Contact between Egypt and Rome 41-37 B.C.E

In my history course reviewing ancient history up to the year 1500, we were given an assignment requiring us to choose a book that focused one specific event of this time period. The book I have chosen is titled, The Reign of Cleopatra by Stanley M. Burstein. While reading this book I found the interaction between Cleopatra and Roman leader, Mark Antony, to be one of the most significant cross cultural interactions of this era.

• In 46 B.C.E Cleopatra visited the city of Rome and established a friendship with the roman people that would benefit the future makeup of her empire.
• This friendship, however, was tested in 42 B.C.E when Cleopatra was forced to side with Roman enemy Cassius in a battle against the triumvirs.
• In 41 B.C.E Mark Antony accused Cleopatra of being a traitor because of her ties with Cassius and was summoned to Rome to explain herself.
• After an extravagant and bold entrance by Cleopatra, Antony accepted the explanation Cleopatra gave for siding with a Roman enemy and reclaimed their friendship.
• After a night of seduction, Antony granted new territory to the empire of Cleopatra.
• 40 B.C.E Cleopatra gave birth to Antony's twins, Helios and Selene.
• 36 B.C.E Cleopatra gave birth to Antony's third child, Ptolemy Philadelphos.

This connection between Egypt and Rome was a key component for the trade of the political and economic resources between Africa and Europe. The birth of Helios, Selene, and Ptolemy Philadelphos symbolized a unity between the two nations of Egypt and Rome that would forever connect them politically. Political ideals would be traded and intermixed into the individual cultures that would shape the course of future beliefs and events for each civilization.

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