Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

• JC

  Julius Caesar
• Pompey the great


  JC's 'enemy'
• Pompey killed by Ptolemy's forces as they thought this would get JC on their side
• Caesar was outraged by the murder of Pompey because he was still JC's friend and son-in-law
• Caesar took residence in the royal palace of Alexandria which angered the citizens
• Caesar said he had come to settle disputes between Cleopatra and Ptolemy but also demanded that he pay his father's debts
• The story of how Cleo met with JC


  Can be seen to be fiction as it would have been difficult to sneak something into the chambers of the Roman general as the room would have been heavily guarded
• Plutarch does mention that Cleo and JC were already communicating so maybe JC was expecting Cleo
• Cleo and JC both saw the benefits of this 'political' relationship
• Ptolemy XIII saw Cleo in bed with JC and ran out of the palace
• Caesar brought Ptolemy XIII back and told him and Ptolemy XIII and Cleo will rule as king and queen
• Reasons why Caesar chose to support Cleo

  • Physical attraction
  • Political sense: supporting Cleo meant he could force Ptolemy and his advisors to work harder to earn JC's trust and support, Caesar needed Egyptian resources and wealth for success back in Rome - Cleo is a better friend to Rome than Ptolemy
  • Dislike for Ptolemy XIII
• Egypt in civil war again, Caesar was told and released Ptolemy XIII from custody to try and calm it down however he created a further revolt
• Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile river as Caesar took control of Egypt
• Caesar told Cleo that she would marry her younger brother Ptolemy XIV
• Caesar and Cleo's relationship got stronger during the 4-month siege of Alexandria
• Caesar told Cleo to marry her brother to keep peace in Alexandria
• Having a relationship with the Egyptian Queen may negatively affect Caesar's reputation in Egypt as they were xenophobic
• Caesar was not popular in Alexandria as well, which resulted in a tense atmosphere
• Caesar and Cleo sailed down the Nile on huge barges in front of their citizens so people who are not in major cities could see them - showed wealth and power of Ptolemaic dynasty
• JC killed by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Longinus