Queen Cleopatra declares herself a living goddess, “the New Isis... the bringer of fertility, the bringer of wealth... the ultimate deity.” Alastair Campbell says, “Cleopatra's declaration may seem absurd... but actually we quite like the idea of thinking there's someone out there that we can trust tol ead us in a certain direction.” 📺 Civilisations: Rise and Fall - watch all episodes now on #iPlayer. New episodes on #BBCTwo, Mondays at 9pm. | BBC Arts

Queen Cleopatra has plans for Egypt. Big plans. An unparalleled, unstoppable new dynasty uniting Egypt and Rome in a vast new empire. Cleopatra gave birth to Julius Caesar’s son, Caesarion - little Caesar, and she envisages a new Egypto-Roman alliance. On the sandstone Stela of Caesarion she proclaims that their son will forge this new empire and herald a new golden age for Egypt. But Cleopatra's world comes crashing down as news arrives from Rome: Julius Caesar has been brutally murdered withou