| Female heads of state are few and far between | | | | treasure of the Egyptian monarchy. Cleopatra |
| throughout history, but when a woman rises to | | | | possessed the last great treasure outside of |
| power, she leaves her mark. Cleopatra, arguably | | | | Roman control. The wealth of the Dynasty of the |
| the most famous woman of the ancient world, | | | | Ptolemies was described by the historian Plutarch |
| was Queen of Egypt and lived from 70 or 69 | | | | as consisting of gold, silver, emeralds, pearls, |
| B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E. Her legacy extends through | | | | ebony, ivory, and cinnamon. With Octavian's |
| history and legend, and she remains firmly | | | | armies restless, Cleopatra hoped to eventually |
| entrenched as an icon of brilliance, seduction, and | | | | prevail if she could hold out long enough for |
| tragedy. | | | | Octavian to be undermined by his unpaid military. |
| It is her tragic death that has mesmerized | | | | Trying to play time to her advantage, Cleopatra |
| historians and inspired artists through the ages. | | | | attempted to avoid Octavian with various |
| Supposedly by inflicting the bite of an asp or | | | | diplomatic overtures and plots of escaping to the |
| cobra, Cleopatra committed suicide after the | | | | east, but everything failed. Octavian's determined |
| death of her last lover Mark Antony of Rome and | | | | forces eventually arrived at Alexandria and Mark |
| the defeat of their armies. The dramatic image of | | | | Antony's forces surrendered or deserted in |
| the beautiful queen withering beneath the fangs of | | | | despair on the first of August 30 B.C.E. Antony's |
| a snake has long symbolized the anguish of total | | | | death soon followed, and Cleopatra barricaded |
| defeat after losing a bid for power. | | | | herself in her mausoleum with her treasure that |
| The stakes had always been high for Cleopatra. | | | | was surrounded by firewood and kindling. |
| She was a daughter of the long established | | | | Octavian, terribly worried that she would destroy |
| Ptolemy Dynasty that had ruled Egypt since the | | | | most of the badly needed treasure with fire, |
| death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E. The | | | | managed to get people in the mausoleum through |
| Ptolemies were Macedonian Greeks, and Cleopatra | | | | an upper window. Cleopatra was taken captive |
| would have described herself as Greek. Despite | | | | and her treasure seized by Rome. |
| being an Egyptian Queen, she was not of Egyptian | | | | With her lover and ally Antony defeated and |
| blood. | | | | dead, Cleopatra was bereft of authority and |
| Cleopatra ruled during a time when Rome was | | | | Egypt's wealth was plundered. She died on August |
| the ultimate force of power in the Mediterranean | | | | 12th of poison. Cleopatra was described as being |
| world, but the three-thousand-year-old Egyptian | | | | in her royal robes upon a golden couch with a |
| civilization, although waning, remained wealthy and | | | | diadem on her brow. Two loyal servants shared in |
| significant. Through diplomacy and her long affair | | | | her death. The exact nature of how she poisoned |
| with Julius Caesar, Cleopatra worked to maintain a | | | | herself is not known. The story of how she put a |
| measure of independence for Egypt and power | | | | poisonous snake to her breast won out over |
| for herself and her dynasty. After the death of | | | | other versions. Such a death allowed for a |
| Caesar, her romantic alliance switched to his | | | | stunning and romantic conclusion to a remarkable |
| supporter Mark Antony. Together, Cleopatra and | | | | life, and it corresponded with the Goddess Isis |
| Antony challenged Rome, now under the | | | | with whom Cleopatra associated herself. Isis is |
| leadership of Octavian, for control of the eastern | | | | often depicted with a snake coiled around her |
| Mediterranean. Their disastrous defeat at the | | | | divine arm. |
| Battle of Actium sent them retreating to Egypt | | | | The politically savvy Cleopatra outmaneuvered |
| to await the final wrath of Octavian as he | | | | the full grasp of Rome as long as she could, but |
| pursued his rivals. | | | | her struggle has charmed historians ever since. |
| Ironically, the victories of mighty Rome had left | | | | Cleopatra will always be known as an ancient |
| its treasuries spent, and Octavian had disgruntled | | | | queen who played upon a chessboard with mighty |
| armies on his hands. A ruler of Rome needs his | | | | men. She did not win, but millions of people even |
| armies on his side if he wishes to remain in | | | | thousands of years later still speak her name - an |
| power, and Octavian quite desperately needed to | | | | honor many Pharaohs would envy. |
| finish off Cleopatra and Antony and seize the | | | | |