Cleopatra
Cleopatra (69–30 bc) Queen of Egypt (51–30 bc). In 48 bc, she overthrew her husband, brother and co-ruler Ptolemy XIII with the aid of Julius Caesar, who became her lover. She went to Rome with Caesar, but after his assassination in 44 bc she returned to Alexandria. Mark Antony followed her to Egypt, and they married (37 bc). The marriage infuriated Octavian (later Augustus), the brother of Mark Antony's former wife. Rome declared war on Egypt in 31 bc, and defeated Antony and Cleopatra's forces at the Battle of Actium. Mark Antony committed suicide, and Cleopatra surrendered to Octavian but failed to win his affections and she too killed herself.
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
Cleopatra
