From her affairs to her image, Cleopatra remained a woman of many different qualities throughout her life, some of these qualities helped her while some of her iconic qualities ruined her. Cleopatra was born in 69 BCE, and ended up being the final ruler of ancient Egypt. Cleopatra was part of the Ptolemy Dynasty, that took control of Egypt around 300 BCE (Frost). When she turned eighteen, her father died, making her and her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII, the new co-rulers of Egypt (“Cleopatra”). When Cleopatra took control of Egypt, it was in poor economic condition, with angry citizens and a flooded Nile river. It was said that Cleopatra proved she not only had good looks, but also a good mind by rising to the occasion and showing herself
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She returned and used her wits to help her gain control once again, involving Caesar in her civil issues. During these human caused problems, there remained environmental problems out of Cleopatra’s control. The Nile river would flood regularly, causing crops to be wiped out, resulting in hunger and inflation (“Cleopatra”). Crops were very important for food supply and resources, and since Cleopatra couldn’t control the environment, she had to find a way to work through this. While all these contributions to Cleopatra’s struggle to rule were not completely within Cleopatra’s control, she did make her own decision to involve herself in her …show more content…
Caesar arrived in Alexandria, Egypt in 48 B.C.E., during a civil war between Cleopatra and her brother. Caesar was not a well-liked man by the Egyptians, they believed that he was “an enemy of the gods and polluter of their sanctuaries” (Volkmann 63). Cleopatra wished to see Caesar, and gain his trust so he could help her in her fight against her brother for the crown of Egypt (Volkmann 67). Cleopatra knew she would be killed by her brother’s troops if she got caught trying to see Caesar. She devised a plan to see him by sneaking aboard a ship going to Alexandria, she then hid in a carpet bag that was delivered right to Caesar (Preston 75). Cleopatra used her sharp mind to see Caesar and used the same quick thinking to seduce him so that she had his political support as well as his love. Cleopatra’s decision to join Caesar infuriated not only her brother, Ptolemy, but also her subjects because they did not like Caesar and the Roman presence in
She returned and used her wits to help her gain control once again, involving Caesar in her civil issues. During these human caused problems, there remained environmental problems out of Cleopatra’s control. The Nile river would flood regularly, causing crops to be wiped out, resulting in hunger and inflation (“Cleopatra”). Crops were very important for food supply and resources, and since Cleopatra couldn’t control the environment, she had to find a way to work through this. While all these contributions to Cleopatra’s struggle to rule were not completely within Cleopatra’s control, she did make her own decision to involve herself in her …show more content…
Caesar arrived in Alexandria, Egypt in 48 B.C.E., during a civil war between Cleopatra and her brother. Caesar was not a well-liked man by the Egyptians, they believed that he was “an enemy of the gods and polluter of their sanctuaries” (Volkmann 63). Cleopatra wished to see Caesar, and gain his trust so he could help her in her fight against her brother for the crown of Egypt (Volkmann 67). Cleopatra knew she would be killed by her brother’s troops if she got caught trying to see Caesar. She devised a plan to see him by sneaking aboard a ship going to Alexandria, she then hid in a carpet bag that was delivered right to Caesar (Preston 75). Cleopatra used her sharp mind to see Caesar and used the same quick thinking to seduce him so that she had his political support as well as his love. Cleopatra’s decision to join Caesar infuriated not only her brother, Ptolemy, but also her subjects because they did not like Caesar and the Roman presence in