Queen Cleopatra
Netflix docudrama about Queen Cleopatra of Egypt of the Ptolemaic lineage from Macedonia, Greece, that ruled for 21 years, between the years 51 BC and 30 BC, ending with her suicide.
Genre: Documentary
Cast:Jada Pinkett Smith , Adele James , Craig Russell , John Partridge , Andira Crichlow , Kaysha Woollery , Laya Lewis , Calum Balmforth , Louis Emerick , Phillip E. Walker , Michael Greco , Greg Lockett , James Marlowe , Simon Kunz , James O'Driscoll , Shelley Haley , Debora Heard , Islam Issa
S1.E1 ∙ Rivals
There is speculation that Cleopatra was a colored woman of African descent. Since 323 BC, one family from Macedonia, the Ptolemies, have ruled Egypt, but it is 51 BC now and a shift in power is imminent. Cleopatra was a teenager in Alexandria in 51 BC. She was a scholar, a linguist and a scientist. Her father was the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy XII.The very first Ptolemy was a General of Alexander the Great, who conquered Egypt and kicked out the ruling Persian dynasty. Cleopatra was the favorite daughter of her father, who willed her to rule alongside her brother Ptolemy XIII. Ptolemy XII had already executed Cleopatra's elder sister when she dared to usurp the throne. Cleopatra was 17 years old when her father died. Cleopatra had 2 brothers named Ptolemy and a sister named Arsinoe. Ptolemy XIII is under the influence of eunuch Pothinus. Cleopatra has 2 female advisers, Charmion and Iras. According to Ptolemy XII's will Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII were to rule alongside, but only King and Queen could rule alongside as Isis and Osiris. So, in keeping with tradition, Cleopatra marries her brother Ptolemy XIII.Cleopatra toured her country and its populations made of Egyptians, Greeks and the Hebrews. The 3 did not like each other but were united in their hatred for Rome. Cleopatra had read the Egyptian language and learned their rituals. She wanted to be an Egyptian queen and not just a Ptolemy one. It is possible that Cleopatra was of African descent. Ptolemy XII left a huge debt with Rome. Egypt was a client state of Rome. Egypt was the breadbasket for Rome, but the Nile River was not flooding for many years and as such the crops were failing.Cleopatra opens the Royal grain stores to feed the people. Rome is fighting a civil war between Julius Caesar, representing the people and Pompey representing the Upper classes. Ptolemy XII had borrowed heavily from Pompey. Pompey asks Ptolemy XIII for soldiers to fight the war, but he refuses, and Ptolemy XIII argues that Pompey is losing the war. Pothinus was advising Ptolemy XIII and his main aim was to kill Cleopatra. When Pothinus launches a coup, Cleopatra flees Alexandria and goes to Thebes. She travels to Syria to amass an army to fight her brother for her throne. It takes her 2 years in Syria to put together her own army, using resources provided by friends of her late father who still recognized Cleopatra as the true heir to the throne.Meanwhile, in 48 BC, Pompey loses a battle to Caesar and travels to Egypt for help. Caesar follows Pompey. Cleopatra chooses this moment to return to Egypt. Cleopatra knows that Caesar is winning the civil war, and killing Pompey is the quickest way to gain his favor. Yet, Pompey is the son-in-law of Caesar. As Pompey lands, Pothinus kills Pompey. But Pothinus miscalculated the Roman sense of honor. Caesar is livid at Pompey's death.Cleopatra smuggles herself into Alexandria for a meeting with Caesar. The story of Cleopatra wrapped in a carpet is perhaps false. The source of the story was a Greek author who wrote 150 years after Cleopatra died. There was an attempt to portray Cleopatra as an evil seductress.Cleopatra tells Caesar that had she been the Queen, Pompey would be alive. Caesar is attracted by Cleopatra's intelligence. She argues that she is the co-ruler of Egypt as per her father's will. Caesar found that Cleopatra had a keen mind for politics. It was a meeting of mind and heart. They have sex.In time, Caesar announces both Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII as co-rulers of Egypt. Cyprus is bestowed to Arsinoe and Ptolemy XIV. Caesar also reduces the debt that Egypt owes Rome. But a civil war breaks out. Caesar and Cleopatra on one side. Pothinus, Ptolemy XIII and Arsinoe on the other. The war goes on for 4 months and Roman soldiers burn down most of Alexandria, including the library of Alexandria. Cleopatra gets pregnant and now she has the potential to unite Egypt and Rome. Ptolemy XIII dies by drowning in the Nile and Arsinoe is imprisoned. Cleopatra won the civil war. Caesar departs for Rome when Cleopatra is 7 months pregnant. She is the undisputed Queen of Egypt. But now Cleopatra is married to Ptolemy XIV and is expected to share the throne of Egypt. Caesar takes Arsinoe with him, to execute her in Rome.
S1.E2 ∙ When in Rome
Cleopatra gives birth to a boy and names him Caesarion. A boy that holds the promise to unite the 2 most powerful civilizations on Earth.46 BC. With Caesarion, Cleopatra has a chance to continue her dynasty. Caesar returns to Rome with Arsinoe. Arsinoe is only a child and is 17 years old. She is paraded through Rome as a sign of Caesar's conquest and the people are appalled. The people rise up against Caesar and he is forced to withdraw her execution.Arsinoe is exiled to Ephesus, modern day Turkey. Meanwhile Cleopatra has assumed that Arsinoe is dead and no longer a threat to her throne. Caesar betrayed Cleopatra. Cleopatra is livid when she finds that Arsinoe is alive. Cleopatra decides to take Caesarion to Rome. She wants Caesar to accept Caesarion as his child and his heir. If he does, this will give legitimacy to Cleopatra as well. Cleopatra travels with Charmion, Iras and Ptolemy XIV.Caesar welcomes Cleopatra, but he also has a Roman wife. Cleopatra wants Arsinoe dead, but Caesar is clear that any promise made to Cleopatra does not supersede his promise made to the Roman people. Rome was founded by farmer soldiers. They are down to earth and sturdy people. Hence Cleopatra's reputation is damaged among the Romans. Elite high-class women in Rome were supposed to stay at home, while Cleopatra was openly consorting with Caesar. She is also foreign.Mark Antony is a general in Caesar's army, who is a hedonist and enjoys drinking parties. Cicero is a Senator who dislikes Cleopatra. Rome was against the idea of a woman being a ruler. Rome is a Republic, while Egypt has been ruled for thousands of years by a dynasty.Cleopatra has a clear influence on Caesar, who was declared Dictator of Rome after he returned from Alexandria. But he had a limited term and limited powers. Cleopatra plans a library in Rome, similar to the one damaged in Alexandria. She even asks Caesar to adjust the Roman calendar to the Egyptian one, which had 12 months, each month with 30 days and 5 days at the end for 365 days. Cleopatra's influence on Caesar bred a lot of resentment. There were rumors that Caesar wanted to move the capital to Alexandria. But still, Caesar has not recognized Caesarion as his heir.Cleopatra returns to Egypt. Meanwhile, in 44 BC, Caesar requests to be appointed Dictator for life and the Senate approves. Caesar sits on thrones, has his face on coins and has a statue of himself as a God. The Romans sense that Caesar wants to be King, with Cleopatra as the Queen. This idea is an anathema to Republican Rome. Cleopatra returns to Rome in 44 BC. She wants Caesar to recognize Caesarion as his son and heir. But the Senate is now worried that Caesar is becoming an autocrat. On 15th March, 44 BC, Caesar is assassinated in the Senate.Cleopatra is in panic as she knows Caesarion is next. Mark Antony informs Cleopatra that according to Caesar's will, Octavian, his nephew is Caesar's heir. Mark Antony and Cleopatra came together as they both felt betrayed by Caesar. Cleopatra leaves Rome as both Octavian and Mark Antony lay claim to Caesar's wealth and office. Arsinoe makes an alliance with the Governor of Cyprus and breaks out of prison. She then teams up with Ptolemy XIV against Cleopatra. Cleopatra saw Ptolemy XIV as a threat, and it is highly likely that she had him killed. Ptolemy XIV got ill and died soon thereafter.In 42 BC, Rome is again fighting a civil war between Octavian and Mark Antony on one side and the assassins of Caesar on the other. Mark Antony has intelligence that Cleopatra helped the conspirators against Caesar. He summons Cleopatra to Tarsus in 41 BC. Cleopatra seduces Mark and offers Egypt's wealth to him to help him retake Rome. Cleopatra wants to use Mark Antony to secure her own position and power. It was not Cleopatra who was helping Caesar's assassins, but Arsinoe. Cleopatra convinces Mark to assassinate Arsinoe. Now Cleopatra is the only Ptolemy ruler still standing, but she still has Octavian standing in her way.
S1.E3 ∙ What Must Be Done
Cleopatra is pregnant with Mark Antony's child. Cleopatra goes back to Alexandria with Mark Antony. They both fall in love with each other. As per the power sharing agreement in Rome, Octavian controls the West and Mark Antony controls the East empire of Rome.Mark Antony hears rumors that Octavian is trying to break the alliance. But he still stays away from Rome and with Cleopatra. This gives Octavian the political space to influence the Senate and undermine Mark Antony reputation in Rome. Cleopatra asks Mark to return to Rome and control Octavian before he grows out of control.But when Mark returns to Rome, he marries Octavian's sister Octavia. Cleopatra gives birth to twins in Alexandria. Cleopatra knows that Mark had to marry Octavia for political reasons. But Mark does not return for 3 years. Mark doesn't even write to Cleopatra. But during those 3 years, Cleopatra turns Egypt around. The economy is booming, exports are rising, and the people love their Queen.Meanwhile Mark Antony is fighting a war against Parthia, modern day Iran. Mark wants to conquer Parthia to elevate his own standing in Rome. Mark Antony expects help from Octavian in his conquest as he needs money and an army. Octavian only gives Mark 2 legions. Mark Antony knows he needs more resources and Cleopatra is at the top of his list. Antony summons Cleopatra to Antioch in Syria. Cleopatra knows that Mark needs him. She wants everything that Caesar took away. She wants Caesarion to be recognized as the son of Caesar, the twins to be recognized as sons of Mark, and territories returned to the Egyptian empire.Mark agrees and Cleopatra is more powerful than ever. Mark names his twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. Mark and Cleopatra are setting up the twins as rulers of the massive Eastern Empire that Mark and Cleopatra are reshaping together. But despite Cleopatra's support, Mark Antony's Parthian invasion fails. Mark loses thousands of men and huge damage to his supplies. In 36 BC, Cleopatra is back in Egypt and giving birth to her 3rd child with Mark.Meanwhile Octavian is using this opportunity to portray Mark as an ineffective military commander. Cleopatra is worried about Mark, and meets him in Antioch, Syria where he has retreated with his troops. Cleopatra marries Mark Antony to give their relationship a divine sanctity. This is frowned upon in Rome, as Mark is already married to Octavia. At the ceremony after the marriage, called the Donations of Alexandria, Mark proclaims Caesarion as the heir of Caesar. He also gifts Rome's territories of Greece & Cyprus to Egypt, formally. Mark also divorces Octavia. Mark has effectively cut all of his ties to Rome.Octavian is livid as Mark does not have the power to gift Rome's territories to Egypt. Octavian casts the Donations of Alexandria as an anti-Roman plot. Octavian paints Cleopatra as the main conspirator behind the plot. She was the scapegoat as Octavian did not want to target Mark Antony, as that would mean another civil war. Octavian paints Cleopatra as this seductress who controls Mark Antony. In 31 BC Octavian declares war on Cleopatra. Battle of Actium sees all out naval warfare between Mark Antony and Octavian. Cleopatra provides 200 of the 800 ships and all of their financing. But Mark Antony's generals don't want to take orders from a woman. Due to his association with Cleopatra, Mark Antony looks less like a Roman General and more like an Eastern King. Due to this, many of his commanders defect to Octavian's army.Octavian lays a blockade to the bay of Actium. He has more ships than Mark Antony and Cleopatra combined. Mark Antony's ships are larger with bigger fire power but are less maneuverable compared to Octavian's ships. Octavian manages to surround all of Mark Antony's ships. Cleopatra sees this and turns her ships around to sail back to Alexandria. If she loses all of her ships at the battle of Actium, Egypt will be defenseless. Mark Antony sees Cleopatra's retreat as an act of treachery. Mark Antony flees and manages to catch up with Cleopatra's fleet. Mark Antony blames Cleopatra for the defeat at Actium, while Cleopatra maintains that it was the right decision to withdraw from Actium.Mark and Cleopatra know that now Octavian will come for their territories. Cleopatra writes to Octavian and offers Egypt in exchange for her and Mark Antony's life. Now it is up to Octavian. Octavian agrees, but wants Cleopatra to kill Antony in exchange for her own life.
S1.E4 ∙ The Last Pharaoh
After the battle of Actium, Mark Antony is in a period of clinical depression. He does not speak to Cleopatra and her confidence in him is eroded. Cleopatra knows that if Rome attacks, Egypt will cease to exist as an independent nation. She sends her kids away to keep them safe.Cleopatra knows that by killing Antony, she can remain as the Queen of Egypt. Mark Antony is still Octavian's biggest enemy and there is a way to come to terms with Octavian. Cleopatra chooses Mark Antony. She reveals Octavian's offer to Mark.Cleopatra is not a romantic, and in her practical mind Mark Antony is still the key to her future and safety. Mark Antony refuses to enter into any negotiations with Octavian and dares Octavian to attack Egypt. In 30 BC, Octavian moves his armies towards Egypt. Octavian has assembled the largest invasion force and he heavily outnumbers any forces that Mark and Cleopatra have at their command. Octavian needs Egypt's wealth to pay his troops and wants to make Egypt the breadbasket of Rome. Instead of sailing straight for Alexandria, he marches his troops on land, winning allies on the way to Alexandria. This way Octavian will have no enemies to his rear when he enters into his final battle with Mark Antony and Cleopatra.Even Cleopatra's loyal commanders start to defect to Octavian's army. Cleopatra is still defiant and decides to stick with Mark Antony till the very end. Mark Antony leads Egypt's forces to meet Octavian just outside Alexandria. Antony's forces are well rested, and Octavian's forces have been on the march for several months now. Cleopatra knows that Alexandria's water supply can be easily poisoned. She also does not have the supply lines to get the provisions to the front-line troops. Mark Antony wins the first battle against Octavian, but Octavian has far more troops in reserve for upcoming battles.Mark Antony then moves to the 2nd battle against Octavian, where Octavian has put a siege against Alexandria. Mark Antony attacks with land and naval forces together. But the Egyptian navy defects to Octavian. Nothing stands between Octavian and Alexandria. His troops breach the walls of Alexandria. Cleopatra knows that now Egypt will be a province of the Roman Empire. Her children will never be the Pharaohs of Egypt. Cleopatra barricades herself inside her partially finished tomb, along with her wealth. She plans to set fire to her wealth, which Octavian needs to pay his troops. Mark Antony reaches the tomb and has to be hauled up through a window.Mark Antony was severely injured as he had tried to commit suicide, as that was the Roman way of doing things. This was the Roman way to preserve dignity and valor. Mark Antony dies in Cleopatra's arms. Octavian does not want Cleopatra dead as he knows that a dead Pharaoh would lead to the Egyptian soldiers rising up in rebellion against him. Octavian has his soldiers break through the roof of the tomb to capture Cleopatra alive. She is taken to the palace.Octavian says that he has her children in his custody, and he plans to drag them through the streets of Rome as common criminals. Cleopatra is imprisoned. She writes to Octavian, asking permission to be buried together with Antony and for her son to inherit Egypt. She then consumes poison and dies. She knew that there was no way Octavian would leave her alive after her parade through Rome. So, her life was already over, and she didn't want Egypt to be humiliated in Rome. Cleopatra and Mark's tombs have never been found. They might have been cremated. Egypt becomes a province of Rome. Rome tapped the wealth of Egypt and impoverished it. Cleopatra is the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Octavian is declared Emperor of Rome. Octavian executes Caesarion. He humiliates Cleopatra's children in Rome in his parade, but afterwards sends them to live with his own sister Octavia.
