The death of Cleopatra, the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, occurred in 30 BC in Alexandria, when she was 39 years old. According to Greek and Roman historians, she poisoned herself using either an ointment or a sharp implement such as a hairpin. Modern scholars debate the validity of these accounts, and of ancient reports involving snakebites as the cause of death. Cleopatra's death effectively ended the final war of the Roman Republic between triumvirs Octavian (Augustus) and Mark Antony, in which she aligned herself with Antony, father to three of her children. Her suicide circumvented the humiliation of being paraded as a prisoner in a Roman triumph celebrating the military victories of Octavian, who in 27 BC became Rome's first emperor. Cleopatra's death marked the end of the Hellenistic period and Ptolemaic rule of Egypt, as well as the beginning of Roman Egypt. The death has been depicted in various works of art throughout history. (This article is part of a featured topic: Cleopatra.).

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_topics/Cleopatra

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1861:

Militia forces led by Nguyễn Trung Trực, an anti-colonial leader in southern Vietnam, sank the French lorcha L'Esperance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguy%E1%BB%85n_Trung_Tr%E1%BB%B1c

1936:

Edward VIII, desiring to marry the American socialite Wallis Simpson against widespread British opposition, signed the instrument of abdication to renounce the throne in favour of his brother George VI. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_of_Edward_VIII

1983:

Raúl Alfonsín became the first democratically elected president of Argentina to take office after more than seven years of military dictatorship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%BAl_Alfons%C3%ADn

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

gylany: (sociology) A social system based on equality of women and men. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gylany

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates. Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war. Let the efforts of us all, prove that he was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. Let a new age dawn!   --Nelson Mandela https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela