Cleopatra (January 69 BC – 12 August 30 BC)
was a Hellenistic co-ruler of Egypt with her father (Ptolemy XII Auletes) and later with her brothers/husbands Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. She later became the supreme ruler of Egypt, as pharaoh, consummated a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne, and, after Caesar's assassination, aligned with Mark Antony, with whom she produced twins. In all, Cleopatra had four children, one by Caesar (Caesarion) and three by Antony (Cleopatra Selene II, Alexander Helios, and Ptolemy Philadelphus). Her unions with her brothers produced no children. It is possible that they were never consummated; in any case, they were not close. Her reign marks the end of the Hellenistic Era and the beginning of the Roman Era in the eastern Mediterranean. She was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, ruled in name only before Augustus had him executed). Even though she still bore the ancient Egyptian title Pharaoh, her society's language was Greek and its culture was Hellenistic. When Cleopatra was born, the Great Pyramid was already at least 2,500 years old. Her society's understanding of the Ancient hieroglyphic language and culture of Egypt already was spotty. It was at best a reconstruction, not first hand knowledge[citation needed].

After Antony's rival and Caesar's legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (who later became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus), brought the might of Rome against Egypt, it is said that Cleopatra took her own life on 12 August[citation needed] 30 BC, allegedly by means of an asp. Her legacy survives in the form of numerous dramatizations of her story, including William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, Bernard Shaw's Caesar & Cleopatra, several films and the recent HBO/BBC series Rome.

Her mother was Cleopatra V of Egypt - who co-ruled Egypt with another daughter, Berenice IV, for a year before her death - yet Cleopatra, borne of the union with Ptolemy XII Auletes, was a direct descendant of Alexander the Great's general, Ptolemy I Soter, son of Arsinoe and Lacus, both of Macedon. A Greek by language and culture, Cleopatra is reputed to have been the first member of her family in their 300-year reign in Egypt - to have learned the Egyptian language.

Cleopatra is one of the few historical figures who remain, to this day, popular in modern culture. Tales of legendary beauty and an unrivaled strength of will have made her an idolized character of various forms of media. Many of these claims are relatively unsubstantiated though as the traditional concepts of beauty have been subject to reappraisals throughout the ages. It can however be assumed, with reasonable certainty, that Cleopatra possessed significant political influence during her period of existence.

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