Cleopatra VII Philopator (in Greek (Greek language), ????????? ?????????; (Late 69 BC - August 12, 30 BC) was the last person to rule Egypt (Ancient Egypt) as an Egyptian pharaoh - after she died, Egypt became a Roman province.

She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she also married, but eventually she became sole ruler. As pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. She later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler in name.

After Caesars assassination (Assassination of Julius Caesar) in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesars legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (later known as Augustus). With Antony, she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus (Ptolemy Philadelphus (Cleopatra)). Her unions with her brothers produced no children. After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavians forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp (Asp (reptile)) bite on August 12, 30 BC. She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh, but he was soon killed on Octavians orders. Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus (Egypt (Roman province)).

Though Cleopatra bore the ancient Egyptian title of pharaoh, the Ptolemaic dynasty was Hellenistic (Hellenistic culture), having been founded 300 years before by Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian (Macedonia (ancient kingdom)) Greek (Greeks) general of Alexander the Great. As such, Cleopatras language was the Greek (Greek language) spoken by the Hellenic aristocracy, though she was reputed to be the first ruler of the dynasty to learn Egyptian (Egyptian language). She also adopted common Egyptian beliefs and deities. Her patron goddess was Isis, and thus, during her reign, it was believed that she was the re-incarnation and embodiment of the goddess of wisdom. Her death marked the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Hellenistic period and the beginning of the Roman era in the eastern Mediterranean.

To this day, Cleopatra remains a popular figure in Western culture. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media, including William Shakespeares tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenets opera Cl�op�tre and the 1963 film Cleopatra (Cleopatra (1963 film)). In most depictions, Cleopatra is put forward as a great beauty and her successive conquests of the worlds most powerful men are taken to be proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal. In his Pens�es, philosopher Blaise Pascal contends that Cleopatras classically beautiful profile changed world history: "Cleopatras nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed."