Cleopatra the seventh, Philip Hatter, was the last ruler of an independent Egypt and one of the most important women of the ancient world.

In addition to being a brilliant and cutting ruler in her own right, she was also famously associated with two of the most powerful men in the late Roman

Republic.

Yet it was her involvement with these men that ultimately led to the downfall of her and of Egypt.

Learn more about the rise and fall of Queen Cleopatra on this episode of

Everything Everywhere Daily. The Before I get into the life of Cleopatra herself, it's necessary to understand the

dynasty that she inherited.

The Ptolemaic dynasty was the 33rd and lasted dynasty in ancient Egypt.

It began in 305 BC and lasted through the death of Cleopatra.

The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Egypt, but they were most emphatically

not Egyptian. They were Greek. Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, and control was then assumed by one of his

top generals, Ptolemy in 305 BC. When I said the Ptolemy were emphatically Greek

at no point in their almost 300 years of rule did any of the rulers

actually bother to learn Egyptian. Everyone spoke Greek until that is Cleopatra. She was the first and only

Ptolemaic ruler who ever bothered to learn the language.

Moreover, their family tree didn't branch out very much.

Almost every Ptolemaic ruler married their

sisters to keep the bloodline pure.

Why the Ptolemy's kept their Greek identity, they were willing to go through the motions of being an Egyptian ruler.

New pharaohs were crowned in Memphis by Egyptian priests, but they live and ruled in Alexandria,

the city founded by Alexander the Great.

They wore Egyptian dress and put on a the great.

...