The Life of Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII was born in 69 BC in Alexandria, which was at the time the capital of Egypt. Her father was Egypt's pharaoh, Ptolemy XII he was nicknamed Auletes. Cleopatra's mother was traditionally Auletes's sister, who was named Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Of these parents bore many children including, Cleopatra VII's elder sister, who was named Cleopatra VI. Cleopatra VII, future pharaoh, also had another sister, the oldest, named Bernice; as well as younger sister named Arsinoe; and two younger brothers, both called Ptolemy. Their family was not native to Egypt, but Macedonian by nature. …