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Roman soldiers enter Cleopatra's chamber as she lay dying. Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 - August 12, 30 BC) was the last active ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, briefly survived as pharaoh by her son Caesarion. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Greek family of Macedonian origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period. Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes, and later with her brothers Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she married as per Egyptian custom, but eventually she became sole ruler. As queen, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. She later elevated Caesarion, her son with Caesar, to co-ruler in name. After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar's legal heir Octavianus. With Antony, she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and son Ptolemy Philadelphus. Antony committed suicide after losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian's forces, and Cleopatra followed suit. According to a popular belief, she killed herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC. She was outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters, but he was soon killed on Octavian's orders. Etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli.
