Cleopatra

It was Cleopatra who famously rolled herself up in a rug as a gift for Julius Caesar. According to historical accounts, she used this dramatic entrance to gain his attention and ultimately secure his support. Nefertiti, while a prominent figure in ancient Egypt, is not associated with this particular story.

Yes, Cleopatra had writing. She was well educated for a woman of her time.

Cleopatra never went to a school--private or otherwise. As a child of royal birth she was educated by tutors who came to the palace.

Cleopatra ruled from Alexandria. that's where she not only had her palace, but also began constructing her tomb.

We only have a vague idea of what Cleopatra actually looked like. Several scientists have done reconstructions of her face from information gathered from coins and statues said to be of her. None of them are very flattering. Her tomb has not been found and until they find it, and if her mummy is there, a more accurate reproduction can be made.

Cleopatra V was the wife of Ptolemy XII and perhaps the mother of his children including Cleopatra VII. Her origins are obscure and we know little about her.

Cleopatra was driven by avarice. She needed to make a good impression on Caesar in order to get the throne or at least part of her rulership back. She used her manipulative ability to influence Caesar (who didn't-mind it at all even though he more than likely knew exactly what she was doing.) and achieve her ends.

For the most part, no, neither Cleopatra nor her family suffered any hardships, at least not externally. Internally, however, they were typical Ptolemies, vying for power and trying their best to kill off any member of their family who stood in their way.

Cleopatra never endured a day of hardship in her entire life. The closest she ever came to "hardship" was being frustrated by Octavian who she could not even get to look at her during their interview.

Cleopatra enjoyed extreme wealth. Egypt was just about the richest country in the area due to its location at the crossroads of East and West. In addition, Egypt had its own natural resources to add to Cleo's wealth.

Cleopatra's time period could be characterized as tumultuous. In Egypt there was civil unrest, the ouster of Cleo's father, the return of Cleo's father, massive debt and oppressive taxes. In addition, the Ptolemies were playing their old family game of killing each other off whenever possible. Internationally the world was changing rapidly. Rome was expanding and Egypt, although still technically an independent kingdom, was dependent on Rome for succession issues and security issues. The situation was settled permanently about a year after Actium when Rome formally took over Egypt.

The people who wanted to kill Cleopatra's family were members of the family itself. Remember, they were Ptolemies and the Ptolemies had a reputation for murdering their own.

It is in the last Egypt room

Both Antony and Cleopatra returned to Egypt and tried to rally an army. Antony's troops defected to Octavian and Cleopatra could not get any response from her neighboring kingdoms (that she previously had tried to undermine).When they finally realized that they had been defeated, both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. He by "falling on his sword" the way a military man was supposed to die, and she by some type of poison.

Cleopatra's actions were not so much about being a good ruler, but rather about preserving herself and her dynasty. Right from the start of her reign she identified herself with the Egyptian religion by attending the Apis Bull ceremony, She called herself the New Isis in another effort to influence Egyptian thinking and willingly accepted the proposals Antony set out at the Donations of Alexandria.

Two of Cleopatra's slaves committed suicide with Cleopatra. their names were Iras and Charmin.

In Cleopatra's time coins were used for money. The Roman denarius and the Greek drachma were widely used. Remember, Alexandria was, in addition to Egypt's perfect capital, also a major trading port.

Yes, Cleopatra had plenty of problems and a few obstacles that she had to overcome. The first of these was getting her throne back after her brother had her exiled. Next came her establishment on the throne by Julius Caesar, which the Alexandrians resented and started the Alexandrian War. After regaining her throne, she had to repay Caesar her father's debt and for the first few years of her reign there was a severe drought in which the Nile did not floor as much as necessary for an abundant harvest. She considered Herod a nuisance and had her sister murdered because she thought that her sister was going to usurp her. Oh yes, at the end of her life she met the biggest obstacle of all --- Octavian.

Cleopatra never conquered other countries. Marc Antony controlled all the military action during Cleo's time, and as a triumvir had the authority to give Cleopatra the territory that she gained. As far as starting a war, well, not exactly. She was the reason for the last civil war of the Roman Republic, although she did not actually start it.

We know that Cleopatra's father was Ptolemy XII, (Alutes). We do not know who her mother was. Some historians think her mother was Cleopatra V who was the wife of Ptolemy XII, but Egyptian kings had lots of minor queens and one of them could easily be Cleopatra's mother.

Cleopatra was 39 years old when she died. She was born in January of 69 B.C. and died in August of 30 B.C.

Mark Antony II is 5' 11".

Egypt was one of the richest places in the world. Whoever controlled Egypt could lay a claim to being the most powerful person in Rome. By joining forces Caesar and Cleopatra became a formidable force in the Mediterranean world.

Cleopatra was not attractive in a physical way. She had a beautiful personality that is what made her attracting.

Cleopatra's two slaves, Charmin and Iras, also died with her.