Cleopatra rules as Queen of Egypt, but Egypt is no longer truly independent — Rome's reach extends into every decision. She has given birth to Caesarion and is navigating motherhood alongside statecraft. Caesar, now in Rome, is consolidating power while also plotting his next conquest — the Parthian Empire. When Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March, Cleopatra learns through reports that he is dead, stabbed by senators who fear his growing power. Her reaction is not immediate grief but political calculation: Caesar's death changes everything. She becomes a widow without rights in Rome, and her child — who could have been Caesar's heir — becomes a liability instead of an asset. She must maneuver carefully as Rome erupts into civil war and the Second Triumvirate is formed. Octavian, Lepidus, and Marcus Antonius divide Rome's territories. Antonius, now one of three rulers of Rome, becomes the wild card in Cleopatra's calculations.
