Cleopatra

ancient Egypt · queens · history

The last pharaoh. Cleopatra VII ruled Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and was the very last active pharaoh of ancient Egypt.

Language whiz. She was the only ruler of her family known to have learned the Egyptian language, and she spoke several others too.

Greek roots. Although she ruled Egypt, her family was Macedonian Greek, descended from a general who served Alexander the Great.

End of an era. After her death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, ending the long Hellenistic period in the Mediterranean.