Arsinoe joined forces with Achillas who proclaimed her Queen of Egypt, but she repaid his support by having him killed and replaced with Ganymedes when he disagreed with her decision to change tactics. The blaze spread to some of the warehouses on the shore and in the ensuing chaos Cleopatra’s younger sister Arsinoe fled with her tutor Ganymedes.
His troops surrounded the palace but Caesar, mindful that he was seriously outnumbered, remained inside with Cleopatra holding Ptolemy XIII as hostage.Ĭaesar knew that reinforcements from Anatolia and the Levant were on their way to his aid, but he also knew that Achillas would try to stop them from disembarking so, as he mounted a desperate defence of the palace, he ordered that all of the ships in the harbour be set alight. Ptolemy’s general, Achillas, escaped and rallied Ptolemy’s army (recently returned from Pelusium) and the Alexandrian Greeks who formed the town guard. Caesar had the banqueting hall surrounded by his troops and executed Pothinus.
While at this banquet, a servant of Caesar discovered that Achillas and Pothinus were plotting against him. Returning Rhodes to the Egyptians was by no means a popular move with the Roman people, but it bought Caesar time, ensured the gratitude of Cleopatra and undermined the attempts of Pothinus and Ptolemy XIII to stir up rebellion.Ĭaesar held a banquet to celebrate their joint rule. Ever the great orator, Caesar calmed the crowd by producing the will of Ptolemy Auletes decreeing that the siblings should rule together and by naming their younger siblings (Ptolemy XIV and Arsinoe) as the rulers of Rhodes (which Rome had recently recaptured). He burst out of the palace screaming that he had been betrayed and tried to rouse the Alexandrian mob against Caesar and Cleopatra. When Ptolemy XIII arrived for a meeting with Caesar he found his sister relaxing on a couch in his chambers and flew into a fit of rage. Caesar immediately reversed the decision of Pompey and reinstated Cleopatra as co-ruler with her brother.
Whether it was the beauty of Cleopatra, the fact that she was a direct descendant of Alexander the Great, her courage, or her charisma which charmed Caesar from this point (or shortly after) they became lovers. However, it is suggested by some authorities that she was in fact simply veiled, which is perhaps more likely. Plutarch tells the famous tale of how Cleopatra was hidden in a role of carpet (or sleeping bag depending on the translation) which was unrolled to reveal her in all her glory. Pothinus resented any challenge to his authority (he was acting chancellor and so controlled Egypt’s finances) and was openly insolent to Caesar – doing untold damage to the cause of his ward Ptolemy.Ĭleopatra was determined to make the most of Pothinus’ miscalculation and managed to arrange a secret meeting with Caesar. He insisted that Ptolemy and Cleopatra dismiss their armies and reminded Pothinus that the heirs of Ptolemy Auletes owed him 6000 talents (a large sum of money). He landed with a small force and made his way to the palace. Pothinus, the ever present guardian of Ptolemy XIII and the real power behind his throne, stirred the Alexandrian mob up against Caesar but Caesar was not easily frightened. Caesar announced his intention to execute Ptolemy Auletes will (under which Cleopatra was co-regent with Ptolemy XIII).
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