Caesar fought some battles in western Asia, North Africa, and Spain. He meet Cleopatra in Egypt during these travels. Cleopatra and her brother were the rulers of Egypt. Cleopatra's brother feared his smart sister. He had his men take Cleopatra out of Egypt. Julius Caesar heard of this and sent for Cleopatra. She wrapped herself in a rug and had herself delivered to Caesar. Cleopatra and Caesar fell in love.
Caesar returned to Rome a hero. He began making changes in the government. Most of these were good changes, but the senators didn't like Caesar. They thought they were losing power. Two senators named Brutus and Cassius developed a plot to kill Caesar. They stabbed him 27 times right on the floor of the senate. Caesar was 58 years old.
Marc Antony was Caesar's friend. They had been consuls together. The Roman people looked at Antony as a leader. Citizens expected Antony to take Caesar's place, but Caesar named his heir in his will. The heir Octavian was only 18 years old. Octavian and Caesar began to control Rome.
Brutus and Cassius were unhappy with the power Octavian and Caesar had over the people. They decided to go to Greece and raise an army to fight. Antony and Octavian also raised an army. The two armies fought in Northern Greece. Brutus and Cassius lost. This made Antony and Octavian masters of the Roman Empire.
Once in power Antony took a trip through parts of the Near East. He even went to Egypt and fell in love with Cleopatra.
Antony and Octavian each wanted to control the Roman Empire. They became rivals. Octavian defeated Antony in a sea battle off the coast of southwest Greece. Antony and Cleopatra killed themselves instead of facing defeat. Antony stabbed himself to death. After Cleopatra found Antony she wrapped a poisonous snake around her arm.