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Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (The last queen of Egypt) is a Greek-Egyptian ruler who ruled Egypt from 51BC to30 August, 30 BC (around 21 years). Cleopatra is mostly remembered by her charms, her seductive effects, and her suicide. Cleopatra used to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the re-embodiment of an Egyptian goddess. During her reign Cleopatra took on several titles; including one of which she was very true to the title of “The New Isis”. It has been seen before for Queens to take the role of Isis, the loving mother and faithful wife through ancient Egyptian history. However, Cleopatra has faced some obstacles in Egyptian Priesthood. Since Caesar and Antony were fathers of royal kings and queens to-be who were not Egyptian. Nevertheless, Cleopatra stayed true to her roots and beliefs and found a way to corporate both fathers in her story. Cleopatra VII had a perceptive of and an interest in Egyptian religion, and that she was eager to be presented as part of the local pantheon of deities. She gave much to her role as Isis; she attributed to the building of a temple at Alexandria and also built The Temple of Montu (mimmisi) in Armant. However, she also built and finished the buildings of other temples of prominent deities including: The temple of Hathour in Dendera, of Geb at and Koptos.

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII was born around 69 B.C. in Egypt, she was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty. She was also known as "Cleopatra Thea Philopator" which means "Cleopatra, Father-Loving Goddess". Cleopatra's father was King Ptolemy XII. Little is known about Cleopatra's mother, but it is probable that she was her father's sister, Cleopatra V. In 51 B.C., Ptolemy XII died, leaving the throne as in his will to 18-year-old Cleopatra and her brother, the 10-year-old Ptolemy XIII. According to custom, she married her younger brother Ptolemy XIII and they shared the throne. He later dethroned her and for Cleopatra to regain control, she charmed Julius Caesar into helping her. Caesar helped her kill Ptolemy XIII, and Cleopatra regained the throne with her youngest brother, Ptolemy XIV. She reigned from 51-30 B.C, during this period she completed her father's unfinished work and projects, she built many temples for example the Temple of Hathor at Danderah. She is well known for rebuilding the lighthouse at Alexandria, building a defensive wall all around Egypt, and being a pioneer in Philosophy, meteorology, medicine, alchemy and cosmetics. Whether she was as beautiful as was claimed, she was a highly intelligent woman and a cunning politician, who brought prosperity and peace to a country that was bankrupt and split by civil war. As for the two famous love affairs in Cleopatra's life, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, two of the greatest Roman leaders of her day. To start with Caesar, it all started when Cleopatra visited Rome and was warmly welcomed by Caesar, who installed her in a discrete villa across the Tiber. (2) He and Cleopatra fell in love, he defeated her opponents and in 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to a boy, Caesarion, who she claimed was Caesar's son. Then in 44 BC, a group of Roman aristocrats assassinated Caesar and that was the end of their relationship. Then about Mark Antony, he met Cleopatra when she stayed in Rome as Caesar's guest and in 41 BC, Mark Antony invited Cleopatra to Tarsus in Asia Minor (now Turkey). Antony was then one of the rulers of Rome, with Gaius, Octavian, and Marcus Lepidus. He wanted to rule Rome alone and hoped to obtain financial aid from Cleopatra. Antony and Cleopatra married and had 3 children, Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene, and Ptolemy Philadelphos. In 31 BC, Mark Antony and Cleopatra combined armies to take on Octavian's forces in a great sea battle at Actium, on the west coast of Greece. Octavian was victorious and Cleopatra and Mark Antony fled to Egypt. Mark Antony took his own life and Cleopatra chose to do the same thing, committing suicide on 30 August 30 BC. How exactly did she die was not known but on her left arm two tiny pricks were found, presumably from the bite of a snake. With Cleopatra's death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. Although Cleopatra's son may have held nominal power for a few days after her suicide but effectively she was the last ruling pharaoh. Cleopatra’s Titles -	The New Isis -	God’s Wife -	Female Horus -	Cybele -	Aphrodite -	Daughter of Geb -	Queen -	Queen of Kings -	King of Egypt -	Philopator (Father-loving) -	Philopatris (Loving her country) -	Friend and ally of Rome -	The Daughter of Kings -	The Mother of Sons Who Are Kings

Isis Isis is an ancient Egyptian goddess that is known as the caring and protecting mother, the ultimate faithful wife, and the Great of Magic. Isis was the goddess who stayed the most throughout the years due to her popularity and likeness. Isis is usually pictured with a very special headdress t that consists of a Sun Disk, two Plumes, and two Horns. Isis is the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She is also portrayed in other pictures with Horus (her newborn son) on her lap. This example specifically emphasizes her prominent role as a mother.

She belongs to the Heliopolitan myth “The Ennead”. It all started with Atum (Known as the complete one) all alone, and then he masturbated and created Shu (Air god) and Tefnut (Moisture god) with his semen. She and Tefnut got married and conceived Geb (Earth god) and Nut (Sky god). Next, Nut was pregnant with all 4 deities: Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephtys. The fact that all four gods were born at the same time indicates that they are all equal and at the same level of serenity .Osiris and Isis got married and had Horus.

The myth of Osiris talks more about the conception of Horus. There are several ideas and thoughts of the myth of Osiris, but it basically summarizes to the following. In the Golden Age, The gods ruled the world Osiris and Isis ruled Egypt together. Osiris was the ideal ruler, fair and just, beloved by all except for his brother Seth; who was jealous of him. Seth’s jealousy and envy grew more and more each day, until once he decided to kill his brother Osiris. He prepared a chest that only fit the size of Osiris, and then Seth hosted a glorious banquet that Osiris was invited to. At the end of the feast Seth presented the box, everyone else tried to fit in, but no one did except Osiris. Seth then closed the chest immediately and through it into the Nile, where Osiris drowned. Isis, devastated for the loss of her husband, went in search of him. It is said in some versions that Seth retrieved Osiris’s body and cut it down into pieces throughout Egypt. Isis and her sister Nephtys searched for Osiris’s body parts and reassembled her husband’s dead body except for the phallus; that was eaten by a fish identified as the lepidotus, the Phargus, and the Qxyryncbus. Isis manufactured an artificial phallus and attached it to Osiris’s body .She then resurrected Osiris and impregnated herself with Horus then mummified and buried Osiris’s body with the help of Anubis (Mummification god) and Thoth (Magic god).

Cleopatra as Isis Behind the beauty and the charm, Cleopatra was very persistent on maintaining the title of Isis, not only in name but in action. She as much believed herself to be Isis and as well adopted the priestly roles that were usually held by male rulers. The images left of her highlight her great charisma and individual power. Cleopatra is mostly viewed as the dominant figure in offering scenes at the Karnak temple. “The use of the religious apparatus of ruler-cults, hieratic nomenclature, and official sculpture in temples was an important expression of ruling authority” remarked Miles in Cleopatra: A Sphinx Revisited. Cleopatra appeared as Isis in important ceremonies and was worshipped as an appearance of that goddess.

Taking on the role of Isis, Cleopatra VII established the temple of Montu or Birth-house (Mammisi) in Armant. Even though there is no trace of the original site nowadays, it has been suggested that the site was built in three phases, marking one of the biggest projects for Cleopatra outside Alexandria. Some of the blocks that remained show pictures of goddess Isis and the title of “female Horus” was recorded as well. “The Principal deity worshipped at Armant was Montu, god of war. The son of Montu was usually called Harpocrates, a version of the young Horus often accompanied by his mother Isis”. It has been suggested that the function of the mammisi as it linked Cleopatra the mother to the mother goddess Isis. There were bronze coins that were minted in Cyprus, that were probably released by the time of the birth of her infant son Caesarion. The coin showed Cleopatra nursing her son, apparently representing her as the mother goddess, Isis. When it was time to rename Cleopatra and Antony’s children, Cleopatra and Alexander both added names of associated roles of deities. Cleopatra added the name Selene (Moon) and Alexander added the name Helios (Sun). One indicated the Queen of Heaven and the other indicated Apollo. Cleopatra VII couldn’t have chosen a better name for her daughter that related to and represented not only the cult of Egyptian religion and myth but also tradition and a well established Ptolemaic name.

The Temple Dedicated to Isis, Alexandria Cleopatra maintained her title and role as a living goddess. She praised the goddess Isis through building a temple in her name in Alexandria, Egypt. “The temple dedicated to Isis, a pharaonic goddess of fertility and magic, is at least 2,050 years old, but archaeologists believe it's likely much older.”. The temple at the moment is lying in the Mediterranean Sea due to an earthquake that occurred in the 4th century. It has been suggested for the temple that it had both Greek and Egyptian architectural features. “Granite columns and Sphinx found during excavations at the end of the nineteenth century would have echoed the Egyptian nature of the two colossal statues”. However, the fact that the temple was round (Tholos in Greek) might as well indicate the Hellenistic Greek tradition. Walker and Ashton both predict from the sizes of the statues that were found that this was “One of the queen’s most important and largest projects”. Bibliography (1) Joyce Tyldesley, Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. (New York: Basic Books, 2008), 290 pp. Walker, Susan, and Sally-Ann Ashton. Ancients in Action: Cleopatra. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd., 2006. Pp. 126. ISBN 1853996734. (2) Ikram, Salima. Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. Cairo: American University of Cairo, 2011. (3) Miles, Margaret Melanie. Cleopatra: A Sphinx Revisited. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011. (4) http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/cleopatra-isis-temple-fragment.htm (5) http://www.discoveringegypt.com/philae1.htm (6)http://www.tyndalehouse.com/egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii.htm (6) http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111760/cleopatr.htm (7)http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ch-Co/Cleopatra-VII.html (8)http://www.biography.com/people/cleopatra-vii-9250984 (9)http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/cleopatra-obtain-control-egyptian-throne (10) http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/cleopatra/a/Cleopatra.htm (11) http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cleopatra.shtml]]

Cleopatra as Isis

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (The last queen of Egypt) is a Greek-Egyptian ruler who ruled Egypt from 51BC to30 August, 30 BC (around 21 years). Cleopatra is mostly remembered by her charms, her seductive effects, and her suicide. Cleopatra used to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the re-embodiment of an Egyptian goddess. During her reign Cleopatra took on several titles; including one of which she was very true to the title of “The New Isis”. It has been seen before for Queens to take the role of Isis, the loving mother and faithful wife through ancient Egyptian history. However, Cleopatra has faced some obstacles in Egyptian Priesthood. Since Caesar and Antony were fathers of royal kings and queens to-be who were not Egyptian. Nevertheless, Cleopatra stayed true to her roots and beliefs and found a way to corporate both fathers in her story. Cleopatra VII had a perceptive of and an interest in Egyptian religion, and that she was eager to be presented as part of the local pantheon of deities. She gave much to her role as Isis; she attributed to the building of a temple at Alexandria and also built The Temple of Montu (mimmisi) in Armant. However, she also built and finished the buildings of other temples of prominent deities including: The temple of Hathour in Dendera, of Geb at and Koptos.

Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII was born around 69 B.C. in Egypt, she was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty. She was also known as "Cleopatra Thea Philopator" which means "Cleopatra, Father-Loving Goddess". Cleopatra's father was King Ptolemy XII. Little is known about Cleopatra's mother, but it is probable that she was her father's sister, Cleopatra V. In 51 B.C., Ptolemy XII died, leaving the throne as in his will to 18-year-old Cleopatra and her brother, the 10-year-old Ptolemy XIII. According to custom, she married her younger brother Ptolemy XIII and they shared the throne. He later dethroned her and for Cleopatra to regain control, she charmed Julius Caesar into helping her. Caesar helped her kill Ptolemy XIII, and Cleopatra regained the throne with her youngest brother, Ptolemy XIV. She reigned from 51-30 B.C, during this period she completed her father's unfinished work and projects, she built many temples for example the Temple of Hathor at Danderah. She is well known for rebuilding the lighthouse at Alexandria, building a defensive wall all around Egypt, and being a pioneer in Philosophy, meteorology, medicine, alchemy and cosmetics. Whether she was as beautiful as was claimed, she was a highly intelligent woman and a cunning politician, who brought prosperity and peace to a country that was bankrupt and split by civil war. As for the two famous love affairs in Cleopatra's life, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, two of the greatest Roman leaders of her day. To start with Caesar, it all started when Cleopatra visited Rome and was warmly welcomed by Caesar, who installed her in a discrete villa across the Tiber. (2) He and Cleopatra fell in love, he defeated her opponents and in 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to a boy, Caesarion, who she claimed was Caesar's son. Then in 44 BC, a group of Roman aristocrats assassinated Caesar and that was the end of their relationship. Then about Mark Antony, he met Cleopatra when she stayed in Rome as Caesar's guest and in 41 BC, Mark Antony invited Cleopatra to Tarsus in Asia Minor (now Turkey). Antony was then one of the rulers of Rome, with Gaius, Octavian, and Marcus Lepidus. He wanted to rule Rome alone and hoped to obtain financial aid from Cleopatra. Antony and Cleopatra married and had 3 children, Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene, and Ptolemy Philadelphos. In 31 BC, Mark Antony and Cleopatra combined armies to take on Octavian's forces in a great sea battle at Actium, on the west coast of Greece. Octavian was victorious and Cleopatra and Mark Antony fled to Egypt. Mark Antony took his own life and Cleopatra chose to do the same thing, committing suicide on 30 August 30 BC. How exactly did she die was not known but on her left arm two tiny pricks were found, presumably from the bite of a snake. With Cleopatra's death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. Although Cleopatra's son may have held nominal power for a few days after her suicide but effectively she was the last ruling pharaoh.

Cleopatra’s Titles -	The New Isis -	God’s Wife -	Female Horus -	Cybele -	Aphrodite -	Daughter of Geb -	Queen -	Queen of Kings -	King of Egypt -	Philopator (Father-loving) -	Philopatris (Loving her country) -	Friend and ally of Rome -	The Daughter of Kings -	The Mother of Sons Who Are Kings

Isis

Isis is an ancient Egyptian goddess that is known as the caring and protecting mother, the ultimate faithful wife, and the Great of Magic. Isis was the goddess who stayed the most throughout the years due to her popularity and likeness. Isis is usually pictured with a very special headdress t that consists of a Sun Disk, two Plumes, and two Horns. Isis is the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She is also portrayed in other pictures with Horus (her newborn son) on her lap. This example specifically emphasizes her prominent role as a mother.

She belongs to the Heliopolitan myth “The Ennead”. It all started with Atum (Known as the complete one) all alone, and then he masturbated and created Shu (Air god) and Tefnut (Moisture god) with his semen. She and Tefnut got married and conceived Geb (Earth god) and Nut (Sky god). Next, Nut was pregnant with all 4 deities: Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephtys. The fact that all four gods were born at the same time indicates that they are all equal and at the same level of serenity .Osiris and Isis got married and had Horus.

The myth of Osiris talks more about the conception of Horus. There are several ideas and thoughts of the myth of Osiris, but it basically summarizes to the following. In the Golden Age, The gods ruled the world Osiris and Isis ruled Egypt together. Osiris was the ideal ruler, fair and just, beloved by all except for his brother Seth; who was jealous of him. Seth’s jealousy and envy grew more and more each day, until once he decided to kill his brother Osiris. He prepared a chest that only fit the size of Osiris, and then Seth hosted a glorious banquet that Osiris was invited to. At the end of the feast Seth presented the box, everyone else tried to fit in, but no one did except Osiris. Seth then closed the chest immediately and through it into the Nile, where Osiris drowned. Isis, devastated for the loss of her husband, went in search of him. It is said in some versions that Seth retrieved Osiris’s body and cut it down into pieces throughout Egypt. Isis and her sister Nephtys searched for Osiris’s body parts and reassembled her husband’s dead body except for the phallus; that was eaten by a fish identified as the lepidotus, the Phargus, and the Qxyryncbus. Isis manufactured an artificial phallus and attached it to Osiris’s body .She then resurrected Osiris and impregnated herself with Horus then mummified and buried Osiris’s body with the help of Anubis (Mummification god) and Thoth (Magic god).

Cleopatra as Isis

Behind the beauty and the charm, Cleopatra was very persistent on maintaining the title of Isis, not only in name but in action. She as much believed herself to be Isis and as well adopted the priestly roles that were usually held by male rulers. The images left of her highlight her great charisma and individual power. Cleopatra is mostly viewed as the dominant figure in offering scenes at the Karnak temple. “The use of the religious apparatus of ruler-cults, hieratic nomenclature, and official sculpture in temples was an important expression of ruling authority” remarked Miles in Cleopatra: A Sphinx Revisited. Cleopatra appeared as Isis in important ceremonies and was worshipped as an appearance of that goddess. Taking on the role of Isis, Cleopatra VII established the temple of Montu or Birth-house (Mammisi) in Armant. Even though there is no trace of the original site nowadays, it has been suggested that the site was built in three phases, marking one of the biggest projects for Cleopatra outside Alexandria. Some of the blocks that remained show pictures of goddess Isis and the title of “female Horus” was recorded as well. “The Principal deity worshipped at Armant was Montu, god of war. The son of Montu was usually called Harpocrates, a version of the young Horus often accompanied by his mother Isis”. It has been suggested that the function of the mammisi as it linked Cleopatra the mother to the mother goddess Isis. There were bronze coins that were minted in Cyprus, that were probably released by the time of the birth of her infant son Caesarion. The coin showed Cleopatra nursing her son, apparently representing her as the mother goddess, Isis. When it was time to rename Cleopatra and Antony’s children, Cleopatra and Alexander both added names of associated roles of deities. Cleopatra added the name Selene (Moon) and Alexander added the name Helios (Sun). One indicated the Queen of Heaven and the other indicated Apollo. Cleopatra VII couldn’t have chosen a better name for her daughter that related to and represented not only the cult of Egyptian religion and myth but also tradition and a well established Ptolemaic name.

The Temple Dedicated to Isis, Alexandria

Cleopatra maintained her title and role as a living goddess. She praised the goddess Isis through building a temple in her name in Alexandria, Egypt. “The temple dedicated to Isis, a pharaonic goddess of fertility and magic, is at least 2,050 years old, but archaeologists believe it's likely much older.”. The temple at the moment is lying in the Mediterranean Sea due to an earthquake that occurred in the 4th century. It has been suggested for the temple that it had both Greek and Egyptian architectural features. “Granite columns and Sphinx found during excavations at the end of the nineteenth century would have echoed the Egyptian nature of the two colossal statues”. However, the fact that the temple was round (Tholos in Greek) might as well indicate the Hellenistic Greek tradition. Walker and Ashton both predict from the sizes of the statues that were found that this was “One of the queen’s most important and largest projects”.

Bibliography

Joyce Tyldesley, Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. (New York: Basic Books, 2008), 290 pp.

Walker, Susan, and Sally-Ann Ashton. Ancients in Action: Cleopatra. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd., 2006. Pp. 126. ISBN 1853996734.

Ikram, Salima. Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. Cairo: American University of Cairo, 2011.

Miles, Margaret Melanie. Cleopatra: A Sphinx Revisited. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011.

http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/cleopatra-isis-temple-fragment.htm

http://www.discoveringegypt.com/philae1.htm

http://www.tyndalehouse.com/egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111760/cleopatr.htm

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ch-Co/Cleopatra-VII.html

http://www.biography.com/people/cleopatra-vii-9250984

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/cleopatra-obtain-control-egyptian-throne

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/cleopatra/a/Cleopatra.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cleopatra.shtml