70+ Little-Known Cleopatra Facts From Ancient History

Cleopatra was a brilliant woman who was ahead of her time in so many ways.

Roman historians frequently portray Cleopatra as a stunning beauty capable of captivating any man she set her eyes on. Many also believe she was gifted in a variety of ways.

Her strong leadership, artistic taste, and physical abilities are among them. Apart from being the final known monarch of the Egyptian empire, Cleopatra is far more than most people realize. Cleopatra VII was never frightened to pursue her goals.

She refused to accept cultural conventions in many ways instead reinvented them to her advantage. Whether or not you agree with Cleopatra's methods, there's no denying that she had an interesting life. Explore Cleopatra's history with this collection of Cleopatra VII facts to learn more about this intriguing woman.

If you enjoyed reading about Cleopatra also read our other fact files on Albert Einstein facts and facts about Cuba.

When was Cleopatra born?

Cleopatra, Egypt's Queen, was one of history's most famous women. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was born in 69 BC in Alexandria. 

She was the last of the Pharaohs placed in Egypt by Alexander the Great. She was a Macedonian Princess by birth. Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus after her death. She experienced a lot of tragic experiences in her life.

For example, her own brother, Ptolemy XIII, overthrew her and exiled her. Cleopatra's strategy was very similar to Ptolemy's. To keep power, she had Mark Antony, the Roman triumvir, order the death of her sister Arsinoe.

Cleopatra Parents

Cleopatra VII was born in 69 BC to Ptolemy XII, the reigning Ptolemaic pharaoh, and an unknown mother, most likely Ptolemy XII's wife Cleopatra VI Tryphaena (also known as Cleopatra V Tryphaena), Cleopatra's older sister Berenice IV Epiphaneia's mother.

A few months after Cleopatra's birth in 69 BC, Cleopatra Tryphaena vanishes from official records. In the absence of his wife, Ptolemy XII had three younger children: Arsinoe IV, Cleopatra's sister, and brothers Ptolemy XIV and Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator.

Philostratos, Cleopatra's childhood tutor, taught her the Greek arts of oration and philosophy. Cleopatra most likely studied at the Musaeum, which included the Library of Alexandria, throughout her adolescence.

Why is Cleopatra famous?

Cleopatra actively affected Roman empire politics during her reign as queen of Egypt (51–30 BCE) and was particularly well-known for her interactions with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She became the template of the romantic femme fatale, as no other lady in antiquity had. Cleopatra has always been the subject of countless books, plays, and films.

Cleopatra appears in various ancient works of art, including Egyptian, Hellenistic-Greek, and Roman genres. Sculptures, busts, reliefs, and struck coins, as well as old carved cameos, such as one representing Cleopatra and Mark Antony in Hellenistic style, now at the Altes Museum in Berlin, are among the works that have survived.

In addition, both inside and outside of Ptolemaic Egypt, contemporary depictions of Cleopatra were created.

It was created by Caesar and stayed in the temple at least until the third century AD, possibly due to Caesar's support, while Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus did not remove or destroy artworks depicting Cleopatra in Alexandria.

What did Cleopatra look like?

The final Egyptian pharaoh's physical appearance has long remained a mystery. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra's face, too, has remained a mystery as the queen of the Nile has been represented in so many different ways over the years.

Cleopatra's appearance is attested by a few artefacts; however, they are sparse. The Old Altes Museum in Germany houses one of the most famous ones, a marble bust dating back to the third quarter of the first century BCE.

Cleopatra is seen with a royal diadem in this so-called Berlin Cleopatra (headband like crown).

Her face is framed with curly hair, and the rest of her hair is gathered into a bun behind her head in a melon style (divided in segments like the ribs of a melon from the forehead back). Her eyes have an almond shape to them.

Her features are softly modulated and have been regarded as displaying her intelligence and charm, despite her big nose. Another marble figure of Cleopatra, this one found in a home on the Appian Way in 1784 and currently on display at the Vatican's Gregoriano Profano Museum, has her hair fashioned similarly.

Her features are delicate, and her lips are large as well. Her nose is gone, but the impression it left on her face shows it to be very prominent.

Cleopatra Timeline

Cleopatra VII (69 BC) Thea Philopator was born in Alexandria. Cleopatra's family was Macedonian, although they ruled Egypt at the time of her birth. Cleopatra's timeline unfolds as follows:

Cleopatra becomes ruler of Egypt, and co-regent with her brother Ptolemy XIII, after her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, dies in 51 BC. Although it is not proved, Cleopatra and co-regent Ptolemy XIII may have married.

Cleopatra, who is nearly eight years older than her brother, ascends the throne. Cleopatra returns to Pelusium, Egypt's eastern border, after gathering an army to confront her brother in 48 BC.

Meanwhile, a feud between Julius Caesar and Pompey takes them both to Egypt, where Pompey is assassinated. Cleopatra then requests Caesar's help in defeating her brother.

Her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII, drowns in the Nile while fleeing Julius Caesar's Roman army in 47 BC, and Cleopatra reclaims the throne as co-ruler with her brother Ptolemy XIV. Ptolemy XV Caesar, or Caesarion 'little Caesar', is born.

Ptolemy XV Caesar, or Caesarion, means 'little Caesar'; whether Julius Caesar was the father of Caesarion is unknown at this time.

Cleopatra, Ptolemy XIV, and her son travel to Rome on a state visit in 44 BC. During their stay in Rome, Julius Caesar is assassinated. Ptolemy XIV dies soon after the family returns to Alexandria, leaving Cleopatra and her son Ptolemy Caesar as rulers of Egypt.

In the years 41–42 BC, Octavian, Julius Caesar's great-nephew and personal successor, is a sickly child at the time. Mark Antony, the commander of Rome's eastern provinces, asserts Caesar's authority.

He invites Cleopatra to visit him so that he might interrogate her about her role in the aftermath of Caesar's killing. Cleopatra, laden with gifts, meets Antony in Tarsus, Asia Minor. Antony is enamored with her, and they return to Alexandria, where he recognizes her as a sovereign and begins living with her.

Cleopatra has twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II in 40 BC. As part of a deal for control of Rome, Antony travels to Italy and marries Octavian's sister.

In 37 BC, after failing to reach an agreement with Octavian, Antony comes to Cleopatra and asks for her help in funding a military campaign against the Parthian empire. Cleopatra demands that much of Egypt's eastern dominion be returned to her in exchange.

Despite the loss of the Parthian campaign, Antony and Cleopatra return to Alexandria to preside over a festival known as 'the Donations of Alexandria' in 34 BC. They make it clear that they want to conquer the civilized world, which worries Octavian.

He launches a propaganda campaign against Antony and his wife, alleging that he has given Roman property to a foreign woman and plans to move the capital from Rome to Alexandria.

The Roman Senate declares war on Cleopatra in 31 BC. The naval Battle of Actium, which is fought off the coast of Greece between Octavian's army and Antony and Cleopatra's combined forces, is a defeat for the Egyptians. Both Antony and Cleopatra, who were present at the fight, managed to flee to Egypt and avoid captivity.

In 30 BC, Antony receives false news about Cleopatra's death after leaving her to fight, causing him to fall on his sword. He is taken to Cleopatra's hideaway, where he dies.

Cleopatra later kills herself, presumably by allowing herself to be bitten by an asp, a snake that's a divine sign of royalty. She and Antony are buried together. Egypt then became the Roman Empire's province after Cleopatra died.

Did You Know...

Cleopatra had a deep connection to the Egyptian goddess Isis and goddess Aphrodite during her reign in Egypt and liked to be revered as an Egyptian god or goddess herself. This served to legitimize her authority and link her to her people's traditional religion.

Her younger brother, Ptolemy, drowned and died in the Nile river after being defeated in battle.

After Alexander's death in 323 BC, Ptolemy ascended to the throne of Egypt, establishing a dynasty of Greek-speaking rulers that lasted over three centuries.

The War of Actium (30–32 BC) was a civil war fought between Mark Antony, a Roman general aided by Cleopatra, and Octavian. This was the last civil war of the Roman empire. Cleopatra married her younger brother and co-ruler, Ptolemy, who was ten years old while she was 18.

During her lifetime and for a century after Cleopatra's death, Roman propaganda depicted Cleopatra as a dangerous witch who used courtship, witchcraft, and cunning to gain power beyond imagination, much of it originating with her enemy Octavian.

There always has been much secret and mystery surrounding the Cleopatra beauty secrets.

She sought Caesar for help, and with his support, Cleopatra regained Egypt's throne.

She grew the Egyptian economy by trading with Eastern Arab nations and possibly India.

Elizabeth Taylor famously portrayed Cleopatra in the 1963 film. She is remembered when people fondly think of the Cleopatra face from the movies.

Cleopatra's death was by suicide when an asp (Egyptian cobra) bit her. Asp is a poisonous snake.

Her mother tongue was Koine Greek, and she was the only Ptolemaic ruler to learn the Egyptian language.

Cleopatra was born in Egypt, although her ancestors came from Macedonian Greece.

Cleopatra's sole known grandchild was murdered in adolescence at the order of his cousin, Caligula. Hence none of Cleopatra's offspring lived to inherit Egypt.

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