Cleopatra VII 51-30 B.C: Love, Sex, and Power in the Ancient World

The name of Cleopatra VII has resonated down through history as synonymous with mystery, power, feminine wiles, and that old standby, sex. Despite the best efforts of Roman historians to tarnish her name, she stands today as the embodiment of heroic, doomed defiance. Her love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are the stuff of legend, the standard by which all tragic romances are measured. The woman at the core of the legend started out life as the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes ("Flute Player"), a typically indolent Ptolemaic king who put his country in hock to the Romans to maintain his grip on power. Cleopatra was not especially good-looking in the classical sense, as seen on her coin portrait at right, though her tremendous intelligence, her facility with language, her skill with cosmetics, and her musical voice, not to mention the fabulous wealth of the kingdom she was heir to, made her immensely attractive to some of the world's most powerful men. After her father's death, Cleopatra squabbled with her brother Ptolemy XIII just as Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt in pursuit of his enemy Pompey the Great. The young Ptolemy ordered Pompey murdered, and act which did not endear him to Caesar--foreign kings had no right killing Romans. What did intrigue Caesar was the 17-year-old Cleopatra's entrance, unrolled in his chamber from a carpet borne by her muscular servant Apollodorus. Caesar and Cleopatra likely became lovers that very night; he fought and won the battle of Alexandria on her behalf, securing her sole rule of Egypt in 49 BC. She bore Caesar a son, Caesarion, and traveled to Rome circa 46 BC to share in his triumphs. She stayed there for two years, sparking rumors that Caesar planned to wed her and make themselves King and Queen of the Roman Empire. Caesar's assassination on the Ides of March, 44 BC, sent her fleeing back to Alexandria, from where she watched carefully the contest for power between the assassins, Caesar's lieutenant Marcus Antonius, and Caesar's young nephew Octavian. When Antony emerged as the seeming victor, Cleopatra set about beguiling him. It didn't prove too difficult. A lover of luxury, Antony lolled in Cleopatra's lap for two years (41-40 BC) while Octavian solidified his power base in Rome. She bore Antony twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. Antony returned to Italy in 39, securing an alliance with Octavian by marrying his sister, Octavia, an act which infuriated Cleopatra. She bided her time, knowing he would need the resources of Egypt to complete his planned conquest of the Parthian Empire. Predictably, Antony arrived in the East in 37 BC, helmet in hand, begging her forgiveness. She extracted from him enormous concessions. Huge tracts of the Eastern Roman Empire were placed under her rule and that of the royal children. Antony's Parthian campaign was a bust, giving Octavian a window to foment dissatisfaction with Antony in Rome. War became inevitable when Antony casually divorced Octavia and Cleopatra bore him another child, a son. Antony waited too long to initiate hostilities, allowing his army to be trapped by a blockade at Actium in Greece. Octavian won the naval battle; Antony and Cleopatra fled back to Alexandria with their treasure, hoping to raise another army. Octavian methodically boxed them in. By the time he arrived at Alexandria's gates, the outcome was a forgone conclusion. Antony fell on his sword; Cleopatra allowed herself to be captured. When it became evident Octavian planned to march her through the streets of Rome in chains, she managed a stylish exit by sneaking a poisonous snake into her chambers. Her death ended only her mortal life; she lived on in myth, art, literature, and cinema, most recently in Margaret George's immensely entertaining and well-researched novel "Memoirs of Cleopatra," and the upcoming TV miniseries based on it. Egypt, Ptolemaic Kings. Cleopatra VII. 51-30 BC. Æ 80 Drachmae (19.95 gm). Diademed bust of Cleopatra right / Eagle on thunderbolt left; cornucopiae to left, ? to right. Svoronos 1871; SNG Copenhagen 419. VF, dark brown and green patina. Exceptional portrait.