What happened to Cleopatra in Egypt?

Cleopatra Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, which was a major centre of trade and culture in the ancient world.

During her reign, she faced numerous challenges to her power, both from within Egypt and from external forces. One of the most significant challenges Cleopatra faced was the threat of Roman domination.

In the mid-1st century BCE, Egypt was a client state of the Roman Republic, and Cleopatra saw an opportunity to strengthen her position by forming alliances with powerful Roman leaders, such as Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

These alliances helped to secure her position as queen and to expand her control over neighbouring territories. However, Cleopatra’s relationship with Rome also brought her into conflict with other powerful figures in the Roman Republic, including Octavian (later known as Emperor Augustus).

When Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian’s forces at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, Cleopatra was forced to flee to Alexandria, where she attempted to negotiate with Octavian.

Ultimately, however, Octavian was determined to bring Egypt under Roman control, and he refused to allow Cleopatra to live as a free queen. When it became clear that she was not going to be able to negotiate a peaceful resolution, Cleopatra reportedly took her own life by allowing an asp (a venomous snake) to bite her on the arm. Her death marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the beginning of Roman rule over Egypt.