How Cleopatra first met Julius Caesar | The Alexandrian War: A City Ignites

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The Alexandrian War: A City Ignites 

Caesar’s decisive actions, particularly the execution of Pothinus and his clear backing of Cleopatra, ignited the smoldering resentment within Alexandria into a raging inferno. The city, already a powder keg of anti-Roman sentiment, exploded into open rebellion. Achillas, furious at the demise of his co-conspirator and the perceived insult to Ptolemy XIII, rallied his substantial Egyptian forces – a mix of the royal army, disaffected Roman legionaries (Gabinians), and a volatile Alexandrian mob – and laid siege to the royal palace where Caesar and Cleopatra were now effectively trapped. The Alexandrian War had begun.

Caesar, with his mere 4,000 legionaries, found himself in a precarious position. Outnumbered and isolated within a hostile city, he quickly understood the gravity of the situation. His strategic genius, however, rose to the challenge. He secured the palace, a formidable defensive structure, and fortified its perimeter. The famous Library of Alexandria, located near the palace, became an unfortunate casualty in the ensuing chaos, its precious scrolls tragically consumed by fire, a symbol of the destructive forces unleashed.

Days turned into weeks of intense, brutal urban warfare. The streets of Alexandria, once bustling with commerce and culture, became battlegrounds. Caesar led from the front, his personal courage and tactical brilliance inspiring his men to hold their ground against overwhelming odds. He secured the Great Harbor, burning Alexandrian ships to deny them control and prevent further attacks from the sea. This desperate move, however, trapped his own forces. The fighting was fierce and relentless.

Cleopatra, now fully recognized as queen by Caesar, remained by his side within the besieged palace. Her presence, though a symbol of Caesar's commitment, also highlighted the immediate danger. She was not a passive observer; she was a sovereign sharing the peril with her Roman protector. Her knowledge of the city’s layout, its hidden passages, and the loyalties of its various factions became invaluable to Caesar, providing critical intelligence that helped him navigate the labyrinthine defense.

The psychological strain on both was immense. Caesar, a seasoned campaigner, found himself fighting in an unfamiliar environment, isolated and dependent on reinforcements that were slow to arrive. Cleopatra, witnessing her capital in turmoil, experienced the brutal reality of war firsthand, but her resolve never wavered. She understood that this conflict was the price of her throne, and she bore it with fierce determination.

The very walls of the palace seemed to hum with the intensity of the conflict, the sounds of distant clashes, the shouts of the combatants, and the acrid smell of smoke becoming the constant companions of their confinement. Yet, even amidst the siege, their bond strengthened, forged in the crucible of shared danger and mutual reliance. The Alexandrian War was not just a military campaign; it was a defining moment for Cleopatra, solidifying her claim to power through blood and fire, and deepening her intricate, personal, and political alliance with the man who had gambled his prestige, and his life, on her behalf.