1. Political Alliance with Mark Antony:
Cleopatra formed an alliance with the Roman general Mark Antony, one of the triumvirs who ruled the Roman Republic after Julius Caesar's assassination. Their alliance was strengthened by their personal relationship and shared political ambitions.
2. The Battle of Actium:
In 31 BC, Octavian's forces, led by his general Agrippa, engaged in a decisive naval battle against the combined fleet of Cleopatra and Antony at Actium on the western coast of Greece. Despite having numerical superiority, Cleopatra and Antony suffered a disastrous defeat due to strategic errors and defections within their forces.
3. Antony's Suicide:
Following the defeat at Actium, Antony returned to Egypt, where he falsely believed Cleopatra was dead. Upon hearing of his death, Cleopatra committed suicide by allowing an asp (a venomous snake) to bite her. Her suicide symbolized the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the beginning of Roman rule over Egypt.
4. Octavian's Conquest of Egypt:
After Antony's suicide, Octavian invaded Egypt with his forces and laid siege to Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. Cleopatra attempted to negotiate with Octavian but failed to secure favorable terms. She took her own life before being taken as a captive to Rome.
5. Roman Annexation of Egypt:
With the death of Cleopatra and the defeat of her forces, Egypt was annexed by the Roman Empire. Octavian became the unchallenged ruler of the Roman world, signaling the end of the Hellenistic period and the rise of the Roman Empire as a dominant power in the Mediterranean region.