How Did Cleopatra Rise To Power
Born in 69 BC in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra VII was one of the most powerful women in all of history. From her early days of her throne at the age of 18, to ruling with her brother, to her love affairs with Caesar and Mark Antony, Cleopatra had achieved greatness through her empire and throughout her life until her end.
Cleopatra was from a long line of the Ptolemaic dynasty that had ruled since the 4th century BC. Women were very rarely seen as a power figure during this time. Cleopatra is assumed to have two sisters and three brothers. Berenice, her oldest sister, attempted to kill her father for the throne. She ended up being executed herself for this act. Next, her sister Arsinoe also attempted to seize the throne, but Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy XIII devised a cunning plan in which to overthrow her and capture the throne for themselves. They achieved this when their father, Ptolemy Auletes, died in 51 BC. Ptolemy XIII ruled externally, being seen as the physical ruler of the Egyptian empire while Cleopatra internally ruled, for her brother was only 10 years of age at the time. It had been difficult for them to rule in the beginning due to their father's enormous debt because of the loans taken from the Roman …show more content…
Cleopatra saw him as a great advantage to power, so she began her sexual relations with him and became his love interest. Marc Anthony had spent a year with her, and later that year, after he returned to Rome, Cleopatra gave birth to twins: a boy and a girl named Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios. Years later, Antony returned to Alexandria for another war and married Cleopatra. They had another child together: a boy, Ptolemy Philadelphus. During this time, both Antony and Cleopatra had begun the Donations of Alexandria. They distributed sections of land to Cleopatra's for children: Caesar, Alexander Helios, Selene II, and Ptolemy
Cleopatra was from a long line of the Ptolemaic dynasty that had ruled since the 4th century BC. Women were very rarely seen as a power figure during this time. Cleopatra is assumed to have two sisters and three brothers. Berenice, her oldest sister, attempted to kill her father for the throne. She ended up being executed herself for this act. Next, her sister Arsinoe also attempted to seize the throne, but Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy XIII devised a cunning plan in which to overthrow her and capture the throne for themselves. They achieved this when their father, Ptolemy Auletes, died in 51 BC. Ptolemy XIII ruled externally, being seen as the physical ruler of the Egyptian empire while Cleopatra internally ruled, for her brother was only 10 years of age at the time. It had been difficult for them to rule in the beginning due to their father's enormous debt because of the loans taken from the Roman …show more content…
Cleopatra saw him as a great advantage to power, so she began her sexual relations with him and became his love interest. Marc Anthony had spent a year with her, and later that year, after he returned to Rome, Cleopatra gave birth to twins: a boy and a girl named Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios. Years later, Antony returned to Alexandria for another war and married Cleopatra. They had another child together: a boy, Ptolemy Philadelphus. During this time, both Antony and Cleopatra had begun the Donations of Alexandria. They distributed sections of land to Cleopatra's for children: Caesar, Alexander Helios, Selene II, and Ptolemy