Caesarion: Son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar, better known as Caesarion, was born in 47 BC as the son of Cleopatra VII, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, and Julius Caesar. His name means “Little Caesar,” reflecting his connection to Rome’s most famous leader. Caesarion was declared co-ruler with his mother at the age of three, making him Pharaoh in name, though Cleopatra retained actual power.

Caesarion’s life unfolded during a period of immense political turbulence. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra returned to Egypt with her son. Caesarion was later proclaimed Pharaoh in his own right, but his reign was brief. Following the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Caesarion was captured and executed in 30 BC, ending the Ptolemaic dynasty and Egypt’s pharaonic independence.

Caesarion in the Asterix Comics

Appearance in Le Fils d’Astérix (1983)

Caesarion appears in the twenty-seventh Asterix album, Le Fils d’Astérix (Asterix and Son). In this story, the young prince becomes a central plot point when Marcus Junius Brutus schemes to remove him as a potential rival to Caesar’s legacy.

The album portrays Caesarion as a symbol of Egypt’s connection to Julius Caesar, blending historical reference with comic exaggeration. He is protected by Asterix, Obelix, and their allies, and the story emphasizes his youth and innocence, making him both a plot device and a source of humor.

Historical Accuracy: Brutus and Caesarion in Asterix

In Asterix and Son, Marcus Junius Brutus is depicted as attempting to eliminate Caesarion to secure his own path to power.

Historical facts:

• Brutus had no direct involvement with Cleopatra or Caesarion.
• After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra returned to Egypt with her son.
• Brutus focused on leading the “Liberators” faction against Caesar’s supporters and died at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC.
• Caesarion was executed in 30 BC on the orders of Octavian (later Augustus), over a decade after Brutus’s death.

This fictional subplot is a classic example of Asterix’s blend of history and humor: Goscinny and Uderzo take real figures and events and exaggerate or reimagine them for narrative effect.

Caesarion’s Legacy

Caesarion’s life is a reminder of the turbulent intersection between Egypt and Rome during the late Republic. In history, he was a young ruler caught in the power struggles of empires. In the world of Asterix, he becomes a playful narrative device that connects Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and the Gauls.

His portrayal exemplifies how the series uses historical figures to entertain while providing readers with touchpoints to real events. By showing both his historical fate and his comic adventures, Caesarion bridges fact and fiction, giving depth to the Asterix universe.