1. Ptolemies. Brief history of Cleopatra's family and the role of the pharaoh in Egyptian society. It's association with Alexander the Great and the dramatic history of the family line that followed. We will get to know Cleopatra's father and his dealings with Berenice, her sister and Egypt's relations with Rome. And we will learn about the situation that led Cleopatra into Civil War against Ptolemy XIII, her husband and her sister, Arsinoe.

2. Julius Caesar. Why did Cleopatra want an alliance with him? Do you think that it was a political or love match, or both? Battle of the Nile and Caesar's involvement in Cleopatra's Civil War. She is returned to the throne along side her brother, Ptolemy XIV. Cleopatra has Caesar's only son, Caesarian (Ptolemy Caesar) and goes to Rome with her son. Cleopatra was in Rome when Caesar was assassinated. Do you think her presence had an effect on the assassins' reasoning for killing Caesar? What happened during this dangerous time in Rome?

3. Cleopatra and Judea. This area was once part of Cleopatra's family's lands and she wanted them back. We will learn about the attempts via Julius Caesar and Mark Antony to regain these lands. We will also learn about Herod the Great and Cleopatra's diplomatic relations with him. Where did it all go wrong? What role did Cleopatra play in ancient Middle Eastern politics?

4. Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The stuff Shakespearean plays are made of. Let's look at the relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra. What was the political situation between Antony and Augustus that led to to Antony being in the eastern empire with Cleopatra? What role did Antony play into Cleopatra's rule of Egypt and her political dealings amongst her neighboring states? Why did Augustus and Antony's arrangement of dividing the Roman Empire break down? How and why did Augustus blame Cleopatra in this Roman problem? We will look at the events surrounding the battle between Egypt and Rome and it's outcome at Actium. What events led to the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra?

5. Cleopatra and Augustus: The Monster Queen. After defeating Antony and Cleopatra, Augustus was now in control of Egypt, but had lost the prize of taking Cleopatra back to Rome for his triumph. Let's look at the propaganda created during the Augustan period regarding Cleopatra. We will look at the famous description in Virgil and also consider why Augustus would find it beneficial to portray Cleopatra as a Monster Queen? What continuing role did Egypt and Cleopatra have in Augustan propaganda and does it still effect the way we look at Cleopatra now?

6. Mysterious circumstances of Cleopatra's death. Was it a snake, if not, what? We will look into the mystery surrounding the Cleopatra and the snake.  Finally, let's look at the snake issue. Could she have had a snake hidden in a basket of figs to get it past Augustus' guards? What kind of snake? There are a few theories on this issue and we will look at them and decide for ourselves about Cleopatra and the snake.