Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra) with Richard Burton (Mark Antony)
2. Cleopatra was a powerful and important woman; she didn't need to “seduce” Caesar or Marcus Antonius: Cleopatra was thrown out of Egypt by her brother/husband Ptolemy XIII to conquer the throne.
Cleopatra sought after Julius Caesar's help to restore her rightful place as queen, where he plundered Alexandria with his army.
The Romans stepped in to assist Caesar in his conquest, ultimately proving to be stronger than the opposing army, in a victorious battle.
It was in both of their interests to maintain close relationships.
Moreover, it was common for Caesar and Marcus Antonius to have liaisons with royal women; the only difference was that Cleopatra was not shy about the paternity of her children.
Cleopatra wanted her son, Caesarion, to be Caesar's heir and to eventually become ruler of Rome.
After Caesar's death, Cleopatra needed to maintain a close relationship with Marcus Antonius because he controlled the eastern Roman Empire, her geographical neighbor.
They combined their armies to fight the Octavian Empire in the Battle of Actium.
Likewise, after Marcus Antonius lost control of this area, he had to rely on Cleopatra's wealth and power.
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