The Tragedy of Anthony and Cleopatra A play by William Shake-speare
In contrast to Shakespeare’s fictional stage play about the two star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, the real-life story of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra VII (69 – 30 BC) is set against the black and turbulent backdrop of the demise of the Roman Republic. While both couples met the same tragic fate, Marcus and Cleopatra’s deaths affected the course of Roman history in favor of Augustus (63 BC – 43 AD).
Most historians probably agree that Anthony’s death would later prove the fatal dagger in the heart of the Roman Republic. Augustus seized upon it almost immediately as the clarion call to establish himself as the 1st Emperor of the Roman Empire. His success in soon achieving that goal went largely uncontested.
Ironically, Marcus was the maternal grandfather of Emperor Claudius (10 BC – 54 AD). His mother Antonia Minor `the Younger’ Augusta (36 AD – 37 BC) descended from Gaius Julius Caesar (c. 140 BC – 85 BC) who was the father of Gaius Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC) General, Consul, 1st Dictator of Rome.
Both Marcus and Queen Cleopatra were agnatic descendants of Aegyptus, the legendary forebear of the Ptolemaic Kingdom (305 – 30 BC) of Egypt. Alexander the Great of Macedonia (356 – 323 BC) and Antiochus III Seleucid, Emperor of Seleucid Greek Empire (223 – 187 BC) were their agnatic cousins. They and Pericles Acamantis (495 – 429 BC) were all descendants of the Titans.
Related blog articles:
Historically Noted Military Commanders
European Royalty, Peerage & Nobility
Marcus Antonius, General, Triumvir of the Roman Republic, Consul of the Roman Republic
BIRTH 14 JAN 83 BCE • Rome, Roma, Lazio, Italy
DEATH 1 AUG 30 BCE • Rome, Roma, Lazio, Italy
Ancestry.com citation/Lineages
63rd great-grandfather JULII-COELING-VERE-WARREN-HOLLAND-SIMMONS-COLLINS
63rd great-grandfather CLAUDIAN-CONSTANTINIAN-MEROVING-VERE-WARREN-HOLLAND-SIMMONS-COLLINS
husband of 59th great-grandaunt…LANDRY-BOURG-CYR-BRULE
husband of 71st great-grandmother …ROHAN-LANDRY-BOURG-CYR-BRULE
husband of 2nd cousin 68x removed …PLANTAGENET-FITZALAN-MOWBRAY-HOWARD-WOOD-COLLINS
husband of 4th cousin 66x removed YNGLING-DUNKELD-PLANTAGENET-HOWARD-WOOD-COLLINS
Fab Pedigree
Found? The Tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony
The Patricians, A Genealogical Study – Ebook Editions US$7.95
Steven Wood Collins (1952 – ) Antiquarian, Genealogist, Novelist