History's Greatest Love Affair: Cleopatra And Mark Antony

The story of Cleopatra and Mark Antony has captured people’s minds and imaginations for hundreds of years. It is a tale fraught with drama and sensation, of the exotic Egyptian queen and the powerful Roman general. One of the most powerful retellings of their tragic love affair was by William Shakespeare in the early 1600s. Since then, other authors and even musicians have commemorated them through literature and opera. During the past century, a number of films and television series based around the same story were also produced, showing that over the course of a thousand years, the story has still remained popular.

Cleopatra is believed to have been born in 69 BC in Alexandria, Egypt to powerful parents of Greek origin. Her family made up the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt for many years. For a while she ruled Egypt alongside her father and later became the country’s only ruler. Her first political alliance was with the famous Roman general, Julius Caesar, and after becoming his mistress, they had a son together.

Mark Antony, another key figure in the world of Roman politics, was a close ally of Caesar. He was born around 87 BC, making him almost twenty years senior to Cleopatra. He was born into a prominent political family, but spent his early adult years recklessly. In 49 BC, when a friend of his passed away, he took the man’s wife, Fulvia, as his own. After incurring a high level of debt in Rome, Antony fled to Greece and later joined the military. He moved upwards quickly, in part due to his familial connections with Julius Caesar. Along the way, he allied himself with Octavian, who later ruled the entire Roman empire.

When Julius Caesar was assassinated, Mark Antony was among three men who continued to rule Rome. To ensure Egypt’s loyalty to Rome, he sent for Cleopatra to discuss political alliances together. She refused him twice, and when she eventually did agree to meet with him, he was won over by her charm. They soon began a relationship and later moved back to Egypt, where they were married. As with her relationship with Caesar, this new marriage solidified Cleopatra’s union with Rome. Antony’s first wife, Fulvia, acted out in response to this by organizing an attack against Octavian and claiming she was acting on Antony’s behalf. Mark Antony tried to repair the damage by returning to her, although it was already too late and she died soon after. As an additional step, he married Octavia Minor, the sister of Octavian, to reunite the two families. Now it was Cleopatra’s turn to hear of Antony’s infidelity, mere weeks before delivering twin babies. Despite this, she continued to help and support Antony in his military endeavors. By this point, Antony had doubts about Octavian’s true loyalties; he left Octavia Minor (who was pregnant) and returned to Cleopatra. Enraged and determined to gain more power, Octavian publicly spoke out against Antony and Cleopatra and launched a military attack, while in Egypt, Antony officially declared his alliance and loyalty to Cleopatra. Afraid for her life, Cleopatra hid in her own burial tomb, amid rumors that she was already dead. With Octavian gaining a steady advantage in the fight, Antony killed himself with the mistaken belief that Cleopatra had done so too. With this knowledge, along with the fact that she would be made a prisoner of Octavian, Cleopatra also committed suicide. There are many different theories today as to how exactly she died, but the earliest records mostly agree that it was due to a self-inflicted cobra bite.

The immense turmoil of these events has captivated people for so many centuries. With such power struggles and changing alliances, both in love and war, it is no wonder that we continue to wonder about it today.

Have a look at the resources below to learn more about the tragic and tumultuous times of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

• A Brief Look at Mark Antony – Review the life and times of Mark Antony.
• The Real Cleopatra – Cleopatra has always been veiled in myth, but this guide introduces a non-fictional account of her life.
• A Biography of Cleopatra – Learn about the life of Cleopatra from her birth to tragic death.
• Learn About Cleopatra Through Multimedia – Browse a number of artifacts, a timeline, glossary and maps that trace Cleopatra’s world and her life.
• Antony by Plutarch – Plutarch was an ancient Greek historian and he detailed the life of Mark Antony during the first century.
• A Quick Guide to the Life of Mark Antony – An overview of Mark Antony’s life recaps the main events and happenings.
• A Timeline of Mark Antony’s Life – See how Mark Antony evolved through his life and military career.
• A Timeline of Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s Relationship - Put events in perspective by viewing them in chronological order.
• Chronological Account of the Struggle Between Mark Antony, Cleopatra and Octavian – Find out how the numerous struggles and wars unfolded between Rome and Egypt.
• Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra – The full text of Shakespeare’s epic tale is available to the public for free online.
• An Analysis of Cleopatra’s Life – This more in-depth look at Cleopatra’s life tries to unearth her background and motives.
• Octavian’s Opinion of Cleopatra and Antony – Octavian went to lengths to slander Antony and his relationship with Cleopatra, even claiming that he had low morals.
• Uncovering the Tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony – For years researchers have been trying to locate the exact location of Antony and Cleopatra’s tomb.
• The Events That Led to Cleopatra’s Suicide – Cleopatra faced a great deal of pressure, both as ruler of Egypt and as Antony’s wife.
• A 32 BC Coin Depicting Cleopatra and Antony’s Faces – See how Cleopatra and Antony might have actually looked in real life.

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