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Cleopatra
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Stone relief carving of Queen Cleopatra in profile holding a scepter and ankh, with hieroglyphic inscriptions, on the wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt. Cleopatra Mother and son Tetradrachm coins with Cleopatra VII on one side and Mark Antony on the other
What Led to the Downfall of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra?
White marble bust of Cleopatra VII wearing a diadem, curly front ringlets and segmented “melon”-style hair pulled into a bun, almond-shaped eyes. Cleopatra (1917) Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra and Richard Burton as Mark Antony gaze at each other closely in a dramatic scene from the 1963 film Cleopatra. Cleopatra
Learn how Cleopatra used her influence over Julius Caesar to stay in power
At a Glance
Al-Jizah. Giza Necropolis, Giza Plateau, Cairo, Egypt. Side view of Sphinx with the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) rising in the background. The sides of all three of the Giza pyramids are astronomically oriented to be north-south, east-west (see notes)
Pop Quiz: 18 Things to Know About Ancient Egypt
Cleopatra
Cleopatra summary
Ptolemy XII Auletes
Cleopatra Timeline
Stone relief carving of Queen Cleopatra in profile holding a scepter and ankh, with hieroglyphic inscriptions, on the wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.
Cleopatra’s Achievements
Quizzes
If You'd Only Be My Valentine, American Valentine card, 1910. Cupid gathers a basket of red hearts from a pine tree which, in the language of flowers represents daring. Valentine's Day St. Valentine's Day February 14 love romance history and society heart In Roman mythology Cupid was the son of Venus, goddess of love (Eros and Aphrodite in the Greek Pantheon).
The Love Quiz
Cleopatra hieroglyphic carving the Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.
Women in Power Quiz
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Stone relief carving of Queen Cleopatra in profile holding a scepter and ankh, with hieroglyphic inscriptions, on the wall of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt.
Cleopatra Cleopatra, carving from the temple of Horus at Idfū, Egypt.

Cleopatra

queen of Egypt
Also known as: Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator
Written by
Joyce Tyldesley
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester. Author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt, Chronicles of the Queens of Egypt, Tutankhamen’s Curse, and others.
Joyce Tyldesley
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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Last updated
•History

Cleopatra (born 70/69 bce—died August 30 bce, Alexandria) was an Egyptian queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, famous in history and drama as the lover of both Julius Caesar and, later, Mark Antony. She became queen on the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 bce and ruled successively with her two brothers Ptolemy XIII (51–47) and Ptolemy XIV (47–44) and her son Ptolemy XV Caesar (44–30). After the Roman armies of Octavian (the future...

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