Cleopatra: Greek Queen of Egypt

Cleopatra wasn't actually Egyptian. She was Greek, descended from one of Alexander the

Great's generals who took control after his death. She was the first in her family to

even speak Egyptian after 300 years of rule. Despite being a foreign ruler,

she embraced Egyptian culture and declared herself a living goddess. Her legendary beauty

was actually her intelligence and charisma that captivated Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

When Rome finally conquered Egypt, she chose death by asp bite rather than parade as a

prisoner. Her dynasty ended with her, closing the book on ancient Egypt

forever.