The Memoirs of Cleopatra

Name: The Memoirs of Cleopatra
Rating: 4.22 (23112 reviews)

by Margaret George

Amazon

4.2(23,112)

Told as Cleopatra VII’s own memoir, the novel follows the last Ptolemaic queen from childhood in an unstable royal household to her struggle for sole control of Egypt. Exiled by the advisers of her brother and co-ruler Ptolemy XIII, Cleopatra seeks the support of Julius Caesar during the Alexandrian War and regains her throne. Their political and personal alliance produces Caesarion and draws her into the final conflicts of the Roman Republic, but Caesar’s assassination leaves both her position and her son’s future exposed.

Cleopatra later forms a partnership with Mark Antony, building a court and family that challenge Octavian’s claim to control the Roman world. The novel follows their eastern campaigns, diplomatic bargains, marriage, children and worsening confrontation with Rome, including Antony’s ties to Octavia and Cleopatra’s relations with Herod the Great. Defeat at Actium and the invasion of Egypt destroy their political project. Rather than submit to Octavian’s triumph, Cleopatra plans her death while attempting to protect Caesarion and her surviving children, bringing both her reign and Ptolemaic Egypt to an end.

Historical Periods

Liberators’ Civil War43–42 BCE Battle of Actium31 BCE Ptolemaic Egypt305–30 BCE Late Roman Republic133–27 BCE Alexandrian War48–47 BCE

Genres

Biographical Fiction Court & Political Fiction Dynastic & Royal Fiction Historical Sagas

Historical people

Augustus64 BCE–14 Pompey106–48 BCE Julius Caesar101 BCE–45 BCE Mark Antony83–30 BCE Cleopatra70 BCE–31 BCE Herod the Great75 BCE–5 BCE Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator63 BCE–48 BCE Arsinoe IV of Egyptc. 68/63–41 BCE Caesarion47–30 BCE Cleopatra Selene II41 BCE–6 BCE Octavia the Youngerc. 69–11 BCE

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