Cleopatra: Her Death, Appearance, and Myths Uncovered
Cleopatra is one of the most famous and mysterious women in history. Discover facts you may not know about the legendary Egyptian queen.
Cleopatra Married Two of Her Younger Brothers
At age 18, Cleopatra was married to her 10-year-old brother and co-ruler, Ptolemy XIII, who succeeded his father as Pharaoh. Shortly after coming to power, Ptolemy made an attempt on his sister’s life, causing Cleopatra to flee to Syria. She subsequently gathered an army and returned to Alexandria, fighting a civil war with her brother for rulership. During this time, Julius Caesar traveled to Alexandria under the invitation of Ptolemy XIII. However, Cleopatra won Caesar’s support, and their joint Roman-Egyptian army overthrew Ptolemy XIII.
After Ptolemy XIII’s defeat and subsequent death, Cleopatra married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV. She was 22 and he was 12. He was Pharoah only in name to honor Egyptian tradition. He died soon after Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, probably poisoned by Cleopatra so that she could replace him as co-emperor with her son.
She Was Intelligent, Well-Educated, and Very Ambitious
Cleopatra’s intelligence was praised by numerous ancient historians, most notably Plutarch, and she was reportedly well-versed in mathematics, philosophy, and debate. She was also gifted with languages. Her native tongue was Koine Greek, but she became fluent in at least nine languages during her rule, including Arabic and Hebrew. She was the only Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty to learn the Egyptian language, which made her an effective leader because she could communicate with her armies without a translator.
