Unraveling History: The Final Fates of the Children of Cleopatra VII? | Ancient Origins 23 January, 2016 - 14:39 Natalia Klimczak Unraveling History: The Final Fates of the Children of Cleopatra VII? (Read the article on one page) Cleopatra VII had four children. One with Julius Caesar and three with Mark Anthony. Until 31 BC the family of the last Ptolemaic queen lived a magnificent life in a golden palace, one of the most luxurious places of the world. However, when Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were defeated by Octavian during the naval battle at Actium in 31 BC, this idyllic life came to a close. The future Roman Emperor, who was about to be known as Caesar Augustus, didn't give any mercy to his enemies. He hoped to defeat Mark Anthony and take Cleopatra as his trophy to Rome. According to the ancient resources, this didn't happen because in 30 BC both Cleopatra and Mark Anthony committed suicide. This act left their children with no one to protect them.

Hope for an Empire The eldest son of Cleopatra was born June 23, 47 BC. As a son of Gaius Julius Caesar, he was called Caesarion, meaning ''little Caesar''. His full name was Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar and he was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt. He reigned together with his mother from September 2, 44 BC. Cleopatra liked to believe that one day he would become as great an emperor as his father was. He took lessons from the best teachers, to prepare him to fulfill his future role. Caesarion probably held the position as ruler after the death of his mother on August 12, 30 BC. However, he was murdered by Octavian’s orders just 11 days later. With his death, Octavian lost the only competition he had to the throne of Rome.

Caesarion, from the "Unravel the Mystery" Cleopatra exhibit ( CC0 1.0 ) Polish Archaeologists Discover Rare Gift from Father of Cleopatra The Sons of Gods Caesarion had two brothers: Alexander Helios (Greek “sun”) and Ptolemy Philadelphus. Alexander Helios was born as the second of Cleopatra's three sons. In 34 BC he received a title of “King of Kings.” His parents decided to make him the ruler of Armenia, Parthia, Media and all countries to be discovered between the Euphrates and Indus Rivers. In 33 BC, Alexander was engaged to Iotapa, Princess of Media Atropatene and the daughter of king Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene. Cleopatra’s third son, Ptolemy Philadelphus, was born in August or September in 36 BC. In late 34 BC he became a ruler of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cicilia. No ancient resources mention the prince having served in military endeavors or his political career. There is no information about any marriage plans either - which suggests that he didn't survive to adulthood.

Alexander the Great as Helios. Marble, Roman copy after a Hellenistic original from 3rd–2nd century BC. ( Public Domain ) When Octavian conquered Egypt he spared Alexander, but took all the children of Cleopatra and Anthony to Rome. Celebrating his victory, he made a parade. One of the greatest trophies he presented to the Romans were the children of the Egyptian Queen in golden chains. They were paraded down the streets behind an effigy of their mother clutching an asp to her arm. Octavian gave the children to his elder sister and the former wife of Mark Anthony – Octavia Minor. There they lived with Octavia's children. In the History of Rome , Cassius Dio mentions only twins arriving in Rome. This raises the question if Ptolemy Philadelphus survived the journey to Rome. He may have died from illness in the winter of 29 BC. Alexander Helios perhaps left Rome with his twin sister – Cleopatra Selene (Greek ''moon''). A daughter of the moon Surprisingly, the only daughter of Cleopatra became the greatest of all of the children of the last queen of Egypt.

When Augustus arranged her marriage with the King Juba of Numidia in Rome between 26 and 20 BC, no one could have guessed that this couple would become two of the most important rulers of Mauretania in history. Augustus gave to Cleopatra a huge dowry as a wedding present, so she became an ally of Rome. As Juba's kingdom became a Roman province in 46 BC, he became a king without the kingdom. Due to this fact, the couple were sent to Muretania, which was an unorganized territory that needed Roman supervision. Coin of the ancient kingdom of Mauretania. Juba II of Numidia on the obverse, Cleopatra Selene II on the reverse. ( Public Domain ) Battle of Actium - Mark Antony and Octavian approx. 400 ships, 19,000 men Mark Antony approx. 290 ships, 22,000 men Battle of Actium Overview: Following the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, the Second Triumvirate was formed between Octavian, Mark Antony , and Marcus Aerulius Lepidus to rule Rome.

Moving quickly, the Triumvirate's forces crushed those of the conspirators Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 BC. This done, it was agreed that Octavian, Caesar's legal heir, would rule the western provinces, while Antony would oversee the east. Lepidus, always the junior partner, was given North Africa. Over the next few years, tensions waxed and waned between Octavian and Antony. In an effort to heal the rift, Octavian's sister Octavia married Antony in 40 BC. Jealous of Antony's power, Octavian worked tirelessly to assert his position as Caesar’s legal heir and launched a massive propaganda campaign against his rival. In 37 BC, Antony married Caesar's former lover , Cleopatra VII of Egypt, without divorcing Octavia. Doting on his new wife, he provided large land grants for her children and worked to expand his power base in the east. Through 32 BC the situation continued to deteriorate with Antony publically divorcing Octavia.

In response, Octavian announced he had come into possession of Antony's will which affirmed Cleopatra's eldest son Caesarion as Caesar's true heir, granted large legacies to Cleopatra's children, and stated that Antony's body should be buried in the royal mausoleum in Alexandria next to Cleopatra. The will turned Roman opinion against Antony as they believed he was trying to install Cleopatra as the ruler of Rome. Using this as pretext for war, Octavian began assembling forces to attack Antony. Moving to Patrae, Greece, Antony and Cleopatra paused to await additional troops from his eastern client kings. An average general, Octavian entrusted his forces to his friend Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. A skilled veteran, Agrippa began aggressively raiding the Greek coast while Octavian moved east with the army. Led by Lucius Gellius Poplicola and Gaius Sosius, Antony's fleet concentrated in the Gulf of Ambracia near Actium. While the enemy was in port, Agrippa took his fleet south and attacked Messenia disrupting Antony's supply lines. Arriving at Actium, Octavian established a position on the high ground north of the gulf.

Attacks against Antony's camp to the south were easily repulsed. A stalemate ensued for several months as the two forces watched each other. Antony's support began to wane after Agrippa defeated Sosius in a naval battle and established a blockade off Actium. Cut off from supplies, some of Antony's officers began to defect. With his position weakening and Cleopatra agitating for a return to Egypt, Antony began planning for battle. The ancient historian Dio Cassius indicates that Antony was less inclined to fight and was in fact seeking a way to escape with his lover. Regardless, Antony's fleet emerged from the harbor on September 2, 31 BC. Antony's fleet was largely composed of massive galleys known as quinqueremes. Featuring thick hulls and bronze armor, his ships were formidable, but slow and hard to maneuver. Seeing Antony deploying, Octavian instructed Agrippa to lead the fleet in opposition. Unlike Antony, Agrippa's fleet consisted of smaller, more maneuverable Liburnian warships. These smaller galleys lacked the power to ram and sink a quinquereme, but were fast enough to escape an enemy ramming attack.

Moving towards each other, the battle soon began with three or four Liburnian vessels attacking each quinquereme. As the battle raged, Agrippa began extending his left with the goal of turning Antony's right flank. Lucius Policola, leading Antony's right wing, shifted outward to meet this threat. In doing so, his formation became detached from Antony's center and opened a gap. Seeing an opportunity, Lucius Arruntius, commanding Agrippa's center, plunged in with his ships escalating the battle. As neither side could ram, the usual means of naval attack, the fight effectively devolved into a land battle at sea. Fighting for several hours with each side attacking and retreating, neither was able to gain a decisive advantage. To the rear, Cleopatra became concerned about the course of the battle. Determining that she had seen enough, she ordered her squadron of sixty ships to put to sea. The actions of the Egyptians threw Antony's lines into disorder. Stunned at his lover's departure, Antony quickly forgot the battle and sailed after his queen with forty ships. The departure of 100 ships doomed the Antonian fleet. While some fought on, others attempted to escape the battle.

By late afternoon those that had remained surrendered to Agrippa. At sea, Antony caught up with Cleopatra and boarded her ship. Though angry at Cleopatra, the two reconciled and fled towards Egypt. Briefly pursued by a few of Octavian's ships, they made good their escape to Egypt. Aftermath: As with most battles from this period, precise casualties are not known. Sources indicate that Octavian lost around 2,500 men, while Antony's fleet suffered 5,000 killed and over 200 ships sunk or captured. The impact of Antony's defeat was far-reaching. At Actium, Publius Canidius, commanding the ground forces, began retreating and the army soon surrendered. Elsewhere, Antony's allies began deserting him in the face of Octavian's growing power. With Octavian's troops closing in on Alexandria, Antony committed suicide. Learning of her lover's death, Cleopatra killed herself as well. With the elimination of his rival, Octavian became the sole ruler of Rome and was able to begin the transition from republic to empire.

Selected Sources Cleopatra & Antony (Article) - Ancient History Encyclopedia by Brian Haughton published on 10 January 2011 Regarded by the Romans as “fatale monstrum”- a fatal omen, Cleopatra is one of the ancient world’s most popular, though elusive figures. The Egyptian Queen has been immortalized by numerous writers and film-makers, most popularly by Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra, and by Hollywood in Cleopatra (1963) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The latter work features the memorable image of the enticing young Cleopatra emerging gracefully from an unfurled carpet in front of Roman general Julius Caesar . But is Cleopatra to be regarded merely as the lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony ? Or did she play an important role not only in the history of Egypt , but also in that of the mighty Roman Republic ? Cleopatra VII Philopator ('father-loving') was born in January 69 BCE in the city of Alexandria , Egypt, the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes (117 BCE –51 BCE) and possibly Cleopatra V Tryphaena (c. 95 BCE – c.

57 BCE). Cleopatra was to become the last monarch of the Ptolemaic Empire (established in 323 BCE after the death of Alexander the Great ), ruling Egypt from 51 BCE to 30 BCE. In 48 BCE Cleopatra had become an ally and lover of Julius Caesar and remained so until his assassination in Rome in March of 44 BCE. The death of Caesar threw Rome into turmoil, with various factions competing for control, the most important of these being the armies of Mark Antony (83 BCE– 30 BCE) and Octavian (63 BCE – 14 CE), the former a supporter and loyal friend Caesar, the latter his adopted son. Advertisement Cleopatra Meets Antony In 41 BC Cleopatra was summoned to Tarsus (in modern southern Turkey ) by Mark Antony. She is said to have entered the city by sailing up the Cydnus River in a decorated barge with purple sails, while dressed in the robes of the Greek goddess Aphrodite . Antony, who equated himself with the god Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, was instantly won over.

Much like the meeting between Cleopatra and Caesar, both sides saw something in the other which they needed. For Cleopatra it was another opportunity to achieve power both in Egypt and in Rome, for Anthony the support of Rome’s largest and wealthiest client states in his campaign against the might of the Parthians ( Parthia was a region in modern north-eastern Iran) was highly desirable. At the meeting Cleopatra allegedly requested that her half-sister Arsinoë, living in protection at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus , be executed to prevent any future attempts on her throne. Anthony and Cleopatra soon became allies and lovers and he returned with her to Alexandria in 40 BCE. In Alexandria Cleopatra and Antony formed a society of “inimitable livers”, which some historians have interpreted as an excuse to lead a life of debauchery, though it was more likely to have been a group dedicated to the cult of the mystical god Dionysus. In that year Cleopatra bore Antony the twins Alexander Helios (the Sun) and Cleopatra Selene (the Moon). In 32 BCE, Octavian had the Senate deprive Antony of his powers & declare war against Cleopatra.

Octavian & Rome The political situation in Rome compelled Antony to return to Italy where he was forced to conclude a temporary settlement with Octavian, part of which was that he married Octavian’s sister, Octavia. It was to be three years before he and Cleopatra were to meet again, at the city of Antioch (near the modern Turkey / Syria border) under the shadow of the Octavian’s growing military power in the West. One result of this meeting was that Cleopatra became pregnant with her third child by Antony (the future Ptolemy Philadelphus); another was that parts of Rome’s eastern possessions came under Cleopatra’s control. Advertisement Celebrations in Alexandria In 34 BCE, despite the fact that Antony’s Parthian campaign had been an extravagant failure, Antony and Cleopatra celebrated a mock Roman Triumph in the streets of Alexandria. Crowds flocked to the Gymnasium to see the couple seated on golden thrones surrounded by their children, and Antony made a proclamation known today as the ‘Donations of Alexandria’. In this declaration Antony distributed lands held by Rome and Parthia amongst Cleopatra and their children, and proclaimed Caesarion as Caesar’s legitimate son.

Not surprisingly, the ‘Donations of Alexandria’ caused outrage in Rome, where the rumour began to spread that Antony intended to transfer the empire’s capital from Rome to Alexandria. In 32 BCE, Octavian had the Senate deprive Antony of his powers and declare war against Cleopatra, calling her a whore and a drunken Oriental. To avoid another civil war, Antony was not mentioned in the declaration, but this was to no avail and Antony decided to join the war on Cleopatra’s side. The Battle of Actium & the Invasion of Egypt The culmination of the war came at the naval Battle of Actium, which took place near the town of Preveza in northwestern Greece , on September 2, 31 BCE. Here Mark Antony and Cleopatra’s combined force of 230 vessels and 50,000 sailors were defeated by Octavian’s navy commanded by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, effectively handing control of the Roman world over to Octavian. In 30 BCE Octavian invaded Egypt and laid siege to Alexandria. Hopelessly outnumbered, Anthony’s forces surrendered and, in the honourable Roman tradition, Antony committed suicide by falling on his sword.

The Death of Cleopatra After Antony’s death Cleopatra’s was taken to Octavian who informed her that she would be brought to Rome and paraded in the streets as part of his Triumph . Perhaps unable to bear the thought of this humiliation, on August 12, 30 BCE Cleopatra dressed in her royal robes and lay upon a golden couch with a diadem on her brow. According to tradition (found in ancient historian Plutarch , for example) she had an asp (an Egyptian cobra), brought to her concealed in a basket of figs, and died from the bite. Two of her female servants also died with her. The asp was a symbol of divine royalty to the Egyptians, so by allowing the asp to bite her, Cleopatra became immortal. Other historians (including Joyce Tyldesley) believe that Cleopatra used either a poisonous ointment or a vial of poison to commit suicide.

Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator The Last Pharaoh 51–30 BC Birth Name: Cleopatra netjeret mer-it-es “Goddess Beloved of Her Father” Historical accounts of Cleopatra tell of a beautiful, highly educated woman who was schooled in physics, alchemy, and astronomy, and could speak many languages. Her voice, said the Greek biographer Plutarch, “was like an instrument of many strings, which could pass from one language to another.” Cleopatra was of Macedonian descent and not a native Egyptian. She was the second daughter of King Ptolemy XII and the last sovereign of her dynasty, which had been founded by Alexander’s general, Ptolemy, in 326 BC. She came to power in 51 BC, at the age of seventeen, and was married to her eldest brother, Ptolemy XIII. He attempted to murder her and seize power for himself but she escaped safely into Syria and later returned with an army. Either Cleopatra or Ptolemy could gain a decisive advantage until the Romans entered the picture.

Egypt was the largest supplier of grain to Rome and so that the grain supply was not disrupted it was vital that the country be politically stable. However, Cleopatra and Ptolemy’s struggle for power coincided with the Roman generals Pompey and Caesar’s own rivalry and, after his defeat at the battle of Pharsalus, Pompey fled to Egypt hoping to seek sanctuary. Julius Caesar Ptolemy miscalculated; he hoped to please Caesar by having Pompey beheaded, but Caesar was sickened by the dishonorable manner of Pompey death and sided with Cleopatra. Ptolemy then attacked the small Roman garrison on the Island of Pharos, intending to drive Caesar out of Egypt. Caesar set fire to the Egyptian fleet in the harbor but the flames spread to the city and the great library, which held over a million unique books, the largest collection in the ancient world. It was destroyed, Ptolemy was drowned during the battle and Cleopatra became the undisputed ruler of Egypt. Caesar was the dictator of Rome, and although Egypt was rich, Rome was a world military power. This fact wasn’t lost on Cleopatra, so she pursued the great man.

For his part, Caesar needed money and Egypt could supply his needs. So, out of both a strong personal attraction and mutual interest, the two became lovers. Together, they sailed up the Nile visiting the ancient monuments, and Caesar was fascinated by ancient Egypt whose history was, at that time, over two thousand four hundred years older than Rome’s. Eventually, Caesar returned to Rome leaving Cleopatra pregnant. She gave birth, in 46 BC, to a boy whom she called Caesarion and in 45 BC, she visited Rome. Her wealth and sophistication caused jealousy among the Roman nobility and the Senate became suspicious of Caesar’s intentions, believing that he wanted to make himself a king so they murdered him. Cleopatra’s hopes of influence and power were dashed when Caesar was assassinated. She returned to Egypt where she concentrated on building up the economy and consolidating her power. Her first act was to have her younger brother poisoned so that she could elevate her son, Caesarion, in his place. In 42 BC, at the Battle of Philippi, Caesar’s assassins were routed and the Roman Empire was divided between Mark Antony and Caesar’s great-nephew Octavian.

Octavian ruled in the West and Mark Antony took charge of the Eastern Empire where he planned an invasion of Persia. But he needed money for this venture and saw the wealth of Egypt as the key to success so he sent a message for Cleopatra to meet him at the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor. Mark Antony She was delighted because here was a second chance to achieve her ambition of making Egypt a great power again. She had known Mark Antony when he’d been a young staff officer in Egypt with Caesar and now, age of twenty eight, she was completely confident in her powers. She delayed her departure, took her time, then sailed into Tarsus in a great golden barge and entered the city in an extravagant show of style loaded with gifts. Antony was so captivated by her that he decided to put off his Parthian campaign; he returned to Alexandria with Cleopatra, where he lived a life of pleasure until in 40 BC when he return to Italy, where he concluded an agreement with Octavian over power sharing. As part of this settlement he married Octavian’s sister, Octavia.

Three years later Antony once again took up his postponed Parthian campaign and needed money so he returned to Cleopatra to get finance for the campaign, which ultimately ended in failure. Meanwhile, Octavian regarded Antony and his Egyptian power base as a threat to Rome’s dominance of the Mediterranean world and he waged a propaganda campaign against Antony. Antony made what was to prove a fatal step; he married Cleopatra. The union was an insult to his wife Octavia and her brother Octavian, but even worse, the marriage united all of Rome against him. During Antony’s absence, Cleopatra had made her own critical mistake in foreign policy towards Herod of Judaea. Herod and Antony were old friends but Cleopatra tried, unsuccessfully, to seduce Herod on his way through Egypt. Her vanity got the better of her and she never forgave him for the rejection. She later persuaded Antony to give her large portions of Syria and Lebanon and even tried to get the rich balsam groves of Jericho, part of Herod’s own kingdom. However, Antony refused to give her Jericho, which only inflamed her hatred of Herod.

She then interfered in Herod’s unhappy family affairs by conspiring against him with the women in his household. This act came back to haunt her; when she needed Herod’s help against Rome, he would not give it. In 34 AD, Antony celebrated a great triumph in Alexandria. The crowds saw Antony and Cleopatra seated on golden thrones with their own three children and Julius Caesar’s son, Caesarion. Antony proclaimed Caesarion to be Caesar’s son, thus diminishing Octavian’s status as Caesar’s adopted heir. Octavian responded by confiscating Antony’s will from the temple of the Vestal Virgins in Rome, to whom it had been entrusted. He then leaked its contents to the Roman people, who were outraged at Antony’s plans to bequeath his Roman possessions to this foreign woman and to transfer the capital from Rome to Alexandria. Cleopatra at Dendara The Roman Senate finally declared war against Cleopatra and on September 2, 31 BC, at the naval Battle of Actium, Octavian defeated the combined forces of Antony and Cleopatra. Cleopatra fled with her forces at the height of the battle.

When it really mattered, her judgment was questionable and this fact, along with Antony’s reckless, drunken behavior, doomed them to failure against the cold, calculating Octavian. Cleopatra retreated to her mausoleum and had a message sent to Antony saying she was dead. He was so devastated he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Octavian eventually entered Egypt, and Cleopatra tried once again to captivate the most important Roman but Octavian was not moved. He wanted to embellish his triumph by having her and her children dragged through the streets of Rome in chains. Rather than suffer such humiliation she sent him a letter asking that she might be buried with Antony, and then committed suicide by allowing a snake to bite her. Plutarch describes the scene, saying that she was found “stone dead, lying upon a bed of gold, set out in all her royal ornaments.” Cleopatra was thirty-nine when she died in 30 BC. She’d been a queen for twenty two years and was buried with her lover, Antony. Her high ambitions together with her arrogance ruined Egypt’s future prospects of independence.

While she might have of achieved client status for Egypt within the Roman Empire, her utter failure condemned her country to becoming a mere province of Rome. And yet, this extraordinary woman is one of the most famous in history. Together with Caesar, Antony, and Octavian (who later became the Emperor Augustus), she played a crucial part in shaping the affairs of western civilization and the course of history. The Greek historian Dio Cassius said of Cleopatra, “She captivated the two greatest Romans of her day, and because of the third she destroyed herself.” Ancient Egyptian Anecdotes The Battle of Actium - Sep 02, 31 B.C. - HISTORY.com The Battle of Actium Publisher A+E Networks At the Battle of Actium, off the western coast of Greece, Roman leader Octavian wins a decisive victory against the forces of Roman Mark Antony and Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. Before their forces suffered final defeat, Antony and Cleopatra broke though the enemy lines and fled to Egypt, where they would commit suicide the following year. With the assassination of Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., Rome fell into civil war.

To end the fighting, a coalition–the Second Triumvirate–was formed by three of the strongest belligerents. The triumvirate was made up of Octavian, Caesar’s great-nephew and chosen heir; Mark Antony, a powerful general; and Lepidus, a Roman statesman. The empire was divided among the three, and Antony took up the administration of the eastern provinces. Upon arriving in Asia Minor, he summoned Queen Cleopatra to answer charges that she had aided his enemies. Cleopatra, ruler of Egypt since 51 B.C., had once been Julius Caesar’s lover and had borne him a child, who she named Caesarion, meaning “little Caesar.” Cleopatra sought to seduce Antony as she had Caesar before him, and in 41 B.C. arrived at Tarsus on a magnificent river barge, dressed as Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Successful in her efforts, Antony returned with her to Alexandria, where they spent the winter in debauchery. In 40 B.C., Antony returned to Rome and married Octavian’s sister Octavia in an effort to mend his increasingly strained relationship with Octavian.

The triumvirate, however, continued to deteriorate. In 37 B.C. Antony separated from Octavia and traveled to the East, arranging for Cleopatra to join him in Syria. In their time apart, Cleopatra had borne him twins, a son and a daughter. According to Octavian’s propagandists, the lovers were then married, which violated the Roman law restricting Romans from marrying foreigners. Antony’s disastrous military campaign against Parthia in 36 B.C. further reduced his prestige, but in 34 B.C. he was more successful against Armenia. To celebrate the victory, he staged a triumphal procession through the streets of Alexandria, in which Antony and Cleopatra sat on golden thrones, and their children were given imposing royal titles. Many in Rome, spurred on by Octavian, interpreted the spectacle as a sign that Antony intended to deliver the Roman Empire into alien hands. After several more years of tension and propaganda attacks, Octavian declared war against Cleopatra, and therefore Antony, in 31 B.C. Enemies of Octavian rallied to Antony’s side, but Octavian’s brilliant military commanders gained early successes against his forces.

On September 2, 31 B.C., their fleets clashed at Actium in Greece. After heavy fighting, Cleopatra broke from the engagement and set course for Egypt with 60 of her ships. Antony then broke through the enemy line and followed her. The disheartened fleet that remained surrendered to Octavian. One week later, Antony’s land forces surrendered. Although they had suffered a decisive defeat, it was nearly a year before Octavian reached Alexandria and again defeated Antony. In the aftermath of the battle, Cleopatra took refuge in the mausoleum she had had built for herself. Antony, informed that Cleopatra was dead, stabbed himself with his sword. Before he died, another messenger arrived, saying Cleopatra still lived. Antony was carried to Cleopatra’s retreat, where he died after bidding her to make her peace with Octavian. When the triumphant Roman arrived, she attempted to seduce him, but he resisted her charms. Rather than fall under Octavian’s domination, Cleopatra committed suicide on August 30, 31 B.C., possibly by means of an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent and symbol of divine royalty.

Octavian then executed Cleopatra’s son, Caesarion, annexed Egypt into the Roman Empire, and used Cleopatra’s treasure to pay off his veterans. In 27 B.C., Octavian became Augustus, the first and arguably most successful of all Roman emperors. He ruled a peaceful, prosperous, and expanding Roman Empire until his death in 14 A.D. at the age of 75. Related Videos Ancient Ships: The Ships of Antiquity - Brief History of Anthony and Cleopatra Ancient Ships: The Ships of Antiquity Anthony and Cleopatra Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (Dutch, 1836-1912) This image is a representation of the Fateful trip of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra to meet Octavius at Actium in 31 BCE. The Naval Battle at Actium would forever change the balance of power in the Roman empire to Octavius favor and lead to the Death by suicide of Anthony and Cleopatra. This painting shows is great detail what a Praetorian Galleon must have looked like.

Anthony's naval ships illustrated on coins and the historic context of these coins The Antonius Denara was a coin struck as the official coinage of the soldiers in the service of Mark Anthony during his Rule of the Eastern Roman Empire. AR Denarius, mint moving with Mark Anthony, circa 32 - 31 BC. These denarii exist ed for use by the Legions II - XXIII, as well as for special elite units such as the speculatores and the praetorian cohort. This series of coins were struck by Anthony for the use of his fleet and legions preparing for the struggle with Octavian. These denarii might be described as a "money of necessity". The coins image shows a Praetorian galley of Antony's naval fleet. Reverse: legion Number and - Legionary eagle between two standards In the year 48 BCE Pompey is defeated by Caesar and Ptolemy XII of Egypt exiles Cleopatra VII and assumes sole leadership of Egypt. One year later Julius Ceasar came to the aide of his mistress, Cleopatra VII and has Ptolemy XII assassinated and declares Cleopatra the queen of Egypt.

Cleopatra marries her eleven year old brother Ptolemy XIII before leaving for Rome with Julius Ceasar where she gives birth to a son, Caesarian (later Ptolemy XIV). Image Cortesy of the MUSEO TECNICO NAVALE In 44 BCE Mark Anthony shares consulship with Caesar and Octavian and becomes the regent of the Eastern Roman Empire. On march 15th 44 BCE Julius Caesar is assassinated . In Egypt Ptolemy XIII is poisoned and Cleopatra makes her son, Caesarian her coregent. In January of 43 BCE Octavian forces the senate to award him the post of consul, and he changes his name to Gaius Julius Caesar. In November 43 BCE The Second Triumvirate is formed between Mark Anthony, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (high priest), and Octavian whose power is solidified by eliminating powerful rivals. In the following year the Second Triumvirate crushes the forces of Julius Caesar's assassins, Cassius and Brutus. In the Roman empire Julius Caesar is recognized as a god and Octavian as the "son of god".

Antony, denarius, 32/1BC, Northern Greece: CHORTIS SPECULATORVM. One of the special "Legionary" issues struck for the army and navy at Actium. In 41BC the political intrigue increases in the Eastern Empire when Egyptian queen Cleopatra journeys to Tarsus to explain her refusal to fully support the Second Triumvirate and Mark Anthony and Cleopatra fall in love and create their romantic and tragic political alliance. Mark Anthony and Cleopatra return to Egypt where Cleopatra gives birth to twins. This meeting in Tarsus would become part of the legacy and legend of the city with the story told for centuries afterward. Tarsus was strategically located to the primary trades routes to the Anatolian Plateau and therefore a key political center for the Eastern Roman Empire. " Cleopatra" By J. W. Waterhouse painted in 1888 The Perusine War begins, between Octavian and Mark Anthony's brother Lucius Antonius, and Lucius's wife Fulvia. In Rome Octavian marries Sextus Pompeius's relative Scribonia, an attempt to make solidify his political alliance with Sextus. Antony, denarius, ca.

32 BC, Northern Greece: : The typical "Legionary" issue, struck to pay the troops stationed at or near Actium. Image courtesy Classical Nuismatic Group In 40 BCE The Second Triumvirate meet to divide and assign Rule over the various parts of Roman Empire. Mark Anthony returns to Rome and marries Octovian's sister Octavia. Then returns to Egypt and his lover, Cleopatra. In this same year the infamous Herod the Great is appointed King of Judea by the Romans. Front: Cojoined heads of Mark Antony and Octavius facing Octavia. Reverse: Three ships under sail minted in Atratinus Grteece 38 BCE. The next ten years are marked by various military compagins throughout the Roman Empire Octavian's navy - lead by admiral Agrippa, defeats the fleet of Sextus Pompeius. Mark Anthony is defeated in a fight with the Parthians. In 32 BCE Mark Anthony is married to Cleopatra, and she gives birth to another child.

Contemporary illustration of Roman Ships from the walls of Pompeii 70 AD Antony strained relations between Octavian and himself by divorcing Octavian's sister, in favor of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Finally, in 31 B.C.E, war broke out between Octavian and the combined forces of Cleopatra and Antony. In 31 BC Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra's joint fleets were anchored in a harbor on the Dalmation Coast of the Adriatic Sea Contemporary illustration of Roman Ships from the walls of Pompeii 70 AD On 2 September 31 BC, Marcus Antonius' 220 heavily armed fleet of warships, complete with stone throwing catapults and including Cleopatra's 60 ships and her treasure ship with purple sails attacked Emperor Octavian's fleet of 260 ships. Octavian enjoyed a strategic advantage in the naval battle having smaller and more maneuverable ships. Historians believe that Marcus Antonius was easily trapped by Octavians fleet. This is not surprising considering Marcus Antonius was a soldier and not a naval commander familiar with the strategies of Naval battles. Octavian with the defeat of his foes at the naval battle of Actium became sole ruler of Rome.

He returned to Rome in 29 B.C.E and celebrated his recent victories against Marcus Antonius. The story ends tragically in 30 BCE when Oct a vius (Emperor Augustus) attacks Alexandria, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra commit suicide. Oct a vian has Cleopatra's son Caesarion is put to death and Egypt is annexed under the rule of Emperor Augustus' representatives. The history and human events of this dramatic story have become immortalized in the classic Shakespearian play " Antony and Cleopatra" Octavian Fleet coinage Octavian - AR denarius, 29-27 B.C. But both the obverse and reverse of this coin feature types referring to Octavian's victory over Antony and Kleopatra. Victoria on a ship's prow on the obverse refers to naval victory, specifically Octavian's defeat of Antony's fleet in the Battle of Actium.

But the depiction of Octavian in a triumphal quadriga on the reverse indicates that the coin actually dates from his triple triumph (for his victories in Illyricum and Egypt, as well as in the battle of Actium) in Rome in 29 B.C., when the Senate conferred numerous honors upon him. 1st Century Roman Galleon as depicted on a Roman Coin Cleopatra commits suicide - Aug 12, 30 - HISTORY.com Cleopatra commits suicide Publisher A+E Networks Cleopatra , queen of Egypt and lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony , takes her life following the defeat of her forces against Octavian, the future first emperor of Rome. Cleopatra, born in 69 B.C., was made Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, upon the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 B.C. Her brother was made King Ptolemy XIII at the same time, and the siblings ruled Egypt under the formal title of husband and wife. Cleopatra and Ptolemy were members of the Macedonian dynasty that governed Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.

Although Cleopatra had no Egyptian blood, she alone in her ruling house learned Egyptian. To further her influence over the Egyptian people, she was also proclaimed the daughter of Re, the Egyptian sun god. Cleopatra soon fell into dispute with her brother, and civil war erupted in 48 B.C. Rome, the greatest power in the Western world, was also beset by civil war at the time. Just as Cleopatra was preparing to attack her brother with a large Arab army, the Roman civil war spilled into Egypt. Pompey the Great, defeated by Julius Caesar in Greece, fled to Egypt seeking solace but was immediately murdered by agents of Ptolemy XIII. Caesar arrived in Alexandria soon after and, finding his enemy dead, decided to restore order in Egypt. During the preceding century, Rome had exercised increasing control over the rich Egyptian kingdom, and Cleopatra sought to advance her political aims by winning the favor of Caesar. She traveled to the royal palace in Alexandria and was allegedly carried to Caesar rolled in a rug, which was offered as a gift. Cleopatra, beautiful and alluring, captivated the powerful Roman leader, and he agreed to intercede in the Egyptian civil war on her behalf.

In 47 B.C., Ptolemy XIII was killed after a defeat against Caesar’s forces, and Cleopatra was made dual ruler with another brother, Ptolemy XIV. Julius and Cleopatra spent several amorous weeks together, and then Caesar departed for Asia Minor, where he declared “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), after putting down a rebellion. In June 47 B.C., Cleopatra bore a son, whom she claimed was Caesar’s and named Caesarion, meaning “little Caesar.” Upon Caesar’s triumphant return to Rome, Cleopatra and Caesarion joined him there. Under the auspices of negotiating a treaty with Rome, Cleopatra lived discretely in a villa that Caesar owned outside the capital. After Caesar was assassinated in March 44 B.C., she returned to Egypt. Soon after, Ptolemy XIV died, likely poisoned by Cleopatra, and the queen made her son co-ruler with her as Ptolemy XV Caesar. With Julius Caesar’s murder, Rome again fell into civil war, which was temporarily resolved in 43 B.C.

with the formation of the second triumvirate, made up of Octavian, Caesar’s great-nephew and chosen heir; Mark Antony, a powerful general; and Lepidus, a Roman statesman. Antony took up the administration of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, and he summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus, in Asia Minor, to answer charges that she had aided his enemies. Cleopatra sought to seduce Antony, as she had Caesar before him, and in 41 B.C. arrived in Tarsus on a magnificent river barge, dressed as Venus, the Roman god of love. Successful in her efforts, Antony returned with her to Alexandria, where they spent the winter in debauchery. In 40 B.C., Antony returned to Rome and married Octavian’s sister Octavia in an effort to mend his strained alliance with Octavian. The triumvirate, however, continued to deteriorate. In 37 B.C., Antony separated from Octavia and traveled east, arranging for Cleopatra to join him in Syria. In their time apart, Cleopatra had borne him twins, a son and a daughter.

According to Octavian’s propagandists, the lovers were then married, which violated the Roman law restricting Romans from marrying foreigners. Antony’s disastrous military campaign against Parthia in 36 B.C. further reduced his prestige, but in 34 B.C. he was more successful against Armenia. To celebrate the victory, he staged a triumphal procession through the streets of Alexandria, in which he and Cleopatra sat on golden thrones, and Caesarion and their children were given imposing royal titles. Many in Rome, spurred on by Octavian, interpreted the spectacle as a sign that Antony intended to deliver the Roman Empire into alien hands. After several more years of tension and propaganda attacks, Octavian declared war against Cleopatra, and therefore Antony, in 31 B.C. Enemies of Octavian rallied to Antony’s side, but Octavian’s brilliant military commanders gained early successes against his forces. On September 2, 31 B.C., their fleets clashed at Actium in Greece. After heavy fighting, Cleopatra broke from the engagement and set course for Egypt with 60 of her ships. Antony then broke through the enemy line and followed her. The disheartened fleet that remained surrendered to Octavian.

One week later, Antony’s land forces surrendered. Although they had suffered a decisive defeat, it was nearly a year before Octavian reached Alexandria and again defeated Antony. In the aftermath of the battle, Cleopatra took refuge in the mausoleum she had commissioned for herself. Antony, informed that Cleopatra was dead, stabbed himself with his sword. Before he died, another messenger arrived, saying Cleopatra still lived. Antony had himself carried to Cleopatra’s retreat, where he died after bidding her to make her peace with Octavian. When the triumphant Roman arrived, she attempted to seduce him, but he resisted her charms. Rather than fall under Octavian’s domination, Cleopatra committed suicide on August 12, 30 B.C., possibly by means of an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent and symbol of divine royalty. Octavian then executed her son Caesarion, annexed Egypt into the Roman Empire, and used Cleopatra’s treasure to pay off his veterans. In 27 B.C., Octavian became Augustus , the first and arguably most successful of all Roman emperors. He ruled a peaceful, prosperous, and expanding Roman Empire until his death in 14 A.D.

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Question: Mark Anthony and Cleopatra VII, were defeated at which 31 BC battle?
Answer: Actium