The only daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Cleopatra Selene II was taken prisoner by the Romans after her parents' suicides — but her story didn’t end there.
Public DomainA bust believed to depict Cleopatra Selene II at the Archaeological Museum of Cherchell in Algeria .
Cleopatra Selene II had a turbulent biography from the beginning . Born to Cleopatra and Mark Antony amid their coalition following Julius Caesar ’s assassination , Cleopatra Selene II infix the world during one of the most famous and turbulent period for Egypt and Rome .
As political allies and lovers , Antony and Cleopatra sought to strengthen their power by declaring their twin children — Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios — the ruler of various soil across North Africa and Asia . Antony and Cleopatra ’s challenging program crumbled , however , when they were defeated by their foeman Octavian in 30 B.C.E. , leading both to die by suicide .
Public DomainA bust believed to depict Cleopatra Selene II at the Archaeological Museum of Cherchell in Algeria.
Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios were presently taken prisoner by Octavian . She and her brother were ab initio paraded around in Rome , though they were after placed under the caution of Octavia , Antony ’s former wife . As Cleopatra Selene II develop up , she received a potent popish education . But she also became one of the last links to Egypt ’s Ptolemaic dynasty .
Mark Antony And Cleopatra’s Relationship — And Their Plans For Their Children
Public DomainThe Meeting of Antony and Cleopatraby Lawrence Alma - Tadema .
The story of Cleopatra Selene II begin with her parentsCleopatraandMark Antony . Cleopatra was only 14 geezerhood old when Antony met her for the first sentence , and Antony was about 14 years Old than Cleopatra . However , their black relationship would not start until many years later on .
After theassassination of Julius Caesarin 44 B.C.E. , Antony successfully defeated Caesar ’s opposer and requested Cleopatra to derive inflict him in 41 B.C.E. at his base in Anatolia , located in modern - day Türkiye .
Public DomainThe Meeting of Antony and Cleopatraby Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Antony soon base himself captivated by Cleopatra , who was by then in her late XX . As the Greek biographer Plutarch put it , “ She was croak to bring down Antony at the very time when women have the most brilliant stunner and are at the acme of intellectual top executive . ” Cleopatra then receive Antony to come see her in Alexandria , Egypt , an fling that he accepted .
Public DomainCleopatra ’s Gate in Tarsus , where Cleopatra come across Mark Antony in 41 B.C.E.
Antony and Cleopatra became lovers , and by 40 B.C.E. , Cleopatra had given birth to the duad ’s twins : Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II .
Public DomainCleopatra’s Gate in Tarsus, where Cleopatra met Mark Antony in 41 B.C.E.
Helios , representing “ the Lord’s Day , ” and Selene , representing “ the moon , ” were mean to symbolize a new era . Cleopatra hoped that Antony would kill Parthia to the E , similar toAlexander the Great’sconquest of Persia .
Antony would not meet his baby until they were three years erstwhile , but he accept them as his own instantly . In 36 B.C.E. , Cleopatra gave parentage to another boy , Ptolemy Philadelphus , also fathered by Antony .
In the following year , Antony and Cleopatra would make grandiose plans for their children . When Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios were just babies , they were declare the ruler of various region . Alexander Helios was declare king of Armenia , Media , and Parthia , while Cleopatra Selene II was bestow with Crete and Cyrene ( located in modern - day Libya ) . Young Ptolemy Philadelphus was declared big businessman of Syria , Phoenicia , and Cilicia . Meanwhile , Cleopatra ’s firstborn son , Caesarion(believed to have been bring forth by Julius Caesar ) , was given the particularly lofty statute title of King of Kings .
Public DomainDeath of Cleopatraby Jean-Baptiste Regnault.
ButAntony and Cleopatra ’s deathsin 30 B.C.E. hack these architectural plan short .
The Upbringing Of Cleopatra Selene II After Her Parents’ Deaths
Public DomainDeath of Cleopatraby Jean - Baptiste Regnault .
Around 33 B.C.E. , Mark Antony had disjoint his married woman , Octavia the Younger , and marry Cleopatra . This spark enormous bitterness from Octavian , who was Octavia ’s brother . The controversial divorce , mate with Antony ’s willingness to help Cleopatra with her own political ambitions , eventually led to the prison-breaking of a brutish state of war between Antony and Octavian .
At the Battle of Actium , Antony and Cleopatra ’s forces were get the better of by Octavian . Then , as Octavian ’s forces invaded Egypt , the dyad died by self-destruction to avoid being taken captive , abase , and executed .
Public DomainA possible depiction of Cleopatra Selene II, believed to date back to the 1st century B.C.E. or 1st century C.E.
Cleopatra ’s eldest son Caesarion was soon executed . But Cleopatra Selene II , Alexander Helios , and Ptolemy Philadelphus were taken prisoner by the Romans . From there , Ptolemy Philadelphus ’ fate is uncertain , though it ’s been speculated that he died soon after he was taken captive .
Public DomainA possible depiction of Cleopatra Selene II , believed to date back to the first century B.C.E. or first C C.E.
After Octavian brought Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios back to Rome , he paraded the twins in the street in fortunate chain , mocking their supernal namesby dress them up as the sun and the moon . Only about 11 years old at the meter , Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios were also forced to walk in front of an effigy of their at peace mother .
Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0A bust of Juba II, King of Mauretania, from the early 1st century C.E.
Despite this barbarous treatment , Octavian later had the tike placed in the concern of his sister , Octavia . Though they were technically still in immurement , they be in relative comfort in the household . From there , Alexander Helios disappears from the historical record . Historians speculate that he died from illness , but more inauspicious theories have pointed to assassination .
As for Cleopatra Selene II , she not only lived to adulthood but meet a strong Roman education , find out Greek and Latin literature , philosophical system , and rhetoric . She also became eloquent in numerous voice communication . Cleopatra Selene II was said to be just as well-informed as her mother — and more beautiful .
Perhaps most celebrated , Cleopatra Selene II was one of the last links to the Ptolemaic dynasty ofancient Egypt . And she never forgot her roots .
Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, the original tomb of Cleopatra Selene II and Juba II.
Cleopatra Selene II’s Oft-Overlooked Legacy As A Monarch Of The Augustan Age
When Cleopatra Selene II grew one-time , Octavian arranged a marriage between her and Juba II , the King of Mauretania ( located in present - twenty-four hour period Morocco and Algeria ) . Like his succeeding married woman , Juba II had been raise in Rome trace his beginner ’s frustration ( in this case , by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C.E. ) .
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY - SA 2.0A bust of Juba II , King of Mauretania , from the early first one C C.E.
Despite also being parade through Rome as a prisoner , Juba II was given a somewhat well-situated early life and a good pedagogy . Eventually , he befriended Octavian , which would prove to be beneficial later on — especially since Octavian would go on to become Emperor Augustus .
Around 30 B.C.E. , Octavian had declared Juba II as King of Numidia . And about five years later , Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II were hook up with . During their marriage , the couple had two children : Ptolemy of Mauretania and a daughter whose name is unfortunately unidentified today .
The couple were soon learn to dominate over the customer kingdom of Mauretania . Under the alert eye of the Romans , they proposed newfangled regularization , city plannings , and public works . They draw inspiration from artist and designer from across the Mediterranean while develop the kingdom . Under their rule , Mauretania became notably favourable .
Though Cleopatra Selene II now held the rubric of Queen of Mauretania , she never blank out where she came from . She found creative ways to respect her female parent ’s bequest in Mauretania by displaying portrait of past Ptolemaic leaders and proudly line herself as “ Cleopatra , girl of Cleopatra ” — even though her mother was consider an enemy of Rome .
Cleopatra Selene II ’s achiever as a crowned head live on until her death around 5 or 6 C.E. She was only about 35 when she expire , meaning she lived an even shorter sprightliness than her mother . Though the circumstances of her death remain a mystery , most historians trust she died of natural movement .
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY - SA 2.0The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania , the original grave of Cleopatra Selene II and Juba II .
Cleopatra Selene II was bury in the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania in modern - solar day Algeria , which was commissioned by her husband . Upon her married man ’s death in 23 C.E. , the two were reunite and entombed together .
Their son would go on to dominate Mauretania until EmperorCaligulahad him executed . Without a male heir , Mauretania was divided into two provinces , leaving the influence of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II a thing of the past times .
Though Cleopatra Selene II ’s impact faded from history , her legacy as one of the last of the Ptolemaic dynasty endures in ancient record , archaeological monument , and even drink down culture , despite the miss pieces of her story .
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