Top-rated
Wed, May 10, 2023
Cleopatra gives birth to a boy and names him Caesarion. A boy that holds the promise to unite the 2 most powerful civilizations on Earth.
46 BC. With Caesarion, Cleopatra has a chance to continue her dynasty. Caesar returns to Rome with Arsinoe. Arsinoe is only a child and is 17 years old. She is paraded through Rome as a sign of Caesar's conquest and the people are appalled. The people rise up against Caesar and he is forced to withdraw her execution.
Arsinoe is exiled to Ephesus, modern day Turkey. Meanwhile Cleopatra has assumed that Arsinoe is dead and no longer a threat to her throne. Caesar betrayed Cleopatra. Cleopatra is livid when she finds that Arsinoe is alive. Cleopatra decides to take Caesarion to Rome. She wants Caesar to accept Caesarion as his child and his heir. If he does, this will give legitimacy to Cleopatra as well. Cleopatra travels with Charmion, Iras and Ptolemy XIV.
Caesar welcomes Cleopatra, but he also has a Roman wife. Cleopatra wants Arsinoe dead, but Caesar is clear that any promise made to Cleopatra does not supersede his promise made to the Roman people. Rome was founded by farmer soldiers. They are down to earth and sturdy people. Hence Cleopatra's reputation is damaged among the Romans. Elite high-class women in Rome were supposed to stay at home, while Cleopatra was openly consorting with Caesar. She is also foreign.
Mark Antony is a general in Caesar's army, who is a hedonist and enjoys drinking parties. Cicero is a Senator who dislikes Cleopatra. Rome was against the idea of a woman being a ruler. Rome is a Republic, while Egypt has been ruled for thousands of years by a dynasty.
Cleopatra has a clear influence on Caesar, who was declared Dictator of Rome after he returned from Alexandria. But he had a limited term and limited powers. Cleopatra plans a library in Rome, similar to the one damaged in Alexandria. She even asks Caesar to adjust the Roman calendar to the Egyptian one, which had 12 months, each month with 30 days and 5 days at the end for 365 days. Cleopatra's influence on Caesar bred a lot of resentment. There were rumors that Caesar wanted to move the capital to Alexandria. But still, Caesar has not recognized Caesarion as his heir.
Cleopatra returns to Egypt. Meanwhile, in 44 BC, Caesar requests to be appointed Dictator for life and the Senate approves. Caesar sits on thrones, has his face on coins and has a statue of himself as a God. The Romans sense that Caesar wants to be King, with Cleopatra as the Queen. This idea is an anathema to Republican Rome. Cleopatra returns to Rome in 44 BC. She wants Caesar to recognize Caesarion as his son and heir. But the Senate is now worried that Caesar is becoming an autocrat. On 15th March, 44 BC, Caesar is assassinated in the Senate.
Cleopatra is in panic as she knows Caesarion is next. Mark Antony informs Cleopatra that according to Caesar's will, Octavian, his nephew is Caesar's heir. Mark Antony and Cleopatra came together as they both felt betrayed by Caesar. Cleopatra leaves Rome as both Octavian and Mark Antony lay claim to Caesar's wealth and office. Arsinoe makes an alliance with the Governor of Cyprus and breaks out of prison. She then teams up with Ptolemy XIV against Cleopatra. Cleopatra saw Ptolemy XIV as a threat, and it is highly likely that she had him killed. Ptolemy XIV got ill and died soon thereafter.
In 42 BC, Rome is again fighting a civil war between Octavian and Mark Antony on one side and the assassins of Caesar on the other. Mark Antony has intelligence that Cleopatra helped the conspirators against Caesar. He summons Cleopatra to Tarsus in 41 BC. Cleopatra seduces Mark and offers Egypt's wealth to him to help him retake Rome. Cleopatra wants to use Mark Antony to secure her own position and power. It was not Cleopatra who was helping Caesar's assassins, but Arsinoe. Cleopatra convinces Mark to assassinate Arsinoe. Now Cleopatra is the only Ptolemy ruler still standing, but she still has Octavian standing in her way.
46 BC. With Caesarion, Cleopatra has a chance to continue her dynasty. Caesar returns to Rome with Arsinoe. Arsinoe is only a child and is 17 years old. She is paraded through Rome as a sign of Caesar's conquest and the people are appalled. The people rise up against Caesar and he is forced to withdraw her execution.
Arsinoe is exiled to Ephesus, modern day Turkey. Meanwhile Cleopatra has assumed that Arsinoe is dead and no longer a threat to her throne. Caesar betrayed Cleopatra. Cleopatra is livid when she finds that Arsinoe is alive. Cleopatra decides to take Caesarion to Rome. She wants Caesar to accept Caesarion as his child and his heir. If he does, this will give legitimacy to Cleopatra as well. Cleopatra travels with Charmion, Iras and Ptolemy XIV.
Caesar welcomes Cleopatra, but he also has a Roman wife. Cleopatra wants Arsinoe dead, but Caesar is clear that any promise made to Cleopatra does not supersede his promise made to the Roman people. Rome was founded by farmer soldiers. They are down to earth and sturdy people. Hence Cleopatra's reputation is damaged among the Romans. Elite high-class women in Rome were supposed to stay at home, while Cleopatra was openly consorting with Caesar. She is also foreign.
Mark Antony is a general in Caesar's army, who is a hedonist and enjoys drinking parties. Cicero is a Senator who dislikes Cleopatra. Rome was against the idea of a woman being a ruler. Rome is a Republic, while Egypt has been ruled for thousands of years by a dynasty.
Cleopatra has a clear influence on Caesar, who was declared Dictator of Rome after he returned from Alexandria. But he had a limited term and limited powers. Cleopatra plans a library in Rome, similar to the one damaged in Alexandria. She even asks Caesar to adjust the Roman calendar to the Egyptian one, which had 12 months, each month with 30 days and 5 days at the end for 365 days. Cleopatra's influence on Caesar bred a lot of resentment. There were rumors that Caesar wanted to move the capital to Alexandria. But still, Caesar has not recognized Caesarion as his heir.
Cleopatra returns to Egypt. Meanwhile, in 44 BC, Caesar requests to be appointed Dictator for life and the Senate approves. Caesar sits on thrones, has his face on coins and has a statue of himself as a God. The Romans sense that Caesar wants to be King, with Cleopatra as the Queen. This idea is an anathema to Republican Rome. Cleopatra returns to Rome in 44 BC. She wants Caesar to recognize Caesarion as his son and heir. But the Senate is now worried that Caesar is becoming an autocrat. On 15th March, 44 BC, Caesar is assassinated in the Senate.
Cleopatra is in panic as she knows Caesarion is next. Mark Antony informs Cleopatra that according to Caesar's will, Octavian, his nephew is Caesar's heir. Mark Antony and Cleopatra came together as they both felt betrayed by Caesar. Cleopatra leaves Rome as both Octavian and Mark Antony lay claim to Caesar's wealth and office. Arsinoe makes an alliance with the Governor of Cyprus and breaks out of prison. She then teams up with Ptolemy XIV against Cleopatra. Cleopatra saw Ptolemy XIV as a threat, and it is highly likely that she had him killed. Ptolemy XIV got ill and died soon thereafter.
In 42 BC, Rome is again fighting a civil war between Octavian and Mark Antony on one side and the assassins of Caesar on the other. Mark Antony has intelligence that Cleopatra helped the conspirators against Caesar. He summons Cleopatra to Tarsus in 41 BC. Cleopatra seduces Mark and offers Egypt's wealth to him to help him retake Rome. Cleopatra wants to use Mark Antony to secure her own position and power. It was not Cleopatra who was helping Caesar's assassins, but Arsinoe. Cleopatra convinces Mark to assassinate Arsinoe. Now Cleopatra is the only Ptolemy ruler still standing, but she still has Octavian standing in her way.
Top-rated
Wed, May 10, 2023
Cleopatra is pregnant with Mark Antony's child. Cleopatra goes back to Alexandria with Mark Antony. They both fall in love with each other.
As per the power sharing agreement in Rome, Octavian controls the West and Mark Antony controls the East empire of Rome.
Mark Antony hears rumors that Octavian is trying to break the alliance. But he still stays away from Rome and with Cleopatra. This gives Octavian the political space to influence the Senate and undermine Mark Antony reputation in Rome. Cleopatra asks Mark to return to Rome and control Octavian before he grows out of control.
But when Mark returns to Rome, he marries Octavian's sister Octavia. Cleopatra gives birth to twins in Alexandria. Cleopatra knows that Mark had to marry Octavia for political reasons. But Mark does not return for 3 years. Mark doesn't even write to Cleopatra. But during those 3 years, Cleopatra turns Egypt around. The economy is booming, exports are rising, and the people love their Queen.
Meanwhile Mark Antony is fighting a war against Parthia, modern day Iran. Mark wants to conquer Parthia to elevate his own standing in Rome. Mark Antony expects help from Octavian in his conquest as he needs money and an army. Octavian only gives Mark 2 legions. Mark Antony knows he needs more resources and Cleopatra is at the top of his list. Antony summons Cleopatra to Antioch in Syria. Cleopatra knows that Mark needs him. She wants everything that Caesar took away. She wants Caesarion to be recognized as the son of Caesar, the twins to be recognized as sons of Mark, and territories returned to the Egyptian empire.
Mark agrees and Cleopatra is more powerful than ever. Mark names his twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. Mark and Cleopatra are setting up the twins as rulers of the massive Eastern Empire that Mark and Cleopatra are reshaping together. But despite Cleopatra's support, Mark Antony's Parthian invasion fails. Mark loses thousands of men and huge damage to his supplies. In 36 BC, Cleopatra is back in Egypt and giving birth to her 3rd child with Mark.
Meanwhile Octavian is using this opportunity to portray Mark as an ineffective military commander. Cleopatra is worried about Mark, and meets him in Antioch, Syria where he has retreated with his troops. Cleopatra marries Mark Antony to give their relationship a divine sanctity. This is frowned upon in Rome, as Mark is already married to Octavia. At the ceremony after the marriage, called the Donations of Alexandria, Mark proclaims Caesarion as the heir of Caesar. He also gifts Rome's territories of Greece & Cyprus to Egypt, formally. Mark also divorces Octavia. Mark has effectively cut all of his ties to Rome.
Octavian is livid as Mark does not have the power to gift Rome's territories to Egypt. Octavian casts the Donations of Alexandria as an anti-Roman plot. Octavian paints Cleopatra as the main conspirator behind the plot. She was the scapegoat as Octavian did not want to target Mark Antony, as that would mean another civil war. Octavian paints Cleopatra as this seductress who controls Mark Antony. In 31 BC Octavian declares war on Cleopatra. Battle of Actium sees all out naval warfare between Mark Antony and Octavian. Cleopatra provides 200 of the 800 ships and all of their financing. But Mark Antony's generals don't want to take orders from a woman. Due to his association with Cleopatra, Mark Antony looks less like a Roman General and more like an Eastern King. Due to this, many of his commanders defect to Octavian's army.
Octavian lays a blockade to the bay of Actium. He has more ships than Mark Antony and Cleopatra combined. Mark Antony's ships are larger with bigger fire power but are less maneuverable compared to Octavian's ships. Octavian manages to surround all of Mark Antony's ships. Cleopatra sees this and turns her ships around to sail back to Alexandria. If she loses all of her ships at the battle of Actium, Egypt will be defenseless. Mark Antony sees Cleopatra's retreat as an act of treachery. Mark Antony flees and manages to catch up with Cleopatra's fleet. Mark Antony blames Cleopatra for the defeat at Actium, while Cleopatra maintains that it was the right decision to withdraw from Actium.
Mark and Cleopatra know that now Octavian will come for their territories. Cleopatra writes to Octavian and offers Egypt in exchange for her and Mark Antony's life. Now it is up to Octavian. Octavian agrees, but wants Cleopatra to kill Antony in exchange for her own life.
Mark Antony hears rumors that Octavian is trying to break the alliance. But he still stays away from Rome and with Cleopatra. This gives Octavian the political space to influence the Senate and undermine Mark Antony reputation in Rome. Cleopatra asks Mark to return to Rome and control Octavian before he grows out of control.
But when Mark returns to Rome, he marries Octavian's sister Octavia. Cleopatra gives birth to twins in Alexandria. Cleopatra knows that Mark had to marry Octavia for political reasons. But Mark does not return for 3 years. Mark doesn't even write to Cleopatra. But during those 3 years, Cleopatra turns Egypt around. The economy is booming, exports are rising, and the people love their Queen.
Meanwhile Mark Antony is fighting a war against Parthia, modern day Iran. Mark wants to conquer Parthia to elevate his own standing in Rome. Mark Antony expects help from Octavian in his conquest as he needs money and an army. Octavian only gives Mark 2 legions. Mark Antony knows he needs more resources and Cleopatra is at the top of his list. Antony summons Cleopatra to Antioch in Syria. Cleopatra knows that Mark needs him. She wants everything that Caesar took away. She wants Caesarion to be recognized as the son of Caesar, the twins to be recognized as sons of Mark, and territories returned to the Egyptian empire.
Mark agrees and Cleopatra is more powerful than ever. Mark names his twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. Mark and Cleopatra are setting up the twins as rulers of the massive Eastern Empire that Mark and Cleopatra are reshaping together. But despite Cleopatra's support, Mark Antony's Parthian invasion fails. Mark loses thousands of men and huge damage to his supplies. In 36 BC, Cleopatra is back in Egypt and giving birth to her 3rd child with Mark.
Meanwhile Octavian is using this opportunity to portray Mark as an ineffective military commander. Cleopatra is worried about Mark, and meets him in Antioch, Syria where he has retreated with his troops. Cleopatra marries Mark Antony to give their relationship a divine sanctity. This is frowned upon in Rome, as Mark is already married to Octavia. At the ceremony after the marriage, called the Donations of Alexandria, Mark proclaims Caesarion as the heir of Caesar. He also gifts Rome's territories of Greece & Cyprus to Egypt, formally. Mark also divorces Octavia. Mark has effectively cut all of his ties to Rome.
Octavian is livid as Mark does not have the power to gift Rome's territories to Egypt. Octavian casts the Donations of Alexandria as an anti-Roman plot. Octavian paints Cleopatra as the main conspirator behind the plot. She was the scapegoat as Octavian did not want to target Mark Antony, as that would mean another civil war. Octavian paints Cleopatra as this seductress who controls Mark Antony. In 31 BC Octavian declares war on Cleopatra. Battle of Actium sees all out naval warfare between Mark Antony and Octavian. Cleopatra provides 200 of the 800 ships and all of their financing. But Mark Antony's generals don't want to take orders from a woman. Due to his association with Cleopatra, Mark Antony looks less like a Roman General and more like an Eastern King. Due to this, many of his commanders defect to Octavian's army.
Octavian lays a blockade to the bay of Actium. He has more ships than Mark Antony and Cleopatra combined. Mark Antony's ships are larger with bigger fire power but are less maneuverable compared to Octavian's ships. Octavian manages to surround all of Mark Antony's ships. Cleopatra sees this and turns her ships around to sail back to Alexandria. If she loses all of her ships at the battle of Actium, Egypt will be defenseless. Mark Antony sees Cleopatra's retreat as an act of treachery. Mark Antony flees and manages to catch up with Cleopatra's fleet. Mark Antony blames Cleopatra for the defeat at Actium, while Cleopatra maintains that it was the right decision to withdraw from Actium.
Mark and Cleopatra know that now Octavian will come for their territories. Cleopatra writes to Octavian and offers Egypt in exchange for her and Mark Antony's life. Now it is up to Octavian. Octavian agrees, but wants Cleopatra to kill Antony in exchange for her own life.