DOZ Inspirational Biography
CLEOPATRA
Mercy James
The family of the
ruling Ptolemaic
Pharaoh Ptolemy XII
was blessed with the
birth of Cleopatra VII
in the early 69 BC.
Cleopatra began to
increase in knowledge
right from an early
age. Philostratos
taught her the Greek
arts of oration and
philosophy. It was
recorded that the
Museum and the
Alexandria library
was her place of study
during her youthful
age. She learned
about what existed
before her and the
philosophy of things
happening in her day.
This made it difficult
DOZ Magazine | April 2019
for her to be sidelined and gave her the ability to
predict the possible future outcome of the present
situation.
Power to rule as a king and not a queen was given
to Cleopatra following the death of his father
Ptolemy XII. Her reign as pharaoh (king) of Egypt
was challenged with several issues, but like a lion in
the jungle, she stood to fight each situation which
included famine caused by drought in the land.
Just as every leader would have oppositions and
challenges, the case of Cleopatra was no different.
Her brother Ptolemy XIII was a major thorn in her
flesh after they fell apart. It, however, resulted in
a civil war that ended in 48 BC. History has it that
after the death of her brother, Cleopatra had a
secret affair with the highly esteemed Caesar that
produced a son who survived her after her death on
10 August 30BC at the age of 39.
The death of Cleopatra led to the conversion of
Egypt to a province
of the Roman Empire.
This marked the end
of the Hellenistic
period that had been
in place since the
reign of Alexander.
This would never have
happened if Cleopatra
were alive. A woman
with the strength and
wisdom of a thousand
warriors she was.
Indeed, the history
of Egypt can never
be complete without
a reference to this
woman who made
a difference not just
among women but
men.
As a woman, the world
is yours to take, if only
you would dare to take
a step in the direction
of your purpose.
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http://egyptiangiftshop.net/Egyptian-Gifts
P
ower and authority have always been the
identity of men, but once upon a time in
Egypt, lived a woman, a pharaoh of Egypt,
who possessed and wielded a superior power and
authority only a few women dream of. Feared,
respected, and honored was she before the end of
her days. In fact, in one of her quotes, “Fool! Don’t
you see now that I could have poisoned you a
hundred times had I been able to live without you,”
she proved her control over the lives of many and
how she could take it from them if she so desired.
She was, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator. And she
was the last active Pharaoh (king) of the Ptolemaic
kingdom of Egypt. She was a woman of war, a
diplomat, naval commander, linguist, and medical
author. She was a woman with much knowledge
above several women. Her wisdom exceeded that of
many male army chiefs and warlords. She walked
not in the company of mere humans but people
with leading authorities and capabilities whose
name alone cast the
shadow of fear on
their enemies.