Most likely, the young queen did not even have a sensory experience. However, Cleopatra quickly transformed Caesar from judge to protector. This was facilitated not only by her intelligence and charm, but also by the untold riches that the consul promised an alliance with the queen. In her face, 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, the political opponents of Cleopatra begin 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 as far as supporting an outside ruler. In Egypt, Caesar first tasted absolute power - and came to know a woman unlike anyone 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. the Roman consul and queen give birth to a child who will be named Ptolemy-Caesarion. Caesar leaves Egypt, but very soon calls Cleopatra to follow him.
The Egyptian queen spent 2 years in Rome. It was rumored that Caesar wanted to make her a second wife. The connection of the great commander with Cleopatra greatly worried the Roman nobility - and became another argument in favor of his murder.
Caesar's death forced Cleopatra to return home.
The story of Dionysus, who could not resist the spell of the East
After Caesar's death, one of the prominent positions in Rome was taken by his colleague Mark Anthony. The whole East was under the rule of this Roman, so Cleopatra needed his location. While Anthony 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 her best to make an unforgettable impression on Anthony. Their meeting took place in 41 BC. aboard a luxury ship with scarlet sails. Cleopatra appeared before Antony as the goddess of love. Most researchers have no doubt that Antony soon fell in love with the queen.
Striving to be close to his beloved, Anthony practically moved to Alexandria. All kinds of entertainment were his main occupation here. As a true Dionysus, this man could not do without alcohol, noise and spectacular shows.
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, Anthony's behavior was considered not only scandalous, but also dangerous, because he endowed his beloved with Roman territories.
Antony's careless actions gave Caesar's nephew, Octavian, an excuse to declare "war against the Egyptian queen." The climax 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. troops of Octavian captured Alexandria. The unfinished tomb served as a refuge for Cleopatra at that time. By mistake - or perhaps on purpose - Mark Antony, having received the news of the queen's suicide, threw himself on 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 wanted to hold her in chains 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 the marks of Pharaoh's dignity in her hands.
According to the widespread version, the queen died from a snakebite; according to other sources, it was a prepared poison.
The death of his rival greatly disappointed Octavian. According to Suetonius, he even sent to her body special people that 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 strengthened world domination.
The image of Cleopatra in the past and present
The posthumous life of Cleopatra was surprisingly eventful.
StacySchiff "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's been an asteroid computer game, a nightclub, a beauty salon, a slot machine - and even a brand of cigarettes.
The image of Cleopatra has become an eternal theme, played by representatives of the art world.
In painting
Despite the fact that it is not known for certain what Cleopatra looked like, hundreds of canvases are dedicated to her. This fact, probably, would disappoint the main political rival of Cleopatra, 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 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 widespread 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 ruler as a vicious priestess of love who is "more beautiful than Venus itself." Shakespeare's Cleopatra lives by feelings, not reason.
A slightly different image can be seen in the play "Caesar and Cleopatra" by Bernard Shaw. His Cleopatra is cruel, domineering, capricious, treacherous and ignorant. Many of the historical facts are changed in Shaw's play. In particular, the relationship between Caesar and Cleopatra is extremely platonic.
Russian poets also did not pass by Cleopatra. Separate poems were dedicated to her by Alexander Pushkin, Valery Bryusov, Alexander Blok and Anna Akhmatova. But even in them, the Egyptian queen appears by no means a positive character. For example, Pushkin took advantage of the legend according to which the queen executed her lovers after a night spent together. Similar rumors were actively spread by some Roman authors.
To the cinema
It was thanks to the cinema that Cleopatra earned the fame of the 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 appeared about the unprecedented beauty of the Egyptian queen. But the famous ruler, most likely, did not have a bit 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 have played, emphasize the appearance and sensuality of the Egyptian queen. In the TV series "Rome", filmed for the BBS and HBO channels, Cleopatra is generally presented as a licentious drug addict.
A more realistic image can be seen in the 1999 mini-series "Cleopatra". The main role in it was played by the Chilean actress Leonor Varela. The creators of the tape selected the actress based on her portrait likeness.
The common perception of Cleopatra has little to do with the true state of affairs. Rather, it is a kind of collective image of the femme fatale based on the fantasies and fears of men.
But Cleopatra fully confirmed that smart women are dangerous.
Cleopatra VII Philopator(Old Greek. Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ ; 69-30 years BC BC) - the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt from the Macedonian dynasty of the Ptolemies (Lagids).
Glorified for the dramatic love story for the Roman commander Mark Antony. In the last years of her reign, Egypt was conquered by Rome, Cleopatra herself committed suicide in order not to become a prisoner of Octavian. Cleopatra has become one of the most popular antique characters in films and literary works.
General information
Cleopatra VII ruled Egypt for 21 consecutive years in co-government with her brothers (they are, by tradition, formal husbands) Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, then in a de facto marriage with the Roman commander Mark Antony. She was the last independent ruler of Egypt before the Roman conquest. She gained wide popularity thanks to her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. From Caesar, possibly, she had a son, Caesarion, from Anthony, two sons and a daughter.
Personality
The true appearance of Cleopatra is not easy to discern because of the romantic flair that surrounds her and the numerous films; but there is no doubt that she was of a manly and tough enough character to trouble the Romans.
There are no reliable images that accurately, without idealization, would convey its physical appearance. A damaged bust from Shershell in Algeria (the ancient city of Caesarea of the Moor), created after the death of Cleopatra on the occasion of the marriage of Cleopatra Selena II, her daughter to Mark Antony, with the king of Mauretania Juba II, conveys the appearance of Cleopatra in her last years; although sometimes this bust is attributed to Cleopatra Selene II, daughter of Cleopatra VII. Cleopatra VII is credited with Hellenistic busts, depicting young attractive women with typically Greek faces, but the persons from whom the bust was made are not precisely identified. It is believed that the busts depicting Cleopatra VII are kept in the Berlin Museum (see headpiece) and the Vatican Museum, but the classic appearance makes one suspect the idealization of the image.
The profiles on the coins show a woman with wavy hair, large eyes, a prominent chin, and a crooked nose (inherited from the Ptolemies). On the other hand, it is known that Cleopatra was distinguished by powerful charm, attractiveness, she perfectly used this for seduction and, in addition, had a charming voice and a brilliant, sharp mind. As Plutarch writes, who saw the portraits of Cleopatra:
For the beauty of this woman was not what is called incomparable and strikes at first glance, but her appeal was distinguished by irresistible charm, and therefore her appearance, combined with rare convincing speeches, with a huge charm that shone through in every word, in every movement, firmly cut into In the soul. The very sounds of her voice caressed and delighted the ear, and her tongue was like a multi-stringed instrument, easily tuned to any mood - to any dialect ...
While the Greeks generally neglected the upbringing of daughters, even in royal families, Cleopatra clearly had a good education which, superimposed on her natural intelligence, gave excellent results. Cleopatra became a real polyglot queen, speaking, in addition to her native Greek language, Egyptian (the first of her dynasty made efforts to master it, maybe only with the exception of Ptolemy VIII Fiscon), Aramaic, Ethiopian, Persian, Hebrew and the language of the Berbers (the people who lived in southern Libya). Her linguistic abilities did not bypass Latin either, although the enlightened Romans, such as Caesar, themselves were fluent in Greek.
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The path to the throne
Testament of Ptolemy XII, who died in March 51 BC. e., transferred the throne to Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIII, who was then about 9 years old, and with whom she was combined in a formal marriage, since according to the Ptolemaic custom, a woman could not reign on her own. She ascended the throne under the official title Θέα Φιλοπάτωρ (Thea Philopator), that is, the goddess who loves her father (from the inscription on the stele from 51 BC). The first three years of his reign were not easy due to a 2-year crop failure caused by insufficient flooding of the Nile.
With the accession of the co-rulers, a latent struggle between parties immediately began. Cleopatra first ruled alone, removing her young brother, but then the latter took revenge, relying on the eunuch Potin (who was something like the head of government), the commander Achilles and his tutor Theodotus (rhetorician from Chios). In a document dated October 27, 50 BC. BC, the name of Ptolemy appears underlined in the first place.
In the summer of 48 BC. NS. Cleopatra, who fled to Syria and recruited an army there, set up a camp at the head of this army on the Egyptian border, not far from the fortress of Pelusius; her brother also settled there with an army, blocking her path to the country.
The turning point was the flight of the Roman senator Pompey to Egypt and his assassination by Ptolemy's supporters.
Cleopatra and Caesar
At this moment, Rome intervenes in the struggle. Pompey, defeated by Julius Caesar at Pharsalus, in early June 48 BC NS. appears at the Egyptian coast and asks the Egyptian king for help. Young Ptolemy XIII, or rather his advisers, hoping to get generous favors from the victors, give the order to kill the Roman. This was done, as soon as Pompey set foot on Egyptian land, in front of his entire entourage (July 28, 48). But the king miscalculated: Caesar, who in pursuit of Pompey landed in Egypt two days later, was angry with this massacre and buried Pompey's head at the walls of Alexandria, where he erected the sanctuary of Nemesis.
Once in Egypt, Caesar tried to replenish his treasury with the help of debts that Ptolemy XII had made to the Roman banker Rabirius during his efforts to restore the throne, and which Caesar now chalked up to his own account. Suetonius writes that Caesar “ did not dare"Turn Egypt into a Roman province," so that some enterprising governor would not be able to rely on her [a province with huge resources] for new troubles". However, Caesar announced his intention to act as an arbiter in the dispute between the kings. Ptolemy XIII and without him was the de facto ruler, moreover, recognized by Pompey; therefore, Caesar was interested in Cleopatra, who could become a puppet owed to him by power.
Soon after arriving, he summons Cleopatra to his place in Alexandria. To penetrate the capital, guarded by Ptolemy's people, was tricky business; Cleopatra was helped to do this by her admirer, the Sicilian Apollodorus, who secretly took the queen in a fishing boat, and then carried her to Caesar's chambers, hiding in a large bed bag (and not in the carpet, as it is embellished in the films, see Cleopatra's Carpet). From this fact, we can conclude about the fragile physique of the queen. Throwing herself at the feet of the Roman dictator, Cleopatra began to bitterly complain about her oppressors, demanding the execution of Potin. 52-year-old Caesar was captured by a young queen; all the more since the return to the will of Ptolemy XII was in line with his own political interests. When the next morning Caesar announced this to the 13-year-old king, he ran out of the palace in a rage and, tearing off his tiara, began to shout to the assembled people that he had been betrayed. The crowd was outraged; but Caesar at that moment managed to calm her down by reading the will of the king.
However, the situation became more complicated for Caesar. The detachment that accompanied him numbered only 7 thousand soldiers; supporters of the murdered Pompey gathered in Africa, and these circumstances aroused in Ptolemy's party the hope of getting rid of Caesar. Potin and Achilles summoned troops to Alexandria; the execution of Potin by Caesar could no longer stop the uprising. The troops, supported by the townspeople, outraged by the extortion and willfulness of the Romans, received a leader when Ptolemy XIII and his sister Arsinoe fled to them. As a result, Caesar in September 48 BC. NS. was besieged and cut off from reinforcements in the royal quarter of Alexandria. Saved Caesar and Cleopatra only the approach of reinforcements led by Mithridates of Pergamon.
The rebels were defeated on January 15, 47 BC. NS. at the Mareotian lake, while fleeing, King Ptolemy drowned in the Nile. Arsinoe was captured and was then carried out in Caesar's triumph. This was followed by a joint journey of Caesar and Cleopatra along the Nile on 400 ships, accompanied by noisy festivities. Cleopatra, formally combined with her other young brother Ptolemy XIV, actually became the undivided ruler of Egypt under the Roman protectorate, the guarantee of which was the three legions left in Egypt. Soon after the departure of Caesar, on June 23, 47, Cleopatra gave birth to a son, who was named Ptolemy Caesar, but who went down in history under the nickname Caesarion given to him by the Alexandrians. It was said that he was very similar to Caesar in both face and posture.
Stay in Rome
Thus began a ten-year romance, one of the most famous in history - even though we cannot judge how much of a political calculation Cleopatra needed in her relationship with Antony to carry out her plans. For his part, Antony only with the help of Egyptian money could maintain his huge army.
Restoration of the state of the Lagids
Anthony, leaving the army, followed Cleopatra to Alexandria, where he spent the winter of 41-40. BC e., indulging in drinking and entertainment. For her part, Cleopatra tried to bind him as tightly as possible.
Not all of the territories granted were under the real control of Anthony. Flavius Josephus claims that Cleopatra also demanded Judea from Antony, but was refused; however this message is put [ by whom?] questioned.
The news of the distribution of land caused the strongest indignation in Rome, Anthony clearly broke with all Roman traditions and began to play himself a Hellenistic monarch.
Crash
Battle of Actium
Anthony still enjoyed considerable popularity in the Senate and the army, but with his Eastern-Hellenistic antics, which defied Roman norms and traditional ideas, he himself gave Octavian a weapon against himself. By 32 BC. NS. it came to a civil war. At the same time, Octavian proclaimed it a war of "the Roman people against the Egyptian queen." The Egyptian, who enslaved the Roman commander with her charms, was portrayed as the focus of everything Eastern, Hellenistic-royal, alien to Rome and "Roman virtues."
Battle of Actium... Lorenzo A. Castro (1672)
From the side of Antony and Cleopatra, a fleet of 500 ships was prepared for the war, of which 200 were Egyptian. Anthony waged the war sluggishly, indulging, together with Cleopatra, feasts and festivities in all the passing Greek cities and giving Octavian time to organize the army and navy. While Antony was pulling troops to the western coast of Greece, intending to cross over to Italy, Octavian himself swiftly crossed over to Epirus and imposed a war on Antony on its territory.
Cleopatra's stay in Antony's camp, her constant intrigues against everyone in whom she saw her ill-wishers, did Antony a disservice, prompting many of his supporters to defect to the enemy. The story of an ardent supporter of Anthony Quintus Dellius, who was nevertheless forced to flee to Octavian, because he was warned that Cleopatra was going to poison him for a joke, which she considered offensive to herself, is characteristic. The defectors informed Octavian of the content of Anthony's will, it was immediately removed from the temple of Vesta and published. Antony officially recognized Cleopatra as his wife, her sons as his legitimate children, and bequeathed to bury himself not in Rome, but in Alexandria next to Cleopatra. Anthony's will completely discredited him.
Octavian, who was not a major military leader, found in Mark Vipsanius Agrippa a competent commander who successfully waged the war. Agrippa managed to drive the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra into the Ambracian Gulf and blockaded it. Their troops began to feel a lack of food. Cleopatra insisted on a sea breakthrough. At the council of war, this opinion prevailed. The result was the naval battle of Actium on September 2, 31 BC. NS. When Cleopatra feared victory was slipping away, she decided to flee with her entire fleet, trying to save something else. Antony ran after her. His defeated fleet surrendered to Octavian, and after that the demoralized land army surrendered without a fight.
The death of Antony and Cleopatra
Death of Cleopatra, painting by Reginald Arthur, 1892
Antony returned to Egypt and did nothing to continue the struggle with Octavian. However, he did not have any real resources for this. He wasted his energies in drinking and lavish festivities, and together with Cleopatra announced the creation of the "Death Rows Union", whose members vowed to die together. Their confidants had to join this union. Cleopatra tested poisons on prisoners, trying to find out which poison brings faster and painless death... Cleopatra was concerned about saving Caesarion. She sent him to India, but he then returned back to Egypt. She herself at one time pondered a plan of flight to India, but when trying to transport ships across the Isthmus of Suez, the Arabs burned them. These plans had to be abandoned.
Death of Cleopatra, painting by Hungarian artist Gyula Bentsur, 1911
In the spring of 30 BC. NS. Octavian moved to Egypt. Cleopatra tried to protect herself from treason with cruel measures: when the commandant of Pelusia Seleucus surrendered the fortress, she executed his wife and children. By the end of July, Octavian's troops appeared near Alexandria. The last parts that remained with Anthony, one after another, went over to the side of the winner.
It was all over on 1 August. Cleopatra, with her trusted maids Irada and Charmion, locked herself in the building of her own tomb. Antony was given the false news of her suicide. Antony threw himself on his sword. Soon he, dying, was dragged into the tomb by the women, and he died in the arms of Cleopatra, who was sobbing over him. Cleopatra herself, holding a dagger in her hand, showed readiness for death, but entered into negotiations with the messenger of Octavian, allowed him to enter the tomb building and disarm her. Apparently, Cleopatra still retained a faint hope of seducing Octavian, or at least agreeing with him, and keeping the kingdom. Octavian was less susceptible to seduction than Caesar and Antony.
The last days of Cleopatra are described in detail by Plutarch according to the memoirs of Olympus, her physician. Octavian allowed Cleopatra to bury her beloved; her own fate remained unclear. She said she was sick and made it clear that she would starve herself - but Octavian's threats to deal with the children forced her to accept treatment.
A few days later, Caesar (Octavian) himself visited Cleopatra in order to somehow console her. She lay on the bed, depressed and dejected, and when Caesar appeared at the door, jumped up in one tunic and threw herself at his feet. Her hair, which had not been tidied up for a long time, hung in tufts, her face went wild, her voice trembled, her eyes went out.
Death of Cleopatra. Artist Jean-Andre Rixant (1874)
Octavian admonished Cleopatra with encouraging words and departed.
Soon, the Roman officer Cornelius Dolabella, who was in love with Cleopatra, informed her that in three days she would be sent to Rome for the triumph of Octavian. Cleopatra ordered a letter written in advance to be delivered to him and locked herself in with the maids. Octavian received a letter in which he found complaints and a request to bury her with Antony, and immediately sent people. The messengers found Cleopatra dead, in a royal dress, on a golden bed. Since before that a peasant with a pot of figs went to Cleopatra, who did not arouse suspicion among the guards, it was decided that a snake was carried in the pot to Cleopatra. It was claimed that two light bites were barely visible on Cleopatra's hand. The snake itself was not found in the room, as if it had immediately crawled out of the palace.
According to another version, Cleopatra kept the poison in a hollow head hairpin. This version is supported by the fact that both of Cleopatra's maids died with her. It is doubtful that one snake would kill at once three people... According to Dion Cassius, Octavian tried to revive Cleopatra with the help of psillas, an exotic tribe who could suck poison harmlessly to themselves.
The death of Cleopatra on August 12, 30, deprived Octavian of the brilliant captive at his triumph in Rome. In the triumphal procession, only her statue was carried.
Caesar's adopted son Octavian executed Caesar's own son by Cleopatra Ptolemy XV Caesarion in the same year. Children from Anthony walked in chains at the triumphant parade, then were brought up by Octavian's sister Octavia, Anthony's wife, "in memory of her husband." Subsequently, Cleopatra's daughter Cleopatra Selena II was married to the Moorish king Yuba II, due to which a bust of Cleopatra from Sherchell appeared.
The fate of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus remained unknown. It is assumed that they died early.
In 2008, researcher Zahi Hawass reported that he was able to find the alleged burial site of Queen Cleopatra and the Roman military commander Mark Antony. According to his assumptions, they were buried together on the territory of the temple of Osiris in the vicinity of Alexandria. There is a 120-meter long tunnel under the temple. There were also statues of the queen and many coins with her image. Two weeks before the opening, Hawas discovered a bust of Mark Antony and suggested that his burial may be near Cleopatra's.
Cleopatra in culture
Musical and Drama Theater
- Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare (1603-1604 or 1607).
- "Cleopatra" - opera by Johann Matteson (1704).
- "Cleopatra" - opera by Franz Pönitz (1888).
- "Caesar and Cleopatra" - a play by Bernard Shaw (1898).
- "Cleopatra" - opera by Jules Massenet (1914).
Literature
- "Cleopatra" is a poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin (1824, revised in 1828 is usually included in the text of "Egyptian Nights").
- "The Night Granted by Cleopatra" is a short story by Théophile Gaultier (1845).
- Cleopatra is a historical novel by Georg Ebers (1893).
- "Cleopatra" is an adventure novel by Henry Ryder Haggard (1898).
- "Cleopatra" ("I am Cleopatra, I was a queen ...") is a poem by Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov (1899).
- "Cleopatra" ("No, as a slave I will not be crucified ...") - poem by Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov (1905)
- "Cleopatra" ("The sad freak show is open ...") is a poem by Alexander Alexandrovich Blok (1907).
- "Cleopatra" is a poem by Anna Andreevna Akhmatova (1940).
- The Diaries of Cleopatra - Historical Novel
The Queen of Egypt Cleopatra was born in 69 BC. e, and died in 30 BC. NS. She lived a relatively short but bright life, leaving behind many secrets and mysteries. 2 thousand years have passed since the death of this amazing woman, and humanity cannot forget her name.
The origin of Cleopatra was the most noble. She belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty, who ruled Egypt for 300 years. The founder of the dynasty was Ptolemy Lag or Ptolemy I, son of Lag. He was a military leader under Alexander the Great, and after his death he founded a separate state in Egypt - the so-called Hellenistic Egypt with its capital in the city of Alexandria.
Under Ptolemy Lage, the Library of Alexandria began to be created and the Alexandria Lighthouse was almost completely built, which is considered today one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The descendants continued the parent's work. They breathed into Ancient Egypt new life and turned it into a strong, wealthy country with an educated and highly cultured population.
In the Ptolemaic dynasty, it was considered compulsory to enter into marriages between siblings. That is, there was incest. At the time, it was considered a common practice among the pharaohs and Macedonian kings. So the Ptolemies did not invent anything new. They, having taken possession of the royal crown, adopted this tradition from the crowned persons who practiced this for millennia.
It is believed that with incest, the genus gradually degenerates. But, as practice has proved, nothing of the kind happened among the Ptolemies. For three hundred years, the closest relatives gave birth to each other. At the same time, no terrible hereditary diseases were observed. All the crowned persons were healthy in body and head. Clear proof of this is Cleopatra - the product of 300 years of incest.
Childhood of Cleopatra
When she was born, Hellenistic Egypt was already in decline. The dynasty was torn apart by endless strife for the throne, and the Roman Republic was rapidly gaining strength in the north. Reigned at this time Ptolemy XII- the father of our heroine. He became very close with the Romans, which later became the cause of the death of the power entrusted to him.
Cleopatra had two sisters: the elder Berenice and the younger Arsinoe. They played a certain role in the fate of our heroine. It all began in 58 BC. e, when the Roman legions landed in Cyprus. The island had close ties with Egypt, as it was also ruled by representatives of the Ptolemaic dynasty. But Ptolemy XII, bound by obligations with the Roman Republic, did not support the people of Cyprus.
This caused a storm of indignation in Alexandria. The angry people were ready to tear to pieces the king, and he fled to Rome, taking Cleopatra with him. The eldest daughter Berenice remained in the capital. She proclaimed herself a queen, becoming Berenice IV in 58 BC. NS. Ancient historians note that this woman had a very beautiful appearance, but her intelligence left much to be desired.
In 55 BC. NS. Egypt was invaded by Roman troops led Aulus Gabinius- a prominent political figure of the republic, but a bribe-taker and a rogue. His task was to return power to Ptolemy XII. Alexandria was taken by storm, and the exiled king again received power. With the support of Gabinius, he staged a massacre in Alexandria and destroyed all his political opponents.
Berenice IV was cut off by the Roman legionnaires and brought to his father on a gold tray. Ptolemy XII took only one look at what was left of his daughter. But our heroine, who was hiding very close at that time, examined her head very carefully. The bloody scene made an indelible impression on the 14-year-old girl.
The beginning of the reign
The future queen had very good relations with her father. In 51 BC. NS. the king fell seriously ill. Feeling close to the end, he appointed Cleopatra co-ruler. At this time she turned 18 years old. Having received the title of queen, the girl began to be called Cleopatra VII.
Soon Ptolemy XII died, and her younger brother became the co-ruler of the young queen. Ptolemy XIII... At the time of coming to power, the boy was 10 years old. Subsequently, the brother and sister were to give birth to heirs so that they would continue the royal family. But fate decreed quite differently.
The newly-made queen had no feelings for her younger brother. He also treated his sister with coolness. A circle of ambitious subjects formed around the boy. Their desire was quite understandable - to rule the country on behalf of the child. But our heroine confused all the cards.
Coin with the image of Cleopatra
The Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, was distinguished by her outstanding intelligence and strong character. There was no way to push her around. The girl strove for absolute power. She also wanted to rid the country of Roman dependence and turn Egypt into a strong power, which it was under the first Ptolemies.
Surrounded by the young tsar, the eunuch Potin and the boy's teacher Theodat set the tone. They had a tremendous influence on Ptolemy XIII and dreamed of uncontrolled and absolute power. Skillfully playing on the ambition of other subjects, these people organized a conspiracy. His goal was to kill Cleopatra. But the young queen found out in time about the impending crime. In 48 BC. NS. she, together with her younger sister Arsinoe, fled by ship to the lands of Syria.
Here the queen managed to gather a mercenary army, borrowing money from local rulers and merchants. The girl had an amazing charm and eloquence. Men were thrilled in front of her and could not refuse money. As a result, Cleopatra VII stood at the head of a fairly strong military unit.
Her fighting detachments marched quickly towards Alexandria. They reached the Nile delta and ended up near the fortress of Pelusius, where the troops of Ptolemy XIII blocked their way. But while the opponents were preparing for battle, fate made its own adjustments.
In the Roman Republic at this time there was a struggle for power between Gnei Pompey and Julius Caesar. Once these two men were allies and fought together against the Senate. But everything flows, everything changes. Pompey and Caesar found themselves on opposite sides of the barricades, as they became leaders of completely different political forces. The first expressed the interests of the wealthy aristocracy (nobility), and the second defended the plebs.
In the summer of 48 BC. NS. the battle of Pharsalus took place between these political opponents. Gnaeus Pompey suffered a crushing defeat. He fled from the winner. First he ended up on the island of Lesvos, then in Cyprus, and from there he went to Egypt, counting on his military assistance.
At that moment, when the troops of the exiled Egyptian queen and her younger brother were about to enter into a bloody confrontation, the unfortunate Roman commander appeared on a ship near Pelusium. He was met by those close to Ptolemy XIII: Potin, Theodatus and the commander Achilles.
But Pompey hoped for help in vain. They don't like the losers, and they always bow their heads to the winners. Therefore, to earn Caesar's affection and sympathy, the Egyptians killed the once formidable and great Pompey.
After 3 days, Gaius Julius Caesar himself appears in Alexandria. The Egyptian king's associates obligingly presented him with the severed head of a former political enemy. They counted on the Roman leader's favor, but the reaction was exactly the opposite.
Only Caesar could decide what to do with Pompey. The Egyptians, on the other hand, showed an unhealthy initiative and did not at all take into account the character of a proud and domineering person. With their shortsighted and stupid actions, they irritated the dictator. But he was an experienced politician, so he did not show his anger outwardly. He had to first understand the political situation in Egypt, and only then make specific decisions.
According to Roman custom, the body and head of the slain were cremated and buried with honors. They buried the ashes at the walls of Alexandria, and on this site they erected a sanctuary dedicated to Nemesis. V ancient greek mythology Nemesis is the goddess of vengeance. The Romans also worshiped this goddess, leaving her name unchanged, although the names of others Greek gods renamed in their own way. By erecting the sanctuary, they seemed to emphasize that they would take revenge on the Egyptians for the death of Pompey.
The love affair of Caesar and Cleopatra
Soon, Caesar understands the prevailing opposition in the country. He declares that he will take on the role of arbiter and will try to sort out the feuds between the king and queen. A messenger is sent to Cleopatra with a proposal to come to Alexandria and meet with the Roman dictator. The girl has no choice but to consent. But she cannot openly appear in the city, as she is afraid of being killed by her brother's henchmen.
The way out, however, is found quickly. The queen gets into a boat with her devoted admirer Apollodorus and thus ends up in Alexandria. But you still need to get into the palace and see the formidable Roman commander. This task is rather difficult, since there are a lot of people of Ptolemy XIII in the palace chambers, and they all know the girl by sight.
Cleopatra climbs into a large bag intended for bed linen, Apollodorus puts it on his shoulder and passes unhindered into the rooms where Gaius Julius Caesar is.
Cleopatra appears before Caesar with a carpet at her feet. Allegedly, in it the queen was carried to the palace by her faithful man. In reality, she was carried in a bedding bag.
The young queen appears before a formidable dictator and makes an indelible impression on a mature man who has already exchanged a fifty dollar bill. The Roman is fascinated, but political interests come first. However, he had long ago decided to bet on the queen, moreover, this is fully consistent with the royal will of the late Ptolemy XII.
The next morning, the dictator declares to the young king that he considers Cleopatra the legitimate heir to the throne and sees no reason to deprive her of the royal dignity. The crowned boy is furious. He runs out of the palace and shouts to the crowd standing in the square that the Romans have betrayed him. People start to worry. But Caesar comes out to them and reads the will of the deceased king. The people calm down and disperse.
Ptolemy XIII has no choice but to come to terms with the decision of the dictator, but the eunuch Potin decides to turn the tide. He, on behalf of the young king, raises the Egyptian troops to fight the Romans. It all pours into fighting both on land and at sea. The result is a big fire in Alexandria. At the same time, most of the priceless manuscripts stored in the Library of Alexandria are burned.
Roman legionaries ruthlessly suppress the uprising, and the eunuch is captured and brought to the dictator. He orders him to be executed, and the political situation in the city is temporarily normalized. But soon a new uprising flared up, as the locals were not happy with the behavior of the legionnaires. They openly rob the population, rape women, that is, they behave like real invaders, not allies.
This uprising is already led by a young king. The people press the legionnaires, and they find themselves surrounded in the royal palace. Caesar finds himself in a very difficult situation. Cleopatra is with him, since the relationship between the dictator and the young queen has long ceased to be official and turned into close and intimate.
The Romans are rescued by legions who arrived in time from the province of Asia. This is the territory of the former Kingdom of Pergamon, located in the northwest of Asia Minor (today it is known as the historical region of Mizia).
Fresh Roman troops force the Egyptians to retreat from the city. They camp near the Nile River, which is a strategic mistake. Legionnaires attack the place of deployment of the troops of the young king, and they suffer a crushing defeat.
This historic event takes place in mid-January 47 BC. NS. Ptolemy XIII with his surviving adherents tries to flee the country. They have several ships, but the main Egyptian fleet recognizes Cleopatra VII as queen. Rebel ships cannot break the blockade and sink. Together with everyone, the young king also perishes. At the time of his death, he is not yet 15 years old.
Power over Egypt is concentrated in the hands of the young queen. She appoints her youngest sibling as her co-regent. Ptolemy XIV... In 47 BC. NS. he is just turning 13 years old.
The new rulers are throwing lavish celebrations. A huge fleet of 400 festively decorated ships sails along the Nile. The crowned brother and sister and Julius Caesar are on the deck of one of them. The people rejoice and rejoice. Finally, the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, gains full power. True, it is limited by the Roman protectorate, but this only plays into the hands of a young woman. At its disposal are 3 legions (a legion is a military unit numbering about 5 thousand people).
Guy Julius Caesar
At the beginning of June, the dictator leaves for Rome, and literally 3 weeks later, the young queen starts fighting. She gives birth to a boy and calls him Ptolemy Caesar... The entire royal environment understands whose child this is. He is given a nickname Caesarion... It is with him that the boy goes down in history.
A year passes, and Julius Caesar summons his crowned brothers and sister to Rome. There is a formal reason for this. Conclusion of an alliance between the Roman Republic and Egypt. But the real reason is that the dictator missed his beloved.
In the capital, visitors are given full disposal of a luxurious villa immersed in gardens on the banks of the Tiber River. Here the dictator's beloved takes over the Roman nobility. Everyone is in a hurry to pay their respects to the queen, because this also means reverence for Caesar.
But there are many people in Rome who are very irritated by this. The situation is aggravated by the fact that an elderly lover ordered to make a statue of his favorite. He ordered to place it next to the altar of the goddess Venus.
A happy existence lasts a little over two and a half years. In mid-March 44 BC. NS. Roman dictator killed by conspirators... A month later, the Egyptian king and queen leave Rome. They return to Alexandria in July, and at the end of August Ptolemy XIV dies at the age of 16. The death of the young man is directly associated with Cleopatra. She had a son from Caesar who could legally become a co-ruler. Therefore, my brother was no longer needed. It can be assumed that this is really so, given the mores of those distant times.
The love affair of Mark Antony and Cleopatra
After the assassination of Julius Caesar in the Roman Republic, a struggle began between two political forces. On the one hand, the assassin of the dictator Marcus Junius Brutus and one of the main organizers of the conspiracy, Guy Cassius, fought for power, and on the other, the Caesarians: Mark Antony and future first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus.
This civil war could not but affect Egypt, since military operations took place in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. Even a relatively young queen had to show political flexibility and wisdom in order not to be mistaken in her choice and to support those forces that could later win.
At first, Cleopatra relied on Caesar's killers and supported Guy Cassius. But she did this not openly, but through her governor in Cyprus. However, in 42 BC. NS. the conspirators' troops were defeated at the Battle of Philippi. Cassius committed suicide, and 3 weeks later Brutus did the same on himself.
The supporters of the killed dictator won the victory. The queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, could not stand aside and wait for what policy Rome would begin to pursue towards her. In 41 BC. NS. she gets on a ship and sails to Cilicia. This is the southeastern region of Asia Minor. Mark Antony is in it with his legions. He is preparing to march against the Parthians.
While living in Rome, the queen occasionally met with this man, since he was part of Caesar's entourage. Cleopatra is good at understanding people. She had a general idea of Antonia long ago. He is extremely vain, loves external brilliance and does not let a single pretty woman pass by.
Mark Antony
Mark Antony is younger than Caesar. In 41 BC. NS. he is 42 years old. Cleopatra is 28 years old. By age, they are perfect for each other. The queen arranges the first meeting very luxuriously. She did not spare money for the expensive decoration of the ship, to which she invited the Roman leader.
From this meeting begins a passionate love affair between Anthony and Egyptian queen th. It has been going on for almost 11 years, but it is difficult to say what prevailed in it: love or sober political calculation. The woman needed the political loyalty of Rome, and her lover needed money to support her legionnaires.
But be that as it may, the feelings of the Roman were so strong that he abandoned the army in Asia Minor, and he himself left for Alexandria with his beloved. For 6 months they indulged in an idle life, enjoying feasts and amorous amusements.
However, feelings are feelings, and politics is politics. In 40 BC. NS. the Parthians invaded the lands of the Roman Republic. They captured the south of Asia Minor and Syria. Mark Antony leaves his mistress and hurries to the place of hostilities, but is defeated by the Parthians and leaves for Rome. V " eternal city»He decides political and personal affairs, while Cleopatra is entering a new stage in her life.
The fact is that in 40 BC. NS. she gives birth to two twins from her new lover: a boy and a girl. The first one gets a name Alexander Helios, and the second is called Cleopatra Selena... Helios means "Sun" and Selena means "Moon".
Only at the end of 37 BC. NS. the beloved meet again. Mark Antony begins a campaign against the Parthians and comes to Antioch (a city in the southeastern part of Asia Minor). The queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, is also in a hurry there. This time, her lover is in luck. He defeats the troops of the Parthians, liberates the territories they occupied and establishes Roman rule in them. In particular, the Great Herod becomes king of Judea with the full support of Anthony.
Egypt also benefits from this. Cleopatra is transferred to the previously selected Cyprus, as well as several large cities on the Syrian and Cilician coast. The possessions of the Ptolemaic dynasty are expanding significantly and are almost approaching the borders that were under Ptolemy Lage. That is, the cherished dream of a woman is being fulfilled - to gain absolute power and make the state as powerful as it was under the first Ptolemies.
But the further course of events negates a lot. At the end of 37 BC. NS. Anthony begins a campaign against the Parthians, which ends with the complete defeat of the Roman army by the spring of the following year.
Cleopatra at this time gives birth to another child from Anthony. A boy is born and gets a name Ptolemy Philadelphus... All this does not like Rome at all. The future first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus sends his wife Octavia, who is Augustus's sister, to Mark Antony. But it only reaches Greece. Here she is met by a messenger from her husband, who demands that the wife immediately return to Rome. The reason for such a categorical demand was the Egyptian queen. She told her lover that she would commit suicide if his wife came.
In 35 BC. NS. Mark Anthony attacks Armenia, inflicts a crushing defeat on the troops of Tsar Artavazd II and places his protege Atropatena on the Armenian throne. But the victorious triumph (the solemn procession of the victors) celebrates not in Rome, but in Alexandria. At the same time, the mistress and their common children walk alongside the winner.
After that, the situation gets even worse. An overdone lover proclaims his son Ptolemy Philadelphus the king of Armenia. Alexander Helios is assigned the lands of Asia Minor and Syria. Cleopatra Selene is given by a mad father to Cyrenaica (a region in North Africa), and Caesarion is proclaimed king of kings.
All this causes in Rome at first indignation, and then rage. It can already be seen with the naked eye that Anthony is breaking with the republic and is following the lead of the Egyptian queen.
The further course of events characterizes a love couple only with negative side... They behave defiantly and completely cease to reckon with the Roman Republic. Apparently Cleopatra was dizzy with success, and she lost her political flair. Her lover was generally stunned by an excess of feelings. Trampling on all Roman traditions and norms, he recognizes the Egyptian queen as his wife and bequeathed to bury himself after death in Alexandria. This act discredits Antony in the eyes of Roman citizens, and his authority falls sharply.
Octavian August
In 32 BC. NS. Octavian Augustus declares war on the Egyptian queen... He loudly declares that this insidious woman sexually enslaved their former faithful companion and is the concentration of all earthly evil. The statement of the future emperor evokes understanding and approval among the Romans.
Legions from the outskirts of the republic are called in to defend Roman virtue. At the head of this army becomes Mark Vipsanius Agrippa... This is August's closest friend and peer. They were born in the same year - 63 BC. NS. These people are 6 years younger than Cleopatra, but they understand politics more and have not lost their heads from success.
Lovers equip a large army, since the financial capabilities of the Egyptian queen are in no way inferior to those of Rome. They have a huge fleet of 700 ships and strong ground troops... But Antony acts sluggishly and hesitantly. He is concentrating his military forces on the shores of Western Greece in order to strike from there on Italy. However, the troops of Agrippa landed a little further north in Epirus (western lands of Ancient Greece) and thwarted all the plans of the lovers.
Agrippa blockaded the Egyptian fleet in the Ambracian Gulf. Lovers decide for a breakthrough. In early September 31 BC. NS. the famous naval battle at Cape Actium... The task of the Egyptians was to break through the Roman blockade. In general, they succeeded. The queen and her lover managed to sail out into the open sea with some of the ships. But the main part of the fleet failed to break through. The ground forces were also left without support. All these forces surrendered to Agrippa, and went over to his side.
The further course of events indicates that Mark Antony is completely morally decayed. He lost all desire to resist the troops of Augustus. He has turned into a lethargic and weak-willed person who has crossed the 50-year mark. At that time, this age was considered already respectable and almost senile.
In the early spring of 30 BC. NS. Roman troops landed in Egypt. Immediately began a massive transition to their side of the regular troops of the queen. Nobody resisted the invaders. Even the death penalty of some military leaders and their family members did not help.
It all ended on August 1, 30 BC. BC when the Roman legions entered Alexandria. The queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, locked herself with 2 maidservants in a recently built tomb for herself. Mark Antony, upon learning of this, thought that his mistress had committed suicide and, according to Roman tradition, threw himself on the sword. However, he did not die immediately and managed to reach the tomb, where, as it seemed to him, he would find the corpse of his beloved. But she, in full health, rushed to the mortally wounded Anthony, and he expired in her arms.
After that, the woman who had lost the royal power took a dagger in her hands, demonstrating her readiness to die. But she was stopped by the voices of the Roman legionnaires. Augustus ordered them to bring Cleopatra to him safe and sound. The uncrowned queen did not resist the soldiers. She gave them her weapon and resigned herself to fate.
Most likely, in her soul there was a glimmer of hope to come to an agreement with August. Perhaps she hoped to keep the kingdom behind her. But at five minutes, the emperor turned out to be more resistant to female charms than Caesar and Antony. It should also be borne in mind that the woman was already 38 years old. She gave birth to 4 children. All this negatively affected her appearance.
Octavian did not succumb to the spell of our heroine, but behaved calmly and politely with her. He allowed Anthony to be buried, and then ordered him to be in the royal chambers with a doctor and maids. However, he did not say a word about her future future.
The dethroned Queen of Egypt had many admirers and admirers. One of them told her in great secrecy about Octavian's plans. He planned to go to Rome in a few days and take the seductress Anthony with him in order to lead her during the triumph in shackles through the streets of the "eternal city".
For an arrogant and domineering woman, such a shame was considered worse than death. In addition, it was the collapse of all her hopes, and life lost all meaning. A proud representative of the Ptolemaic dynasty decides to commit suicide.
Suicide of Cleopatra and her loyal maids
August 30, 30 BC NS. Queen of Egypt Cleopatra Takes Poison, which was prudently hidden many days ago in personal belongings. She dies on a luxurious bed, and two devoted maids are sent with her to another world.
The legionnaires who burst into the chambers find only lifeless bodies. August falls into despair, because now the victorious triumph is losing all its charm. He orders to make a statue of a woman from clay. It goes 2 months later in a cart through the streets of Rome to the enthusiastic shouts of the crowd.
The fate of the children of the Egyptian queen is unenviable. Augustus Octavian ordered the execution of Caesar's son Caesarion (Ptolemy XV). The act is not very beautiful, since August himself was the adopted son of the dictator. The young man died at the age of 17 a week earlier than his mother. Ptolemy XV is officially considered the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
The children of Mark Antony were led in shackles through the streets of Rome during their triumph. Among the citizens of Rome, such a mockery of small and weak people aroused indignation. August, in order to justify himself in the eyes of the people, had no choice but to give them to the education of Octavia - his to my sister and the widow of the late Mark Anthony.
In 29 BC. NS. at the age of 11, Alexander Helios dies from an unknown disease. After 3 months at the age of 7, Ptolemy Philadelphus leaves for another world. Only Cleopatra Selena lives to be 46 years old. In 20 BC. er, when she becomes an adult 20-year-old girl, she is married off to the ruler of Mauritania (not to be confused with Mauritania). This is a state in North Africa - today the western regions of Algeria. Selena becomes a queen, like her mother. Her profile is immortalized on coins.
The further course of history is filled with various important events. Egypt loses its independence and turns into a Roman province. In 27 BC. NS. power in the Roman Republic is undergoing significant restoration. Octavian August founds principate and, in fact, becomes the first emperor of ancient Rome. About 15 years later, Jesus Christ is born. Then a new era of human civilization begins, in which people remain to this day.
Conclusion
The Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, was undoubtedly an outstanding person. At the same time, contemporaries are rather restrained in describing her appearance. The woman had a large nose and a heavy chin. But the figure was slender and graceful. Added to this is a deep voice and intelligent, discerning eyes.
As a child, the representative of the Ptolemaic dynasty received an excellent education. She was fluent in 6 languages, well versed in poetry, knew medicine and mathematics. All this speaks of the desire for self-knowledge, since the ancient Greeks never sought to give daughters versatile knowledge.
This Cleopatra is presented in Hollywood
Our heroine was well versed in men and possessed great charm, which successfully compensated for some of the flaws in her appearance. But, along with intelligence, the woman had an extremely developed vanity. It, in the end, and ruined an outstanding personality. She wanted to become the queen of the entire Mediterranean, betting on Mark Antony.
He turned out to be unable to implement the plans of his mistress into reality. And the Roman Republic, which was in its prime, would never bow its head to a proud Egyptian woman with Greek heritage. All this became the reason for the death of an ambitious woman.
If she directed the energy of her lover in a different direction, then the story could be completely different. But in this case, the current generations of people would not know anything about the mysterious queen of fabulous antiquity. It is very difficult to achieve the memory of descendants. To do this, you need to do something grand and unusual. Cleopatra succeeded in this to the fullest, so she has been remembered for 2 thousand years.
Young girls imagine "the same career, but without a tragic outcome", and from older people you can often hear "there was a woman that was needed - beautiful, smart, decisive." However, this image is inspired more by movies than an actual study of publicly available facts. The legend “about an incredibly beautiful and sensual queen, before whom they bowed the strongest in the world this ”began to form after death. In different epochs, the legend changed "according to the requirements of the time": Cleopatra, in the minds of people, became either a fair ruler with "a number of successes on the love front", then an example of a "smart beauty with a strong man", then, in the end, a prudent careerist, well "monetized »Natural beauty. In our time, the idea of the Egyptian queen has crystallized into something between the Disney Little Mermaid and the Statue of Liberty: good, fair, domineering, true to her love and lived somewhere after Adam, but before Stalin.
As is often the case, in reality everything is much more complicated and at the same time sadder. In fact, Cleopatra VII Philopator was alternately married to her two younger brothers, gave birth to four children and became the last representative of her royal dynasty... In fact, all the "pillars" that support the modern legend of Cleopatra turn out to be myths.
Myth 1. Egyptian
Cleopatra belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty, which is called "Greek" or "Macedonian". The dynasty was founded by a colleague of Alexander the Great and his commander Ptolemy, the son of Laga. The legend even gives him a kinship with Alexander the Great himself. Whether it is true or not, after the capture of Egypt by the Macedonians, Ptolemy was appointed satrap (ruler) of this country. He founds a dynasty whose representatives tried to “keep their blood pure,” in other words, they married their sisters. There is a theory according to which Cleopatra's mother was a certain concubine, but in general her nationality is easy to determine - the last representative of the Ptolemies was Macedonian, or, to summarize, Greek... To her credit, it must be said that she was almost the only representative of the dynasty who deigned to learn the language of the obedient Egyptian people.
Myth 2. The autocrat queen
Bust of Cleopatra VII from Scherchell in Algeria (Berlin Antique Collection). wikipedia.org
Formally, this is true, Cleopatra was indeed the queen of Egypt. but real power she had "periodically", and even talking about the actual rule of an independent state will not work at all. Do not forget that we are talking about the ancient world, where the role of women was (at least officially) secondary. Cleopatra could not reign on her own in Egypt. After the death of her father, she "shared the throne" with her younger brother Ptolemy XIII. They were officially married, although in practice the “husband” was only 9 years old at the time of accession to the kingdom, while Cleopatra was already 17. Nevertheless, her attempt to rule on her own failed - hiding behind the name of the pharaoh, the courtiers actually expelled the girl from the capital, capturing power.
The failed queen was returned to the throne by her lover Gaius Julius Caesar. The rich, but almost not independent Egypt was a “close client” of the militant center of the then world - Rome. Caesar (very useful for Cleopatra) visited Egypt in a large company, as was customary among the Romans, his friends - smiling but well-armed legionnaires. The brother and husband of the disgraced queen was overthrown, and she was placed on the throne, not forgetting to formally marry another brother - Ptolemy XIV. Having become the illegal, but de facto wife of the almighty Caesar, Cleopatra really ruled Egypt, but only in the way that was convenient for Rome. It got to the point that Caesar, who applied the Divide Et Impera (“divide and rule”) rule to both Cleopatra and Egypt at the same time, openly summoned the “independent ruler” to him in Rome, “closer”.
The period of the queen's reign after the death of Caesar is well illustrated by one fact: the legionnaires left in Egypt without a firm hand were engaged in plundering local population until Rome itself brought them out of the controlled country. Subsequent cohabitation with Caesar's associate, the ruler of the eastern part of the Empire, Mark Antony, gave Cleopatra more power, but also only within the framework that was beneficial to the "capital of the world." The civil war that began then between Antony and the official heir of Caesar, who was entering the era of omnipotence, Octavian, led to disaster both Cleopatra the Seventh herself and the whole of Egypt.
Myth 3. Incomparable beauty
The most solid and most controversial "pillar" in the creation of the cult of Cleopatra. Paintings dedicated to the queen, as far back as the Renaissance, depicted a Greek woman in accordance with the beauty standards of the time. If desired, you can trace the change in the image in accordance with the changes in these standards. The current perception was more likely inspired by the fantasy of filmmakers: the roles of Elizabeth Taylor and Vivien Leigh are finally sugar-coated by Monica Bellucci.
Vivien Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor and Monica Bellucci as Cleopatra. Collage AIF Unfortunately, we cannot say exactly what Cleopatra looked like. Before the invention of photography, then there were a couple of thousand years, so only busts that are close in production time to the life of the character have to be discussed. On those of them that are identified precisely as the busts of Cleopatra, she appears as a woman with a large, slightly hooked nose, a narrow forehead and a thick lower lip. However, the most objective thing in this case is to study the opinions of her contemporaries, they certainly evaluated according to the then "standards". Writing about the Egyptian queen as a woman of incredible beauty begins a couple of hundred years after her death. True, the same people write about the "unprecedented depravity" of Cleopatra. In general, historians question most of these assessments, although they stand at the origins of the legend. The most authoritative is the opinion of the famous Plutarch, cited by him in the work "Comparative Biographies" (in the part that tells about Marche Antonia, the tsarina did not deserve an independent biography from the historian). As the virtues of Cleopatra, he calls "the irresistible beauty of conversion", the persuasiveness of the speeches and the incredibly beautiful voice. However, at the same time, he mentions that "the beauty of this woman was not what is called incomparable and strikes at first sight." At the same time, Plutarch is as close as possible to the period described and is considered a historian who rather sympathized with the last representative of the Ptolemaic clan. Researchers most often agree that the main advantage of Cleopatra was, undoubtedly, her intelligence and ability to find a common language (hence, an approach) with men.
Myth 4. Sensual and romantic
Cleopatra and Caesar. Painting by artist Jean-Léon Jerome (1866). wikipedia.org
According to legend, a carpet was brought to Caesar's chambers, in which Cleopatra was hidden. The carpet was unfolded, and she allegedly suddenly appeared before the gaze of a powerful Roman, who was instantly struck by her slenderness and inexpressible beauty. Further, the narrator of the legend must, apparently, significantly shut up, because "children under sixteen ...". Here you need to press stop, and then "rewind the tape back". Sparing the romantic feelings of the girls, we will not dwell on what Cleopatra brought in the bedding bag. Let's focus on Caesar. By the time he met the queen of Egypt, he was already over 50. He was an excellent commander, a very clever politician, a cunning intriguer and a decisive ruler. But the romance was inherent in him, let's say, special. Caesar was famous for his numerous connections so that even the legionnaires led by him into battle sang: "Hide your wives, we are leading a bald lecher to the city." Of course, the girl's charms played a role in the fact that the Roman supported her in the struggle for the Egyptian throne. However, he quite prudently "made" her a queen - created a puppet ruler loyal to him personally. Apparently, it was more convenient for him to “combine business with pleasure” with the twenty-one-year-old Cleopatra than with her teenage brother in the role of pharaoh. Subsequently, Caesar will order a gilded statue to be erected for his mistress, but in his will he will absolutely not mention either her or their joint child Caesarion.
His next "Roman lover" Mark Antony Cleopatra conquered, of course, more. But this had to be done thoroughly and with serious preparation. Several days of feasts and receptions, to demonstrate fabulous wealth to the detriment of the treasury, give gifts, find an approach. Anthony turned out to be a "nutty one" - realizing that the Roman is not stupid, but rather a brave soldier than a cunning politician, she chose the appropriate line of behavior. Rustic military humor, participation in "hooligan antics" - and here it is fighting girlfriend, and even with money. It doesn't matter what, until recently, she chose - in which direction to direct her arms, who will be the winner in the "Roman squabble".
The famous Italian historian Guglielmo Ferrero summed up the opinion of Cleopatra in words Completely cold and dispassionate, by nature incapable of sincere feeling ".
Myth 5.Perfect wife
Jan de Bre, The Feast of Antony and Cleopatra, 1669. wikipedia.org
Contacting Caesar, Cleopatra started a war with her formal husband-brother Ptolemy... Fighting against the Romans and their allies, Ptolemy XIII drowned. Enjoying life with Caesar, the queen arrived in Rome - during her stay there she became the object of irritation of all enemies, and often allies of her lover. The bowl was overflowed - a group of conspirators kills Caesar. Cleopatra returns to Egypt - her second formal husband and brother, Ptolemy XIV, perishes. It is believed that he was poisoned, and most of all this death was beneficial (of course) to Cleopatra.
Supporting the whims of Mark Antony in everything, the queen of Egypt went with him to fight against Octavian, the future emperor Augustus. Along the way, with her intrigues, she averted many of his associates from Anthony. What was the preparation (feasts and parties), so was the war. In the decisive naval battle at Cape Shares, Cleopatra took command of part of Anthony's fleet - about 200 (almost half) of the largest ships equipped in Egypt. At first, these ships did not engage in battle, standing in reserve, and when Octavian's fleet began to win, the Egyptian ships left the battlefield altogether. After his beloved, the defeated Anthony rushed off - his tragic end was only a matter of time.
Cleopatra on the Philae terraces. Painting by Frederick Arthur Bridgman Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Myth 6.Died not to live without a loved one
Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the capital of Egypt lost hope of victory and awaited the invasion of Octavian. In order not to be bored of waiting, they spent all the time at feasts, at the same time vowing to die together. True, when the legions of Octavian really entered Alexandria, the oath was unfulfilled. Anthony really threw himself on the sword, but Cleopatra allowed herself to be taken prisoner and, according to most historians, tried to pull off her signature trick. She allegedly tried to seduce Octavian - the heir to her first famous lover and enemy of the second. But this battle was initially losing. On the one hand - a mother of four children, 39 years old. On the other hand, he is not a rustic warrior Anthony, but a cunning, calculating and tough ruler.
Cleopatra's story ended when she realized why Octavian was keeping her alive - in order to lead her to triumph. In the ceremonial procession of the winner, she was given the role of a trophy and a museum exhibit - along with elephants and exotic plants... The queen killed herself (and in parallel, perhaps, two of her maids) with the help of poison - either a snake, or hidden in her clothes. Be that as it may, this was the end of the history of Cleopatra, the Ptolemaic dynasty and the independence of Egypt. The winners no longer wanted to play games with mistresses and controlled queens.
The Death of Cleopatra, painting by Reginald Arthur, 1892. wikipedia.org
P.S. Often in favor of supporting the myths about Cleopatra, the opinion “She was slandered by the victorious enemies” is heard. Of course, the enemies "corrected" the opinion about this woman, but what is important is that we are talking about the ancient world. In the absence of funds mass media it was difficult to launch outright lies into the crowd of people who are direct witnesses of the events. Therefore, with an obvious discount, but still you should trust the opinions of the contemporaries of Cleopatra VI Philopator. In any case, much more than Hollywood directors.