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Primary sourceBook

The Alexandrian War

Anonymous Caesarian author (attrib. Hirtius)

A Roman officer's eyewitness-era account of the siege of Alexandria and Cleopatra's restoration to power by Caesar.

Describes Caesar's restoration of Cleopatra to the Egyptian throne during the Alexandrian War.

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About this source

What it is

This is an ancient Latin text describing the Alexandrian War, the campaign fought by Julius Caesar in Egypt. It was written by an anonymous Caesarian officer, sometimes thought to be Hirtius, close to the time of the events it describes.

Why it matters

The text covers the siege of Alexandria and the restoration of Cleopatra to her throne with Roman backing. Because it was written near the events by someone on Caesar's side, it is a rare primary account of the crisis that first linked Cleopatra's rule to Roman power.

Look closer

  • Why might a soldier writing for Caesar's side describe events differently than an Egyptian source would?
  • What does the text focus on, and what might it leave out about Cleopatra's own actions and decisions?
  • How does being written soon after the events make this source valuable, even if one-sided?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Secondary source

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