Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BC – 30 BC), was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period. The Ptolemies, throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek as well as Egyptian languages were used on official court documents such as the Rosetta Stone.

Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she married as per Egyptian custom, but eventually she became sole ruler. As pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. She later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler in name.

After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar's legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian's forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC. She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters, but soon killed on Octavian's orders. (Wikipedia)

Theda Bara as Cleopatra (1917) one of the great 'lost' films of silent cinema, only a few seconds of footage has survived since it's release.

Cleopatra (1934) directed by Cecil B. De Mille and starring Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra, Warren William as Julius Caesar and Henry Wilcoxin as Mark Antony. 

 

 Vivien Leigh as the Queen of the Nile in Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) directed by Gabriel Pascal, also starring Claude Rains as Caesar and Stewart Granger as Apollodorus.

 

Serpent of the Nile (1953) directed by William Castle and starring Rhonda Fleming as Cleopatra and Raymond Burr as Mark Antony (!).

19 year old Sophia Loren as Cleopatra in the Italian film Two Weeks with Cleopatra (1954) directed by Mario Mattoli.

Virginia Mayo as the Egyptian Queen in The Story of Mankind (1959) directed by Irwin Allen and featuring an all-star cast.

Cleopatra (1963) directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Richard Burton as Mark Antony and Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar. Costing $44m to produce, it was the most expensive movie ever made and almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox.

Carry on Cleo (1964) directed by Gerald Thomas and starring Sidney James as Mark Antony, Kenneth Williams as Julius Caesar, Kenneth Connor as Hengist Pod and Amanda Barrie as Cleopatra.

 

Antony and Cleopatra (1972) directed by and starring Charlton Heston as Mark Antony with Hildegard Neil as Cleopatra.

Leonor Valera in Cleopatra (1999) a made for TV movie starring Billy Zane as Mark Antony and Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar.

Monica Bellucci as Cleopatra in Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra (2002) starring Gerard Depardieu as Obelix and Christian Clavier as Asterix.

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