10 May 2013
Cleopatra VII
She was a woman of powerful ambition, a keen sense of intelligence and charm. She had political skills that made a great mark on history. Her name was Cleopatra VII Thea Philopater, or just Cleopatra VII. Cleopatra was born in 69 B.C. and died August 3, 30 B.C.. She played a very important role in her father’s life helping him rule. She was the lover of three men, all who were rulers. She was not a typical teenager at age 17, or even close to being an average ruler at her time. Cleopatra grew up in her father’s palace that lay along the shores of Alexandria’s eastern harbor. The house was designed by Alexandrian artists. They created marble, alabaster, and onyx columns. Inside the palace the rooms were intricately painted. Throughout the house there were busts, statues, and fountains. Surrounding the palace there were beautiful gardens. Underwater archeologists discovered the foundations of her palace and described it as a lavishing building. Cleopatra’s palace was the key feature of the royal city. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator grew up surrounded by violence, murder and corruption. She was also raised around the best servants, doctors, teachers, cooks and palace guards. Cleopatra attended the Museum where she received a high education. She learned mathematics, philosophy, literature, art, music, medicine, and foreign languages. By the time she was an adult she could speak Egyptian, Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, Ethiopic, and Latin. Outside of attending the Museum, she studied with private tutors. She is believed to have been an accomplished scholar. Ptolemy XII Auletes was the King of Egypt, also Cleopatra’s father. Cleopatra VII and her brother, Ptolemy XII, played an important part in their fathers ruling. There was no law stating who could become king or queen and her brothers and sisters wanted to rule just as much as she did (Streissguth). When Ptolemy passed away in 51 B.C., he left the kingdom to