She also adopted common Egyptian beliefs and deities. Her patron goddess was Isis, and thus during her reign it was believed that she was the re-incarnation and embodiment of the goddess of wisdom. Cleopatra even was referred to as the “New Isis.
Cleopatra’s death marks the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Hellenistic period and the beginning of the Roman era in the eastern Mediterranean.
As such Cleopatra's language was the Greek spoken by the Hellenic aristocracy, though she was reputed to be the first ruler of the dynasty to learn Egyptian.
The young Queen of Egypt brought prosperity and peace to her ountry, possibly saved Egypt from absorption into the expanding Roman Empire.
Cleopatra was a highly intelligent woman and an canny politician. She was well-educated, clever and could speak nine languages. She was famous for her beauty, wit, for character in which "political power and female sexuality were securely combined". Cleopatra was charming, seductive and at the same time smart, and a quick-witted woman who was fluent in nine languages.
She clearly had personal courage and magnetism, and she wielded sufficient power to be feared by the Romans.
Cassius Dio also spoke of Cleopatra's allure: "For she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at that time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking; she also possessed a most charming voice and knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to every one.
These accounts influenced later cultural depictions of Cleopatra, which typically present her using her charms to influence the most powerful men in the Western world.
Cleopatra was the Queen of Egypt from 51-30 BC, one of the great romantic rulers of all times famous for her beauty, charm and will-power.
She was the last of the Ptolemies, the Macedonian-descended pharaohs who ruled Egypt beginning in 304 B.C.
Her whole life was a sophisticated struggle for power in which she skillfully used her natural intelligence, charm and beauty. She ruled with her two brother-husbands, Ptolemy XIII (r. 51 – 47 BC) and Ptolemy XIV (r. 47 – 44 BC), both of whom she had killed, and with her son, Ptolemy XV, or Caesarion (r. 44 – 30 BC).
When her father died in March 51 BC, 18-year-old Cleopatra and her brother, the 12-year-old Ptolemy XIII became joint monarchs.
In 50 BC Cleopatra came into a serious conflict with the powerful Roman troops of Aulus Gabinius and soon lost of power. By the time civil war Rome, in 48 BC, Pompey fled from the forces of Caesar to Alexandria. By the order of fifteen years old Ptolemy, Pompey was beheaded in front of his wife and children. When Caesar arrived in Egypt two days later, Ptolemy presented him with Pompey's severed head. While Pompey was Caesar’s enemy, he was enraged and Cleopatra saw the opportunity to use his anger toward Ptolemy. When they met Caesar was impressed by Cleopatra's intelligence and undeniable beauty, and helped Cleopatra to became the sole ruler of Egypt.
Ptolemy XIII died fighting Caesar, who restored Cleopatra to the throne. Cleopatra married another younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, but was effectively sole ruler.
In 46 B.C Caesar invited her to Rome. She was with Caesar in Rome when he was assassinated on 15 March, 44 BC.
In April Cleopatra returned to Alexandria, where Ptolemy XIV had died under mysterious circumstances. Soon she made her little son Caesarion her partner on the throne.
After 37 B.C. she and Antony were in permanent association. In 31 BC, Antony and Cleopatra combined armies to take on Octavian's forces in a sea battle at Actium and Octavian was victorious. After their defeat Cleopatra and Antony sought peace terms from Octavian, but without success. Alexandria was surrendered in 30 B.C. Thereafter Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide.
In 48 BC she met Julius Caesar, who entering Egypt in pursuit of Pompey. She entered Caesar's palace wrapped up in a carpet, posing as a gift for the Caesar. Julius Caesar was impressed with her ingenuity, daring and beauty. Although Cleopatra was 21 years old when they met and Caesar was 52, they became lovers during Caesar’s stay in Egypt (48 - 47 BC).
Nine months after their first meeting, in 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to their baby. He was named Ptolemy Caesar, and nicknamed Caesarion, which means "little Caesar".
In 41 B.C. she agreed to meet with Mark Anthony at Tarsus in Cilicia and her royal ship was prepared to take her to him. A legend says that Cleopatra dressed herself as Venus, the Roman goddess of love. She filled her ship with so many rose petals that the Romans knew of her fragrance before they could see her ship. She charmed him and later gave birth to twins, Cleopatra Selene II (Moon) and Alexander Helios (Sun).
Cleopatra hoped to tie him emotionally to her, but Antony left Egypt in the spring of 40. He returned to Rome and married Octavian's half-sister, Octavia. They had two daughters. In 37 BC he hurried through his military duties and raced back to Cleopatra. He married her in 36 BC and she gave birth to another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus.
In 32 B.C. the Roman Senate stripped Antony of all his titles, and declared war on Cleopatra. In 31 B.C., Octavian’s forces defeated those of Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium. In 31 BC Cleopatra tried to negotiate with Octavian for the recognition of her children as her successors in Egypt. But as his price Octavian demanded the death of Antony, and Cleopatra refused.
After Antony committed suicide, Cleopatra soon followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC.
Her son Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh, soon was killed on Octavian's orders.