Outline the main influences on Cleopatra's early life:.
Cleopatra VII was raised in Alexandria, the cultural capital of the Hellenistic east. The Ptolmies had made Alexandria "the greatest emporium in the inhabited world" and indeed this influenced Cleopatra greatly. The Ptolmaic family was "mindful of the customs common to the Greeks" and Cleopatra's Greek heritage dictated her lifestyle dress and language. However, she was also influenced by local Egyptian culture, particularly the Egyptian religion with which she later identified herself (as Isis). Egypt was heavily under the shadow of Rome and thus events in Rome influenced every aspect of life. Male and female members of the Ptolmaic family wee educated according to the same curriculum, and cleopatra developed an intelligence befitting a Ptolmaic queen. She studied rhetoric, Greek literature, astronomy, medicine and had artistic skills. She was particularly skilled in linguistics-these talents useful to her in facilitating her role as diplomat and politician. However, Cleopatra's keen curiosity made her likely to aspire to the throne and this brought the threat of murder and her siblings Cleopatra VI, Arsinoe, Berenice and Ptolemy XIII and XIV was no less threatening that it had been amongst her ancestors . The examples of earlier queens would have greatly influenced Cleopatra. She was aware that a queen could be a powerful figure-if she survived to CO-rule with one of her relations. "Cleopatra was raised in a climate where queens could rule but ruling mean being ruthless and by using any means available to take and hold power". Thus her family background, her education and the climate in which she was raised greatly influenced Cleopatra.
Explain the Significance of Cleopatra's alliance with Julius Caesar:.
When Julius Caesar entered Alexandria, he entered as a triumphant conqueror. Cleopatra's future was dependent upon him, as Egypt relied heavily on Rome.
