A Powerful Egyptian Queen

Beyond the critically acclaimed 1963 film played by Elizabeth Taylor, how much do you really know about the last Ptolemaic ruler? Cleopatra is often portrayed as a cunning beauty, known for her charming yet manipulative ways, but there's so much more to her story and reign than how Hollywood had imagined her. If you're ready to learn more about this powerful Egyptian queen, here are 10 intriguing facts about Cleopatra—and 10 outright myths.

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1. She Was the Last Ptolemaic Ruler 

Following the death of Alexander the Great, one of his generals, Ptolemy I Soter, took control of Egypt. The Ptolemaic dynasty went on to rule for nearly three centuries—from 305 to 30 BC—with Cleopatra being the last to reign. She was also the only one of her lineage to learn Egyptian.

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2. She Married Her Brothers

At a time when incestual marriages were the norm to protect the purity of a royal family's bloodline, Cleopatra was not only a product of incest, but she'd married her own brothers as well. However, there was no familial love. If they weren't tying the knot with their siblings, they were deathly violent toward one another for the glory of power.

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3. She Was Highly Educated & Spoke Nine Languages

Cleopatra was a highly intelligent scholar. Not only was she a skilled mathematician and chemist, she was also a philosopher, a scientific writer, and a polyglot. In fact, she could speak as many as nine different languages: Koine Greek (her native tongue), Egyptian, Ethiopian, Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Median, Parthian, and Latin.

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4. She Had a Son with Julius Caesar

After the death of their father, Cleopatra ruled Egypt with her younger brother, Ptolemy VIII—only for them to become enemies. She was just 21 years old when she sought help from Julius Caesar, who was more than twice her age. After bearing him a son and joining forces, she took back control of Egypt and ruled alongside her other brother, Ptolemy XIV, who she later married.

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5. She Rolled Herself into a Rug to Meet Caesar

Cleopatra had been cast out by her brother at the time when Caesar arrived in Egypt. Seeing a way to gain a political ally and reclaim her throne, she—as the tale goes—convinced a servant to wrap her into a carpet (other sources say a linen sack for laundry) to evade her brother's troops and smuggle herself into Caesar's room. 

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6. Had a Hand in Killing Her Siblings

In true Ptolemaic tradition, there was no familial love, only a thirst for power. As such, after Ptolemy VIII drowned himself upon losing the throne, Ptolemy XIV wasn't quite out of the woods despite sharing control with Cleopatra. It's believed that she had him murdered to ascend her son, Caesarion ("Little Caesar"), to rule with her. She may have also had her half-sister, Arsinoë, killed so that her status wouldn't be threatened.

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7. She Was Likely the Richest Person in the World

Ruling over a massive empire which stretched from present-day Libya to Syria, Cleopatra wasn't just the richest woman in her time—she was likely the wealthiest person in the world. It's estimated that her net worth today would be around $95.8 billion USD.

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8. Her Affair with Mark Antony Was for Political Reasons

Just like her relationship with Caesar was to regain control over Egypt, Cleopatra's affair with Mark Antony was also political. She needed him to protect her position as crown, and he needed her wealth. Despite being married at the time to Octavia, sister of Octavian (who would later become Augustus, the first emperor of Rome), Antony and Cleopatra had three children together.

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9. She Led a Fleet in a Naval Battle

The Romans weren't fond of the fact that Antony chose Cleopatra over his lawful wife. And Octavian, being Antony's rival, saw his alliance with the Egyptian ruler as a betrayal. He declared war on Cleopatra in 31 BC, and during the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra commanded a naval fleet alongside Mark Antony, though they were ultimately no match for Octavian's forces. 

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10. She Had Four Children—But None Lived Long to Inherit Power

Cleopatra had four children in total: three with Antony, and a son with Caesar. However, none of them lived long enough to inherit her empire; Egypt had ceased being under Ptolemaic rule when Cleopatra and Antony were defeated by Octavian in the Battle of Actium, instead becoming a part of the Roman Empire. 

The fates of their children were divided: while Caesarion was executed at the instruction of Octavian after Cleopatra's death, the three children born from Antony and Cleopatra's affair were raised by Octavia, Antony's ex-wife. Two of them—Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus eventually fell off historical records. Cleopatra Selene II, twin of Helios and Cleopatra's only daughter, was married to King Juba II of Numidia and believed to have ruled for two decades before her death at 35.

But Cleopatra's historic reign isn't without some apocryphal stories. Let's take a look at 10 myths about the former Egyptian queen.

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1. She Was Ethnically Egyptian

Though Cleopatra ruled over Egypt, she was not Egyptian herself. The death of Alexander the Great shifted control to Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general, who went on to become the king of Egypt and the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Cleopatra, daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, traced her roots back to Soter.

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2. She Was a Seductress

Despite her fleeting relationships with Caesar and Antony, Cleopatra wasn't a seductress. In fact, she was far from being a beauty who tempted her lovers with her femininity. Her strength was her brains, and she knew exactly how to wield her intelligence to gain political power.

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3. She Died from a Snake Bite

After losing the Battle of Actium, legend has it that Cleopatra died by suicide by letting a poisonous asp (an Egyptian cobra) bite her. Though it's generally agreed by historians that she took her own life, it's uncertain whether a snake was the method she'd used. Some believe the Egyptian queen had drunk poison instead, or used a toxic ointment.

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4. She Was a Beauty

While Cleopatra is often depicted in films as a breathtakingly beautiful woman, her looks were likely not her strongest asset. Coins discovered from her time revealed that she had much more dominant and masculine features than how popular media, like Hollywood, portrays her. Interestingly, it may have actually been Octavian who started the rumor about her being a temptress, in an attempt to paint Antony as a traitor.

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5. She Committed Suicide Due to Grief

A common belief is that Cleopatra took her own life due to grief after hearing the death of Antony. However, it's more likely the opposite was true. Not wanting to be held captive by Octavian after losing her empire, Cleopatra opted to poison herself. Antony, having been misinformed (perhaps deliberately) that the queen had stabbed herself, decided to endure the same end.

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6. Her Rule Was Deemed a Failure After Her Defeat

Cleopatra was a powerful and highly intelligent woman, and though she was ultimately defeated by Octavian, the empire she led was one of the most successful of her time. Even before she'd met Caesar and Antony, she thrived during her reign, and her alliances with either man were only made to strengthen her position on the throne.

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7. Her Affair with Antony Was a Great Love Story

Despite how her affair with Antony was portrayed in Shakespeare's tragedy, their story wasn't one of great romance, nor was it nearly as poetic. Though Antony was eventually charmed by Cleopatra, their passionate tale sprang mostly out of political gain.

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8. She Was the Only Cleopatra

Though you may be familiar with just one Cleopatra, she wasn't the first or the only one. In fact, the Cleopatra we all know of was actually the seventh one; there were six queens who ruled over Egypt and sat on the throne before her. 

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9. She Wasn't Fit to Be Queen

Cleopatra was highly educated. She wasn't placed on the throne without any credentials to show for it. In addition to her intelligence, she was also trained in military strategy, tactics, and law. Her background made her a very powerful leader, and she used her knowledge—and charm—at her disposal.

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10. She Used Her Wealth to Feed Her Extravagant Lifestyle

Though Cleopatra thought of herself as a goddess and often adorned herself with lavish jewels and fabrics, she was by no means just a wealthy queen who didn't know how to wield her own power. She knew exactly how to form alliances, using her vast political knowledge to keep Egypt independent and powerful.

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