She was one of the few women who ruled Ancient Egypt. And despite being one of the best-known women in history, there is little that can be said with certainty.
She was 18 years old when her father died and found herself facing intrigues with her brothers over the succession. She became co-regent with her brother Ptolemy XIII, marrying him.
However, the dispute led to a civil war. It was at this moment that Cleopatra took refuge in Syria and asked Julius Caesar for help. Imagine what this historic meeting would have been like!
There they began a romantic relationship and Caesar regained the throne for Cleopatra. They have a son, whom they named Caesarion.
When Caesar is murdered by his opponents in the Senate, she tries to have her son recognized as the legitimate heir to Roman power, but her hope is not realized.
Later, her life takes a new turn. General Marco Antonio, who came to power in Rome, demands a meeting with Cleopatra to maintain the alliance between Rome and Egypt.
Art historian, Diana EE Kleiner, states that “Cleopatra set out on her sea excursions with a carefully chosen wardrobe, divine associations, expensive fabrics and jewelry, music and exotic essences.”
Thus, she would have arrived in Tarsus in style, almost immediately beginning a torrid romance with Antônio.
However, their romance resulted in their downfall. The people of Rome and the other co-leaders resented what they saw as Egyptian influence in Rome's affairs.
Realizing that the troops would be defeated, Cleopatra tells Antony that she intends to commit suicide. It is said that he reacts by stabbing himself and dies in her arms. She ends her own life shortly afterwards.
History, in general, reproduces the narrative of the seductive woman, especially when it talks about women who exercised great power over men's decisions. This stigma, however, limits Cleopatra's personality.
She, despite using the fact of being a woman to obtain advantages, much more than being seductive, she needed to be a persuasive woman with great political intelligence to lead the most powerful men of her time to her desires.
It is worth knowing that, in ceremonial events, Cleopatra appeared dressed as the goddess Isis, as it was common for Egyptian rulers to identify with some deity and to be considered gods on Earth themselves.
We can say that she embraced her divine side with great truth. And this inner belief was reflected throughout her life path.