Octavian-now first Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar-had crafted his image around being Julius Caesar’s heir. But his return to the city would prove to be a mistake. Caesarion was later lured back to Rome with promises of safety after Antony and Cleopatra died by suicide in 30 BCE and Octavian annexed Egypt. Cleopatra appears to have sent her eldest son away with his tutor to India, fearing for his life. He pointed out that Antony was spurning a Roman wife (he was married to Octavian’s sister Octavia at the beginning of his relationship with Cleopatra) for a foreign affair.Īfter declaring war between Egypt and Rome, Octavian's forces defeated Cleopatra and Antony. Octvaian soon began stirring up public disapproval for Cleopatra and Antony’s relationship. Caesar had named him as heir in his will. This infuriated Roman consul Ocatvian, who was Caesar’s grandnephew and adopted son.

In a extravagant political ceremony known as the Donations of Alexandria in 34 BCE, the controller of Rome’s eastern territories Mark Antony-who Cleopatra had since begun a relationship and had children with-declared 13-year old Caesarion as the true heir of Caesar and named him King of Kings and King of Egypt. With a young child on the throne beside her instead of her meddlesome brothers, “Cleopatra had no difficulty ruling as a female king,” Schiff writes. Months later, Cleopatra’s husband Ptolemy XIV died (likely killed on her orders), and she promptly installed 3-year old Caesarion as her co-ruler. The pair returned to Egypt after his assasination in 44 BCE. In 46 BCE, Cleopatra and Caesarion went to Rome as Caesar’s guests. When Caesar returned to Rome, he left Cleopatra with a child-a fact she was keen to highlight after their son’s birth, as she called him Caesarion, or “little Caesar.” Both were married to other people-Caesar to his third wife Calpurnia, and Cleopatra to her brother and co-ruler Ptolemy XIII.Īfter defeating Ptolemy XIII in battle, Caesar installed another one of Cleopatra’s brothers, Ptolemy XIV ( who she had also likely married after the former's death), as her co-ruler.

It’s hard to imagine being born to more legendary parents than Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, whose relationship seems to have started out of political necessity: Cleopatra was working to restore her throne after power struggles between her and her husband left her banished from Alexandria, while Caesar needed Egypt’s vast wealth. Sdwelch1031, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Cleopatra schiff