In Egypt, Cleopatra became the sole ruler and began a series of political maneuvers to secure her power and protect Caesarion's claim to the throne. She allied herself with Mark Antony, one of Caesar's most loyal generals, and they formed a powerful alliance that dominated the eastern Mediterranean for several years.
However, Cleopatra's ambition and her relationship with Antony eventually led to her downfall. In 31 BC, Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian (later known as Augustus Caesar) at the Battle of Actium. After the battle, Cleopatra fled back to Egypt, and Octavian pursued her.
Seeing no way out of her situation, Cleopatra committed suicide on August 12, 30 BC. She is believed to have used an asp, a venomous snake, to take her own life. With her death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, and the era of the Ptolemaic dynasty came to an end.