30 B.C: Cleopatra commits suicide
Cleopatra, queen of
Egypt, takes her life following the defeat of her forces against
Octavian, the future first emperor of
Rome. The daughter of King
Ptolemy XII, Cleopatra became the lover of
Julius Caesar, who helped her seize the Egyptian throne from her brother in 47 B.C. After Caesar's assassination,
Mark Antony, another powerful Roman, fell in love with her, and in 36 B.C. they were married. Four years later, Octavian, the designated heir of Caesar, declared war against
Antony and Cleopatra. In 31 B.C., they were defeated at the
Battle of Actium and fled to
Alexandria. Soon after, Mark Antony committed suicide after hearing a false report of Cleopatra's death. Rather than fall into Octavian's hands, Cleopatra likewise ended her life.
1973
Faced with the threat of
extinction of the elephant ,
Kenya bans the hunting of elephants and the trade in ivory.
1968
British group The Beatles release Hey Jude.1963
A telephone 'hotline' is established between the US President in the
White House, Washington DC and the Soviet Premier in the Kremlin in Moscow - to reduce the risk of an accidental nuclear war.
1957
American Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina sets a new 'filibuster' record in the US Congress - speaking for more than 24 hours against a
civil rights bill.
1939
Britain prepares for a probable war with
Germany by beginning the
evacuation of thousands of children from major cities likely to be bombed.
1937
Heavyweight boxer Joe Louis beats Tommy Farr.1928
Indian politician Jawahrlal founds the Independence of
India League to campaign for freedom from British rule.
1918
Soviet Russian leader Vladimir Lenin is shot and wounded by two women at a factory in Moscow. Both women are said to be members of the Social Revolutionary Party.1918
World War I: Start of the Battle of the Somme.1901
Hubert Cecil Booth patents the vacuum cleaner.1900
In Ireland, political leader
Arthur Griffith founds the Cumann na nGaedhael ( The League of Gaels ) which adopts the policy of
Sinn Fein (We, Ourselves). In1922 he becomes the first president of the
Irish Free State.
1862
American Civil War: Confederate commander 'Stonewall' Jackson leads his troops to victory against
the Union at the Second Battle of Bull Run in Virginia.
1860
Britain's first tram service begins running at Birkenhead on Merseyside.1781
American War of Independence: A French fleet defeats the British
navy at the Battle of Chesapeake Capes.
30B
At the age of 38
Cleopatra, Queen of
Egypt, commits suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by a poisonous snake.
