Cultural depictions of Cleopatra VII

Her name is dripped with legend, power and seduction. She became the last in a dynasty of Macedonian rulers founded by Ptolemy and would use her powers of beauty and charm to seduce military leaders. Cleopatra, is quite known in popular culture as this divining figure, using her brains and beauty to rule in her way, portrayed by beauty icons in films and plays such as Elizabeth Taylor and Claudette Colbert. Everyone knows her legend but very few actually understand her true importance as a…

Cleopatra was the last Ptolemy of Egypt: a masterpiece in Ancient history famed with both vices and great virtues. Stacy Schiff’s book, Cleopatra, portrayed this woman in a positive way, trying to restore her lost and spoilt glory. This was because Cleopatra attempted to do so in the shadow of the Roman Empire, which at the time, was extending its reach throughout the Eurasian plate. Cleopatra faced multiple problems in her time as ruler of Egypt and tried to solve them diligently by asserting…

Emotions are what drive us, for one cannot be persuaded without understanding emotions. Learning new words might help us when feeling emotions because we can identify them. Words are the most powerful force available to humanity because we can choose what words to say depending on the situation. Antony’s speech at Caesar’s funeral was more effective than Brutus’ because Antony used genuine emotion to sway the crowd. Brutus’ speech rationalized Caesar’s murder by using logic and reasoning…

Hatshepsut was no stranger to royal treatment. Starting out as just being the pharaoh’s daughter, soon to be wife of Pharaoh to becoming a Pharaoh herself. Hatshepsut’s rollercoaster of a life surely does not disappoint. But how did a lady of her time gain such power and respect? After all, we are talking about ancient Egypt, are we not? After Hatshepsut’s husband, Pharaoh at the time, passed away the only eligible heir to the throne was her nephew, Thutmose III. Thutmose III was just a boy at…

Before Cleopatra was born, Egypt was not the greatest country in the world. The Egyptian king, Ptolemy XII, depended on the Romans for a lot of heavy lifting. They need them for things like money, architectural ideas, etc. After Ptolemy XII died, Ptolemy XIII rose to power. Around 70 BC, Cleopatra VII emerged from Cleopatra V Tryphaena, who was Ptolemy XIII Aulete's wife and could've possibly been his half-sister. Back in these times it did not matter if you were a part of the same genealogy or…

Cleopatra was the kind of woman to watch the news. She followed traditions and was the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt before it became another part of the Roman Empire (BBC). As a ruler, she would watch her actions take effect, protecting her son from any challenges to succession by banishing, killing, and estranging her other family members. From a cultural standpoint, she was ethnically Greek, yet managed to build credibility among the Egyptians by learning their language. In the comical…

Both young rulers, kept councils of advisors. There was a lot of friction between them and their advisors because Cleopatra didn’t want or need a co-ruler and because many despised the fact that a woman held incredible power in Egypt. This split the kingdom and caused a civil war to break, forcing Cleopatra to flee Alexandria for the sake of her safety. In 48 BCE it was Ptolemy XIII who had the most power in Egypt. Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt that same year because he was chasing after Pompey…

The document Life of Saint Antony of Egypt is a letter which tells the story of what it sounds like: St Antony’s life and piety. It was written by Athanasius, who was the bishop of Alexandria at the time. He expounds upon Antony’s piety and turns even what some might consider faults into some of Antony’s greatest virtues. For example, as a boy, Antony refused to learn to read, preferring to remain ignorant. Much of the world’s population may think this to be simple laziness. Here was a boy,…

Beginnings: Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt was born around 69 B.C.E. (Cleopatra a Biography by Duane W. Roller pg. 15). She was born into a long line of Ptolemaic Kings and is considered to be the very last Macedonian Greek Queen to rule Egypt (Roller pg. 15). Her father was Ptolemy XII, no one is sure who her mother is and to this day she is still unknown, but she is thought to have been a part of the Egyptian Priestly Family of Ptah (Roller pg. 15). It is believed that it was her half Egyptian…

Cleopatra Ruler of Egypt by Kerrily Sapet was an interesting documentary to read, the life and rule of the mighty woman, Cleopatra. Sapet has written a few other historical documentaries and several other present documentaries in her career. She mostly focuses on children’s books on all types of subjects. In the book, she portrayed Cleopatra as a strong leader, even when most women were viewed as low class citizens and not leaders. Although this book would be considered more of a children’s…