Cunning Facts About Cleopatra, Ancient Egypt’s Leading Lady

Cunning Facts About Cleopatra, Ancient Egypt’s Leading Lady

A Mighty Ruler, Objectified

Cleopatra has become widely known in popular culture as a royal Egyptian seductress, infamous for enticing powerful men to do her political bidding. But a closer look at her life reveals that this impression may be a misogynistic misrepresentation, and that in reality, she was far more cunning and capable in her own right.

Cleopatra Msn

1. She Was An Impressive Kid

Cleopatra was born around 69 or 70 BC in the great city of Alexandria, a cultural center of Hellenic civilization. Her father was King Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysus. The ruling pharaoh was so impressed with his young daughter’s intelligence and capability from a young age that, shortly before his passing, he revised his will to name her joint heir to the throne with her brother, Ptolemy XIII.

This was an uncommon position for a woman of Ancient Egypt. But Cleopatra’s lineage suggested a destiny of greatness.

Queen CleopatraQueen Cleopatra | Official Trailer | Netflix, Netflix

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2. She Had Powerful Ancestors

Cleopatra was of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek rulers based in Egypt. She was a descendant of Ptolemy I Soter, the founder of their dynasty, who was a close general and companion of Alexander the Great, even succeeding him as ruler. Representing such a complex and highly regarded bloodline, Cleopatra knew she would need knowledge to wield such power.

File:Ptolemy I as Pharaoh of Egypt.jpgStella, Wikimedia Commons

3. She Was A Polyglot

Cleopatra was a generally learned girl, and she spent much of her childhood in the fabled Library of Alexandria. Her knowledge and education impressed many who encountered her, and though Greek was her first language, she took it upon herself to learn many more, reportedly speaking at least nine. But there was one language she spoke that was of particular political importance.

The Library of Alexandria, 19th-century artistic renderingO. Von Corven, Wikimedia Commons

4. She Spoke To Her People

Cleopatra understood the importance of communicating with her subjects in a way her predecessors did not. With this wisdom, she became the first Ptolemaic ruler known to have learned the Egyptian language. She practiced among the people too, often taking many trips into the country away from her home comforts. This attracted her some attention that would have significance later in life…

CleopatraCleopatra (1963 ) Elizabeth Taylor Entrance into Rome Scene (HD), Astrotema

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5. She Enticed A Roman General

Now named heir, Cleopatra was eager to learn as much about her land as possible, even accompanying visiting foreign dignitaries. At the age of 14, she travelled into the Egyptian heartland with a Roman expedition. Among the curious Romans was General Mark Antony, who claimed he fell in love with the young heiress after encountering her on this trip. Antony would reenter Cleopatra’s story later. But she had to write the story of her own reign first.

File:Edwin Austin Abbey Cleopatra Sooth, la, I’ll Help Thus it must be Act IV, Scene IV, Antony and Cleopatra 1909.jpgEdwin Austin Abbey, Wikimedia Commons

6. She Ascended Young

Cleopatra’s father passed away sometime before March 22 of 51 BC, and the young woman was crowned Queen of Ptolemaic Egypt at the age of around 19. Ruling alongside her brother, Ptolemy XIII, tensions would begin to slowly mount between the siblings. This may have been in part due to the turbulence of their early reign.

CleopatraAncient Empires: Cleopatra Evolves Into an Ruthless Monarch (Season 1) by History

7. She Had A Tumultuous Start

Cleopatra and her brother faced a challenging beginning to their stint on the throne. For one, their father had accumulated large debts to the Roman Republic. To make matters worse, the year they ascended, the Nile did not flood as much as it usually did, leading to a drought in the region that in turn led to famine—but Cleopatra met the challenge with compassionate fervor.

File:Karima,nile silt.jpgBertramz, Wikimedia Commons

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8. She Was Kind To The Downtrodden

Cleopatra took a direct, administrative role in addressing the crisis of food shortages among the poor. She ordered the royal granaries to distribute food among the starving poor of her kingdom, gaining her great favor among her subjects. It was the first in a line of popular policies.

FamineAncient Empires: Cleopatra is Crowned Queen of Egypt | Exclusive, HISTORY

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9. She Was A Tolerant Ruler

Cleopatra reigned over a diverse and multicultural region of Egypt, and she made sure that no group felt isolated from or ignored by her regime. As the chief religious’ authority of the land, she oversaw the construction of temples dedicated to both Greek and Egyptian gods and even commissioned the building of a synagogue for the Jews of Egypt. But her rising popularity among the masses may have fueled tensions at home.

File:Aegypt1987036 hg.jpgH. Grobe, Wikimedia Commons

10. She Feuded With Family

By August 29, 51 BC, official Ptolemaic documents of the era began to list Cleopatra as the sole ruler of the region, suggesting her and her brother had a falling out. Though we do not know much about the nature of this rupture—it had earth-shattering consequences.

Ptolemy XIII held on to some powerful allies in the region, and before long, a devastating civil war broke out between the two siblings’ factions. They needed a strong mediator—and they got the most powerful one in the world.

File:Portrait of Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator.jpgÉlisabeth Sophie Chéron (1648 - 1711), Wikimedia Commons

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11. She Got A Warning

Cleopatra’s conflict with her brother devastated the region, and eventually it attracted the attention of the Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar. After one of his generals, Pompey, perished in the conflict, Caesar had enough. He called on Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII to demobilize their armies and reconcile. But the stubborn Ptolemy XIII refused, and Cleopatra saw her chance.

File:Ingres - Julius Caesar.pngJean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Wikimedia Commons

12. She Went For A Booty Call

In clear defiance of Caesar’s orders, Ptolemy XIII marched on to Alexandria where the emperor was residing. Cleopatra sent emissaries to the ruler to appeal her case, but nothing came of them. However, she did hear that Caesar had a proclivity for affairs with royal women. Seeing that she had an in, Cleopatra travelled to Alexandria under the cover of night—with a seductive plan.

CleopatraJohn William Waterhouse, Wikimedia Commons

13. She Charmed The Toga Off Him

Cleopatra, without the knowledge of her brother, managed to secure a meeting with Caesar (one source even claims she smuggled herself into his palace rolled up in a rug). Records state that she dressed seductively and when Caesar discovered her, she managed to successfully charm the reigning emperor with her wit—a trait she was famous for. Her efforts paid off, and Caesar made a declaration.

CleopatraLet's Play Assassin's Creed Origins 132: Cleopatra in a carpet! Julius Caesar & Ptolemy, Kasumi Rina

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14. Her Brother Wouldn’t Listen

Ptolemy XIII soon got word that Cleopatra was consorting with Caesar and feared the worst. However, Caesar, citing their father’s will, declared before the assembly of Alexandria, a ruling council, that both siblings were to cease the conflict and resume co-rule.

Ptolemy XIII would not accept this, fearing that it would end up better for his sister since she had Caesar’s ear. Weighing up his forces, he concluded they were far larger than the Roman emperor’s and decided to attack Caesar and Cleopatra both. There was no turning back now.

File:Ptolémée XIII (Torlonia).jpgTangopaso, Wikimedia Commons

15. She Endured A Siege

Ptolemy XIII began a long siege on Alexandria, which lasted well into the following year. All the while, Cleopatra holed up with Caesar in his palace, the two growing ever closer. What was clear to the emperor now was which sibling was more of a threat—and he promptly allied himself with the queen. Then, he made plans to crush the dissenting brother.

File:15-07-05-Schloß-Caputh-RalfR-N3S 1551.jpgRalf Roletschek, Wikimedia Commons

16. Her Brother Suffered Defeat

By March of 47 BC, Caesar’s reinforcements had arrived at Alexandria, and far outnumbered Ptolemy XIII’s forces. Pushing the invading army back, Cleopatra’s brother attempted to escape down the Nile. But Roman forces pursued him and managed to capsize his ship. Ptolemy XIII drownedand now the path was clear for his sister.

Death of Pompeo Gneo Pompeo Magno (106 BC - 48 BC) military and political Roman, murdered in Egypt September 29, 48 b.C. by hired assassins of King Ptolemy XIII. Table illustrated n. 35 from the 'Roman History' by Charles Rollin (January 30, 1661 - September 14 1741), engraving by Bartolomeo Pinelli and Raffaele PersichiniFototeca Storica Nazionale, Getty Images

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17. She Was Co-Ruler Again

The throne was now clear for Cleopatra, but Caesar had one last political maneuver. Fearing the backlash to a sole female ruler, he instead named her co-ruler again, this time with her younger brother, the 12-year-old Ptolemy XIV. Cleopatra did not seem to object to this, likely because the younger Ptolemy was ruler in name only. But Cleopatra didn’t return home immediately because power was not the only thing Caesar had given her.

Cleopatra VI Cleopatra VI clashes with brother Ptolemy XIII and Plotinus (Pt 1) by Rick Davi

18. She Had A Powerful Affair

Cleopatra remained living with Caesar at Alexandria for a time, even after the siege lifted. It soon became clear that, during their extended sojourn trapped in the palace, the two had grown close and had begun an affair. A historical power couple for the ages, Caesopatra proceeded to take a much-deserved break after all that fighting.

Cleopatra And Julius CeasarTancredi Scarpelli, Wikimedia Commons

19. She Vacationed With An Emperor

When Cleopatra finally emerged from the palace, she did not head straight home. Instead, her and Caesar allegedly took a sightseeing tour of the Nile. Though there is debate by historians as to the likelihood that this cruise actually happened, evidence in favor of it cites Caesar’s fascination with geography and desire to discover the source of the world’s longest river. Their lodgings were, of course, exactly as you’d expect for this power couple.

Caesar-and-CleopatraIllustrated London News, Wikimedia Commons

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20. She Travelled In Style

Cleopatra and Caesar allegedly cruised on Thalamegos, a pleasure barge built by her ancestor, Ptolemy IV. Resembling a floating villa, the ship was astoundingly large, 300ft long and 80ft high, and contained dining rooms, holy shrines, promenades, and state rooms. Cleopatra was good to her man, and she may have influenced him in other ways.

File:Thalamegos Nicolaes Witsen 1671.jpgNicolaes Witsen, Wikimedia Commons

21. She Set A Roman Precedent

Cleopatra was the only Ptolemaic ruler to issue coins with her face on them. Interestingly, Caesar was also the first Roman emperor to do so, and she was almost certainly his inspiration. This precedent of a ruler’s face minted onto a coin continues to this day, meaning Cleopatra may have been instrumental in establishing this tradition worldwide. Her and Caesar shared another significant legacy too.

Cleopatra CoinWhat did Cleopatra look like? Coins Give us an Answer by Classical Numismatics

22. She Became A Mother

During the beating back of her brother’s forces, Cleopatra did not appear in public. This was uncharacteristic of the charismatic Egyptian leader. Many have speculated that this was because she had been pregnant with Caesar’s child at the time. Regardless, around June 23, 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to Caesarion, her son produced from her affair with Caesar—whether he wanted to admit it or not.

File:Venus and Cupid from the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus at Pompeii, most likely a depiction of Cleopatra VII (6).jpgAncient Roman painter(s) from Pompeii, Wikimedia Commons

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23. Her Baby Daddy Didn’t Fess Up

Cleopatra was loud and proud about her son’s parentage, repeatedly making official declarations that Caesarion was the son of the Roman ruler. However, Caesar never publicly acknowledged the boy as his son (even if he did so in private), likely to avoid scandal, considering he had a childless marriage with another woman already. Despite this apparent rift, the couple continued to see each other.

Cleopatra Cleopatra (1963 ) Elizabeth Taylor Entrance into Rome Scene (HD), Astrotema

24. She Visited Her Lover

In late 46 BC, Cleopatra decided to visit Caesar again. Accompanied by her brother and co-ruler, the two travelled to Rome and stayed in Caesar’s grand villa. It was the last moment of peace for the couple before the tumultuous events that followed. But it didn’t stop Cleopatra from irking some of the Caesar’s inner circle.

Julius Caesar and Cleopatra Assassin's Creed Origins Julius Caesar and Cleopatra Scenes - AC Origins Julius Caesar Death, VikanGaming

25. She Didn’t Charm Everyone

Tensions were mounting in the Roman Republic at the time, and Cleopatra’s presence did not help matters. She received many official visitors at Caesar’s villa, but not all found her charming. One visitor in particular, the famous Roman senator Cicero, found the young queen to be arrogant. Things quickly came to a head in the city-state.

File:Cicero.pngAugurmm, Wikimedia Commons

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26. Her Lover Perished

On March 15, 44 BC, a day that became known as the Ides of March, Caesar was assassinated in Rome. Feeling her power slipping, Cleopatra opted to stay in Rome to advocate for her son Caesarion, in futile hope of having him recognized as the late emperor’s son. Her efforts were fruitless, and Caesar’s grandnephew, Octavian, became his heir. But Cleopatra may have had a plan B…

File:Karl Theodor von Piloty Murder of Caesar 1865.jpgKarl von Piloty, Wikimedia Commons

27. She May Have Schemed Against Her Kin

A few months later, Cleopatra’s brother and co-ruler, Ptolemy XIV, also perished. It was an unexpected and mysterious demise. Though never proven, many suspect Cleopatra poisoned her brother. Regardless, the passing of her kin paved the way for her to consolidate power…

CleopatraMsRepresented: Cleopatra's True Story Unearthed, MsMojo

28. She Elevated Her Son

Following the untimely demise of her brother, Cleopatra, ever the political savant, knew she would need a new, male co-ruler. She opted, of course, to name her son, Caesarion, to join her on the throne, solidifying her grip on power in the Ptolemaic kingdom. She would need a strong hand for the tumultuous times ahead.

File:Dendera Cesarion.jpgRowan, Wikimedia Commons

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29. She Took Sides In A Conflict

Following Caesar’s assassination, the Roman Second Triumvirate formed, by Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus against the forces that had conspired against the late emperor. Setting off a conflict that became known as the Liberators’ civil war, Cleopatra ostensibly joined the side of the Second Triumvirate. But she was hesitant to get her hands dirty.

File:Jean-Léon Gérôme - The Death of Caesar - Walters 37884.jpgJean-Leon Gerome, Wikimedia Commons

30. She Mostly Hung Back

Cleopatra received appeals from both sides of the conflict to contribute troops to the effort. She largely rebuffed pleas from the assassins’ side and, not wanting to risk weakening her forces, hesitated to send troops to the front lines with the Triumvirate, often only doing so once the fighting had mostly died down.

The Triumvirate advanced despite this, however, and after Mark Antony had taken control of much of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, he began to summon Cleopatra to his headquarters. She rebuffed his efforts several times before finally relenting in 41 BC—and her visit had echoes of a previous trip.

File:Marc Antony Reading the Will of Caesar.jpgWilliam Hilton, Wikimedia Commons

31. She Took Another Royal Cruise

While their meeting was of strategic importance to the two powerful rulers, Antony no doubt had ulterior motives. Considering he’d had a crush on Cleopatra since she was 14, Antony was looking to form a romantic as well as strategic partnership with her. Cleopatra seemed open to the idea, and hosted Antony on her lavish cruise ship for two nights of gluttonous feasting. But her motivations were more political than romantic.

File:Antony and Cleopatra (1891) (14598017177).jpgInternet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons

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32. She Began Another Affair

Cleopatra was intentional in her next romantic pursuit. Deeming Antony to be the most powerful Roman figure following the demise of Caesar, Cleopatra knew he was her most strategic option for producing heirs. And so, she began an affair with the rule and got to work.

CleopatraAncient Empires: Cleopatra's Crucial Bond With Mark Antony | Exclusive, HISTORY

33. She Reproduced Quickly

Cleopatra and Antony’s affair was passionate and steamy. By the end of 40 BC, less than two years after her initial summon by him, she had already given birth to three children by Antony–a pair of twin boys and a girl. Antony, unlike his predecessor, publicly acknowledged these children as his own. It was probably a necessity considering the queen had him over a barrel.

File:Jan de Bray - The de Bray Family (The Banquet of Antony and Cleopatra) - WGA03122.jpgJan de Bray, Wikimedia Commons

34. She Became A Sugar Mama

Despite Antony’s success in the Liberators’ conflict, his forces had nonetheless dwindled, and he desperately needed Cleopatra’s assistance. She became something of an invasion sugar mama for her paramour, providing him with 200 ships for his campaign. But love wasn’t the only thing she got in return.

File:Cleopatra 32 Guns Launched at Bristol, December, 1779 RMG PU5997.jpgGold, Joyce (publisher) (publisher); Pocock, Nicholas (artist); Thomas Medland (engraver), Wikimedia Commons

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35. She Expanded Her Kingdom

Antony’s conquests also resulted in the reclamation of lands around the Ptolemaic kingdom. Under Cleopatra’s sway, Antony decided to gift these lands to the queen and her family, known as the Donations of Alexandria. The seized territories were divided up between Cleopatra, Caesarion, and Antony’s children of the queen. Cleopatra let it get to her head a little.

File:View over the modern city of Alexandria in c.1880.jpgplease check file name, Wikimedia Commons

36. She Gave Herself A Badass Title

Following this triumphant territorial reclamation, Cleopatra needed to imprint her powerful position on her people. In a gymnasium, she held a lavish ceremony where she dressed as the god Isis and declared herself Queen of Kings, and her son, Caesarion, King of Kings. This ruffled more than a few feathers in Rome.

File:Cleopatra greets Antony.jpgA. M. Faulkner, Wikimedia Commons

37. She Caused A Rift

Not everyone in the Triumvirate was happy with these developments. Octavian, in particular, was fuming, and publicly chastised Antony for his actions, causing a rift in their alliance. He also painted Cleopatra a traitor to Rome and declared war on the Ptolemaic kingdom. He launched an invasion on the hearts and minds of Cleopatra’s people.

File:Statue of the Emperor Octavian Augustus as Jupiter (6).pngС. И. Сосновскии, Wikimedia Commons

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38. She Faced Accusations Of Sorcery

Octavian began a huge propaganda campaign against Cleopatra and Antony. He claimed that the queen had brainwashed Antony with witchcraft and accused her of attempting to destroy civilization. One rumor claimed that Cleopatra dissolved a priceless pearl in vinegar just to win a dinner party bet, attempting to establish her alleged disdain for Roman values. But Cleopatra fought the rumors.

Screenshot: (Elizabeth Taylor) Cleopatra wearing golden crown is looking at side - from Cleopatra (1963)Twentieth Century, Cleopatra (1963)

39. She Went To The Front Lines

Cleopatra and Antony faced increased pressure in the conflict, but the queen bravely met the moment. On September 2, 31 BC, a huge naval skirmish known as the Battle of Actium took place. Cleopatra commanded 60 ships in the fight, deep in the action aboard her own flagship, the Antonias, a rarity for a woman of her time. She engaged in battle but had a unique approach to diplomacy too.

CleopatraAncient Empires: Cleopatra Evolves Into an Ruthless Monarch (Season 1), History

40. She Grimly Courted Allies

Cleopatra and Antony, despite their heroism and determination, were beginning to falter, their forces struggling against those of Octavian. They sought allies wherever they could and by any means necessary. One unconfirmed account claims that Cleopatra, seeking an alliance with Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene, sent him the head of his rival to gain his favor. Whether true or not, the alliance was not enough.

File:Castro Battle of Actium.jpgLaureys a Castro, Wikimedia Commons

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41. She Attempted To Flee

By 31 BC, their campaign was going so poorly that Cleopatra began to see Antony as a liability. Preparing to leave Egypt to her son Caesarion, she made preparations to escape to India, where she would take refuge and recuperate. But her hopes were dashed when one of Octavian’s generals managed to burn her entire fleet. It was time to consider more desperate measures.

CleopatraAncient Empires: Cleopatra's Crucial Bond With Mark Antony | Exclusive by HISTORY

42. She Began Cruelly Experimenting

Cleopatra felt she now had few options. She would have to take the easy way out. Reports from this time (though they may simply be pro-Octavian propaganda) allege that she began testing various poisons on her prisoners and servants with the intention of determining which one would prove most merciful in the event she had to end her own life. Brutally, it was not an unreasonable expectation.

Constantine The Great FactsShutterstock

43. Her Lover Perished

By August of 30 BC, Octavian’s forces were dominating. One by one, Antony’s armies, cavalries, and fleets began surrendering to the Roman forces. He holed up in his palace in Alexandria with Cleopatra, awaiting his fate.

Fearing Antony was now an irredeemable liability, Cleopatra deployed one last scheme: she locked herself in her tomb and had her servants send word to Antony that the queen had taken her own life. Completely despaired, Antony proceeded to stab himself, perishing at the age of 53. But it was too little, too late for Cleopatra and her family.

File:The Death of Mark Antony (Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 15) MET DP859438.jpgAfter Nathaniel Dance-Holland / William Shakespeare, Wikimedia Commons

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44. They Seized Her Children

Octavian finally entered Alexandria shortly after Antony’s demise, occupied the palace, and seized Cleopatra’s three youngest children. He offered her safety under his capture, but a spy quickly informed Cleopatra that the Roman emperor intended to move her to Rome and parade her triumphantly around the city. With no intention facing this humiliation, Cleopatra made her final move.

File:Louis Gauffier - Cleopatra and Octavian - Google Art Project.jpgLouis Gauffier, Wikimedia Commons

45. She Took Her Servants Down With Her

On August 10, 30 BC, Cleopatra administered poison to herself and her closest servants (some accounts claim they took this voluntarily). The great pharaoh queen passed at the age of 39, in her palace, possibly in her very own tomb, depending on the account. Rumors quickly spread about the nature of the queen’s demise.

File:Cleopatra VII, steel engraving of the encaustic painting found at Hadrian's Villa in 1818.jpgJohn Sartain, Wikimedia Commons

46. She May Have Gotten Creative

It is unclear exactly how Cleopatra administered the poison that ended her life, but that didn’t stop people speculating. The craziest of these theories, again likely spread by pro-Octavian propagandists, was that she allowed an Egyptian cobra to bite her. However it happened, Cleopatra’s demise meant the end of a dynasty.

File:Egyptian Cobra (Ouraeus) - Upper.pngGhorayr, Wikimedia Commons

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47. She Was The Last Of Her Kind

Following Cleopatra’s untimely passing, Caesarion fled to Upper Egypt. He was eventually lured back to Alexandria by Octavian who convinced the young man that his rule would resume. Instead, he was executed. This marked an end to the Hellenistic period in the region, making her the last active Hellenistic pharaoh. It meant seismic changes for Egypt too.

Miss Delvair in the role of Cleopatra in the week of Cornelius Pompey's death at the Comédie Française extracted Felix Photo of Le theater in June 1906 UNSPECIFIED - NOVEMBER 17: Miss Delvair in the role of Cleopatra in the week of Cornelius Pompey's death at the Comédie Française extracted Felix Photo of Le theater in June 1906Apic, Getty Images

48. She Marked The End Of An Era

With the fall of Cleopatra and the Ptolemaic dynasty, Egypt now fell under Roman control and established as a province under Octavian’s rule. He renamed himself “Augustus” and declared himself emperor of Rome, amassing massive constitutional powers. But Cleopatra would be remembered more fondly.

File:Statue-Augustus.jpgTill Niermann, Wikimedia Commons

49. She Became An Icon

In the wave of Egyptomania that swept the Western world nearly two millennia later, Cleopatra became a pop cultural icon. In Victorian Britain, for example, she became an object of fascination, and her image was used to market many products, including lithographs, oil lamps, postcards, and even cigarettes. There were some inaccuracies in her portrayal, though.

The Real CleopatraThe Real Cleopatra | Queen of Egypt by Royalworld - Nobility & Dynasties

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50. She Gained An Inaccurate Reputation

Cleopatra’s reputation today is that of a beautiful and cunning seductress, irresistible to men, and she has been portrayed this way in many movies and books. But this does not line up with the historical record. For one, she is only known to have had two lovers, Caesar and Antony.

Furthermore, very few sources speak of her physical beauty, instead noting her charm and wit. But these portrayals underserve, arguably in a misogynistic way, who the pharaoh queen really was: a brave and intelligent woman, who spoke many languages, threw lavish parties, hunted and went to battle—and shook the very foundations of the Roman Empire.

CleopatraParamount studio, Wikimedia Commons

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Sources:  12345


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