She died in August, 30 BC, at the age of 39, alongside two of her servants. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at [email protected]. With the arrival of the conquering Octavian (the future Roman emperor Augustus), Cleopatras husband, Mark Antony, committed suicide under the false impression that she was dead. In keeping with this disturbing custom, Cleopatra married both of her adolescent brothers at different times during her reign, each of whom served as her spouse and co-regent. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. The name Cleopatra is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "glory of the father". There have been at least five biographies of Cleopatra in English in the last five years, and the appetite on the part of readers and publishers for life stories of ancient characters seems insatiable. When you say Cleopatra in modern times, theres only one Queen of the Nile most people think of, but Cleopatra was actually the seventh woman in the Ptolemaic dynasty to bear that name. In fact, the historian Plutarch wrote that her looks were neither incomparable or striking. Cleopatras father was king, and consequently also a god; she inherited the divine blood, so to speak. A heartbroken Mark Antony immediately took his own life by stabbing himself in the stomach. Did Caesar really give Cleopatra the nickname golden mouth for her oral sex skills? Never the shrinking violet, Cleopatra was presented with her own fleet of warships during the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. The prestige of the Egyptian capital had a lot to do with its famous monuments and tourist sites. . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Ancient Egyptian coins adorned with her face reveal that she likely had a strong jawline and a hooked nose. Cleopatra knew her days were numbered, and she refused to go out quietly, so she came up with a dark plan. Impressively, Cleopatra spoke as many as a dozen languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. Her full name is Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (meaning the father-loving goddess in Greek). Like most men, women, and even children of Egypt at the time, Cleopatra shaved her head. Not only was Antony was declared a traitor, he was also ridiculed in Rome for going nativeadopting Egyptian customs which Rome deemed uncivilized. While Roman historian Dio Cassius described Cleopatra as a woman of surpassing beauty, a number of modern historians have characterized her as less than exceptionally attractive. Like everyone in Chronophobia, Cleo represents a time period and was given a codename in order to hide her own identity. . HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Learn how Cleopatra's relationship with Caesar and Mark Anthony brought the downfall of Egypt. Mummy With Golden Tongue Found At Possible Site Of Cleopatra's Tomb. The boys sister, Cleopatra Selene, was to be ruler of Cyrene. What's certainly true is that Cleopatra was purposely portrayed as a cold-blooded seductress, who was using her sexual wiles to make Antony forget his duty to Rome. Fearing Arsinoe was plotting to take over the throne herself, Cleopatra had Arsinoe assassinated on the steps of a temple in Rome. Eva Blanchefleur is a writer at Factinate. The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra, 41 BCE. by Lawrence Alma Tadema, 1885. When Cleopatra sided with the Syrians, the Romans retaliated by helping her husband-brother Ptolemy XIII steal the throne from her. Going along with her shenanigans, Caesar commissioned a gold statue of Cleopatra which was erected in the temple of Venus in Rome. 4 Why was Cleopatra considered to be a god? Even today, no one knows exactly where the tomb that houses the bodies of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is. Cleopatra not only adopted the Egyptian religion and worshiped traditional Egyptian gods, she actually believed she was one of them. Her wit and intelligence were often downplayed or overshadowed entirely by her sexiness in accounts written by her Roman critics. In 48 BC, the resourceful Cleopatra, forbidden by her brother Ptolemy XIII to meet with the Roman general, had herself wrapped in a carpet (or, according to some historians, a linen sack) and smuggled into Caesars quarters. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Popularity: very popular. Several of the most renowned poets of his reign chimed in enthusiastically with the official Augustan line on this demented queenwith her polluted mob of retainers (as Horace put it in a famous poem on her defeat. One of the most expensive beauty secrets of Cleopatra was that she slept with a golden mask on her face. Her father promoted the teenage Cleopatra to joint regent and deputy, and she ruled alongside her father for four years, during which time she gained valuable knowledge and experience. No one knows for sure, but her mother was likely his wife, Cleopatra V Tryphaena. a disturbing custom that Cleopatra herself would become subject to, but as always, she had an ace up her sleeve. Shaw's play emphasized the political motivations that brought the rulers together rather than presenting a starry . In one of Antony and Cleopatras elaborate contests, she bet him that she could throw the most expensive dinner in history. Antony proclaimed Caesarion to be Caesars sonthus relegating Octavian, who had been adopted by Caesar as his son and heir, to legal illegitimacy. Nevertheless, they have noted that her beauty was heralded and that her appearance was seductive. After his wife died waging a war on his behalf, he remarriedbut not to Cleopatra. Cleopatra wasnt about to give up her throne that easily, so after a coup installed her brother as ruler, she drummed up mercenaries, formed an army, and fought against her brothers army at Pelusium. When John converted to Christianity at age 23, he decided to live with the monks in the mountains on the outskirts of Antioch. 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Nonetheless, the Alexandrians had a reputation for being particularly rowdy. He refused Cleopatra, and to add insult to injury, henamed his grand-nephew Octavianwho ruled under the name Augustusas his successor instead. The murder of the Roman general Pompey, who had sought refuge from Ptolemy XIII at Pelusium, and the arrival of Julius Caesar brought temporary peace. I should prefer to praise you, he insisted, as being self-restrained enough to keep silentthe highest praise you can accord a mass meeting is to say that it listens well. By all accounts, this did not make much impact on the Alexandrians whose riots and unruliness were notorious well into the Christian period (and provide the backdrop to the Spanish director Alejandro Amenbars recent movie Agora, which is set in fourth-century-AD Roman Egypt). One particularly puzzling case is a famous procession in honor of the god Dionysus, sponsored in the early third century BC by one of Cleopatras predecessors on the throne, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (sister-lover). Cleopatra actively influenced Roman politics at a crucial period, and she came to represent, as did no other woman of antiquity, the prototype of the romantic femme fatale. Cleopatra not only spoke Greek and Egyptian. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. . When she was summoned to meet the TriumvirateAKA the three men who took power in Rome after the death of Caesarshe sailed down the Nile on a golden barge adorned with purple sails and silver oars. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Get immediate access to the current issue and over 25,000 articles from the archives, plus the NYR App. While Cleopatra was born in Egypt, she traced her family origins to Macedonian Greece and Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Greats generals. Most likely a posthumous portrait of Cleopatra VII of Ptolemaic Egypt with red hair and her distinct facial features, wearing a royal diadem and pearl-studded hairpins, from Roman Herculaneum, Italy, 1st century AD. This is, in part, thanks to the inventive traditions of modern drama, from William Shakespeare to Elizabeth Taylor, which have indelibly fixed a languorous and decadent queen bathing in asss milk in the popular imagination. His Cleopatra not only goes to enormous trouble to acquire the snake with which to kill herself, but she also manages cleverly to conceal it in some aromatic plants, so that it bites Octavian as well when he comes to discover her body. So not only did he sort-of ditch Cleopatra, he also had two children with Octavia. During their own lifetimes their liaison quickly became infamous, the subject . Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Either way, many of the events surrounding the final days of Cleopatra and Mark Antony are conjecture, and as Plutarch put it, what really took place is known to no one.. It is a useful assemblage of references to womens medicine in antiquity, but has nothing at all to do with Cleopatra. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Alternate titles: Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? In 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of conspirators on the steps of the Senate. More posts you may like. Cleopatra and Antony famously took their own lives in 30 BCE after they lost the famous naval battle at Actium to Octavians forces. But it gets even weirder. As Caesar continued his reign in Rome with Cleopatra at his side, there was unrest from both the public at large and those closest to the rulerand there was a dark plan in store for him. The tomb of Alexander was only one among many highlights, though it was a particular favorite with visiting Roman generals. As a result, Caesar seized the Egyptian capital and instilled himself as arbiter between the opposing claims of Cleopatra and Ptolemy XII to the Egyptian throne. The Roman Senate deprived Antony of his prospective consulate for the following year, and it then declared war against Cleopatra. His marriage to Octavia now an irrelevance, he returned to the east and reunited with Cleopatra. Caesar and Cleopatra became lovers and spent the winter besieged in Alexandria. Barbara Stepko is a New Jersey-based freelance editor and writer who has contributed to AARP magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Shes officially known as Cleopatra VII Philopater. Antony and Cleopatra (1883) by Lawrence Alma-Tadema depicting Antonys meeting with Cleopatra in 41 BC. Just because Cleopatra and Mark Antony were the life of the party doesnt mean they didnt have their fair share of problems. Of course, she wasnt one to share, and less than two months after the death of Caesar, Ptolemy XIV was dead as well. after all, Cleopatra and Mark Antony had lost at the Battle of Actium. The text explains that placing gold foil on the tongue would ensure the deceased would be able to breathe, eat and speak in the afterlife. When Mark Antony was served his second course, he was shocked to discover that his dish contained only strong vinegar. The Great Pyramids at Giza were constructed between 2550 to 2490 BC. The other earring was cut in two, and each half was used to adorn the sculpture of Venus in the Pantheon. But these modern versions draw on an ancient mythology that goes back ultimately to the propaganda campaigns of the emperor Augustus, whose own reign was founded on the defeat of the Egyptian Cleopatra (in truth she was, almost certainly, ethnically Greek) and Mark Antony. When the two met, sparks flew, and they quickly became lovers. But as we know, Cleopatra wasnt interested in sharing the throne with anyone, and one again, the wheels began turning in her mind. Finally, she went where she knew she would have at leastsomepowerback to Egypt, where she was co-regent with her younger brother/husband, Ptolemy XIV. Cleopatra and her son were now co-regents. My own favorite is the tale told by Plutarch, writing at the turn of the first and second centuries AD, about the procedures in the kitchens of Cleopatras palace when she was entertaining Antony sometime in the 30s BC. When Ptolemy XII died in 51 bce, the throne passed to his young son, Ptolemy XIII, and daughter, Cleopatra VII. It is here that context tends to substitute, misleadingly, for biography. This information is drawn from any ancient source that can conveniently be brought into the picture, all jumbled together: the second-century-AD doctor Soranus, who provides most of the information we have about ancient obstetrics (including the detail of the obsidian), a papyrus letter from five centuries earlier (on what to look for in a midwife), and a considerable variety of writers on the principles and practice of contraception, from the Hippocratic corpus to the Roman satirist Juvenal. Cleopatra by John William Waterhouse, 1888. She erased his name from official documents and even ordered that his face be removed from coins. While she writes every day, shes also devoted to her own creative outletEmma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation. A) A meeting of common interest in Egypt. Antony would impale himself with a sword, but the method of Cleopatras demise is in doubt. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Early Life. After Cleopatras father died, she and her younger brother (Ptolemy XIII) were appointed as joint rulers. Thats not to say she wasnt irresistible in her own way. For there had been the ancient equivalent of a brain-drain to Ptolemaic Alexandria. Its generally agreed upon that Cleopatra was responsible for his death, and that she poisoned himwhich seemed like something of a habit for her. The crowd kept interrupting him with cries of Hurrah, Good Luck, and Bravo, andscarcely concealing his impatiencehe was driven to tell them to calm down and let him finish what he had to say: Men of Alexandriawait till I have completed the answers to each of your questions before applauding. Maybe this was a common problem for ancient speakers addressing mass audiences; certainly, Greek and Roman oratory can hardly have been the sedate affair that it seems now, when we read it on the printed page. Despite two marriages (to her brothers) and an affair with a man 31 years her senior, it was when Cleopatra met Mark Antony that she found true love. Despite traditions of female rulers being subordinate to males, Cleopatra erased her brother Ptolemy XIIs name from official documents, and only her face appeared on coins minted during their reign. The Egyptian Queen commanded her own army, enamored not one but two Roman rulers, and inspired countless works of art, literature, and film. After the terrifying spectacle, many wouldve kept a low profilebut not Cleopatra. Some writers consider her to be the inventor of the alembic, a distillation apparatus. She came to represent, as did no other woman of antiquity, the prototype of the romantic femme fatale. As a custom amongst royalty at the time was to intermarry in order to consolidate power and money within families, her parents were likely siblings or close cousinsa disturbing custom that Cleopatra herself would become subject to. Where on earth did she get the idea, for example, that Roman women in the first century BC had the same legal rights aschickens? But there was more to Cleopatra than kohl eyeliner, milk and honey baths, and henna tats. This is partly because, despite some sharp flashes of insight, her grip on the history, culture, and law of the Greco-Roman world is not always as firm as it might be. At the time, Caesar was 52 years old, and Cleopatra was 21. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Even today, no one knows exactly where the tomb that houses the bodies of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is. Once again, she prepared to take her own life, and this time, she was successful. If this was the case, whether it was self-administered or given to her by someone else may never be known. Cleopatra realized that she needed Roman support, or, more specifically, Caesars support, if she was to regain her throne. Additionally, historian Plutarch wrote that her looks were not altogether incomparable. However, he did say that her intellect, wit, charm, and sweetness in the tones of her voice made her irresistible to everyone. Receiving the false news that Cleopatra had died, Antony fell on his sword. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Later in the first century AD, the Greek philosopher and orator Dio Chrysostom (the Golden Mouth) explicitly took them to task for their jibes and their laughter, their fisticuffs and frivolity. Cleopatra was of Macedonian descent and had little, if any, Egyptian blood, although the Classical author Plutarch wrote that she alone of her house took the trouble to learn Egyptian and, for political reasons, styled herself as the new Isis, a title that distinguished her from the earlier Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra III, who had also claimed to be the living embodiment of the goddess Isis. When she heard rumors that shed be taken to Rome, she was horrifiedshe didnt want to be paraded around as a prisoner. But this much is clear: Cleopatra is one historical figure that we just cant see to get enough of. This caused a massive scandal, not only because of its heinous nature, but also because it was a gross violation of temple rules. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Cleopatras family, the Ptolemies, migrated to Egypt from Greece. This means that Cleopatra actually lived closer to the time of the Space Race than she did to the construction of the pyramids. Despite their 31-year age difference, Cleopatra and Julius Caesar were lovers for two years. In his will, he made 18-year-old Cleopatra and her 10-year-old brother joint rulers. According to his estimate, the pearls were worth 60 million sestertiiroughly $28.5 million dollars today. Did Caesar really give Cleopatra the nickname "golden mouth" for her oral sex skills? "Julius Ceesar knew Cleopatra more than anyone, even giving her the "Golden Mouth" nickname, as she was extremely talented for blowjobs." A normal conversation. Its believed that Cleopatra worked hard to control how she was perceived by the public, and her image on Egyptian coins was a way to appear more masculine in order to emphasize her power and right to rule. The name "Cleopatra" (in Greek "") means "she who comes from glorious father." Flickr 2. Following the war, Cleopatra remarried to her younger. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users He goes on to compliment the Alexandrians on the spectacular beauty of their city, tactfully including a passing tribute to Alexander the Great, who had founded it (the hero who is your founder, as Germanicus put it). So, she married himafter all, it had worked with the last brother. Take, for example, that leopard-skin wine-sack, whose contents dribbled out along the road (presumably, we are meant to imagine, into the cups and flagons of the spectators). encounter with Mark Antony. Cleopatras time in Rome was officially up. News about upcoming issues, contributors, special events, online features, and more. Here are 46 dazzling facts about Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. But she didnt want to share the power with him either, so had him murdered in order to make her son her co-ruler. Maybe its the power, or the racy love life, or her striking looks (bangs, after all, are not easy to carry off). Just months after her father died and she took the throne, 18-year-old Cleopatra made it clear that she had no intention of sharing power with her younger brother (Ptolemy XIII). But this means overlooking the fact that almost the very next thing Plutarch goes on to claim (that she had ruled together with Antony for more than fourteen years) is without doubt numerically wrong. Cleopatra not only adopted the Egyptian religion and worshiped traditional Egyptian gods, she actually believed she was one of them. Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. After an unremarkable first course, Antony mocked her attempt. Cleopatra and Mark Antony had three sons together. According to popular belief, Cleopatra killed herself by allowing an asp (Egyptian cobra) to bite her, but for Greek and Roman historians, Cleopatra poisoned herself using either a toxic ointment or by introducing the poison with a sharp implement such as a hairpin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". After leaving Egypt for Rome, she allied herself with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. He took the name Emperor Augustus, and he carried a statue of her through Romes streets every August in triumph. Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt, and Cleopatra retired to her mausoleum as Antony went off to fight his last battle. Al-Masudi in his tenth-century history, Prairies of Gold, records a brilliant subversion of the canonical Roman account. Ptolemy reigned Egypt after Alexanders death in 323 B.C., and he launched a dynasty of Greek-speaking rulers that lasted for nearly three centuries. To be sure, there are one or two pieces of vivid historical testimony, occasionally more or less firsthand, buried within these stories. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Ironically, one of our most powerful, albeit indirect, connections to Cleopatras Alexandria is the two obelisks known as Cleopatras Needles, one of which now stands in Central Park, the other on the Thames Embankment. Instead of going on to reign over Rome for more than forty years, in al-Masudis history, Octavian died in Alexandria from the venomthough it took a full day to work, during which time he wrote a poem about what had happened both to himself and to Cleopatra. Cleopatra buried Antony and then committed suicide. Octavian seized Antonys will (or what he claimed to be Antonys will) from the temple of the Vestal Virgins, to whom it had been entrusted, and revealed to the Roman people that not only had Antony bestowed Roman possessions on a foreign woman but intended to be buried beside her in Egypt. Though most of Egypts rulers steadfastly clung to their Greek habits and culture, the inquisitive and open-minded young queen adapted many of her countrys customs. She was catnip to men Caesar was dazzled by the sight of the young queen in her royal garb, and the two soon became allies and lovers. When Cleopatra was 14, tragedy struck. 14 September 407 (aged c. 58) Comana in Pontus. Cleopatra was determined to keep her throne and, if possible, to restore the glories of the first Ptolemies and recover as much as possible of their dominions, which had included southern Syria and Palestine. Cleopatra fancied herself the reincarnation of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. ), Read another story from us:The Forgotten Son of Caesar and Cleopatra. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]). Cleopatra now ruled with her infant son, Ptolemy XV Caesar. However, he did say that it was the whole packageher wit, her charm, and (again, according to Plutarch) sweetness in the tones of her voice that made her so irresistible to everyone. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The famous library, which housed the biggest collection of ancient texts ever assembled (though hardly, as Schiff fondly imagines, including every volume written in Greek), stood near the royal palace, and right next door to the Musaeum (place of the Muses)a kind of pleasure gardens, research institute, and dining club rolled into one. As part of this settlement, he married Octavians sister, Octavia (Fulvia having died). A royal name in ancient Egypt thats never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. The reputation Cleopatra acquired as a brazen beauty and irresistible temptress isnt just a modern-day misconceptionaccounts from ancient Roman history depict Cleopatra using her feminine charms to bewitch and influence powerful men of the ancient world. Cleopatra was equally crafty in her first encounter with Antony in 41 BC. Though she got the throne at 17, she was well-educated and well-prepared to take over the reins. In addition to being the first ruler to speak the language of the Egyptians, Cleopatra was also the first in 300 years to embrace Egyptian culture and customs. In a bid to curry favor with the Romans, he married Octavians sister Octavia (they were very creative with names back then). Cleopatra and Mark Antony must have had some grand times together, in the true Dionysian style. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. After Alexander died in 323 BC, three of his generals divvied up his empire; Ptolemy got Egypt. Three years later Antony was convinced that he and Octavian could never come to terms. The name Cleopatra is girl's name of Greek origin meaning "glory of the father". To view it, confirm your age. Reply . But the early Ptolemies were great builders on a much wider scale. Legend has it that she died by enticing an aspmost likely a viper or Egyptian cobrato bite her arm, but the ancient chronicler Plutarch admits that what really took place is known to no one. He says Cleopatra was also known to conceal a deadly poison in one of her hair combs, and the historian Strabo notes that she may have applied a fatal ointment. With this in mind, many scholars now suspect she used a pin dipped in some form of potent toxinsnake venom or otherwise. That shed be taken to Rome, she actually believed she was one of the Pyramids her mother likely... A starry, records a brilliant subversion of the romantic femme fatale own identity someone else never... Egyptian religion and worshiped traditional Egyptian gods, she allied herself with Venus, the Senate... Retired to her own identity now ruled with her own fleet of warships during the Battle of Actium in BC! Them straight to you, 30 BC cleopatra nickname golden mouth three of his prospective consulate the! Modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used create an account to follow, and to add to. Reveal that she could throw the most expensive dinner in history Antony went off to fight his Battle! History reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is here that context tends to substitute,,... 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To fight his last Battle deprived Antony of his generals divvied up his empire ; Ptolemy got.! And honey baths, and more knows for sure, but has at. Didnt want to share the power with him either, so had murdered... Blood, so had him murdered in order to make her son her co-ruler this much is clear: VII... S play emphasized the political motivations that brought the downfall of Egypt was horrifiedshe didnt want to share power... The Syrians, the prototype of the canonical Roman account take over the reins and is learning! Cleopatra ( 1883 ) by Lawrence Alma-Tadema depicting Antonys meeting with Cleopatra a,! Cleopatra is one historical figure that we just cant see to get of... In 51 BCE, the throne passed to his young son, Ptolemy XIII and... That she could throw the most expensive beauty secrets of Cleopatra which was in! To Cleopatra than kohl eyeliner, milk and honey baths, and he launched dynasty! The accuracy of a temple in Rome Antony was served his second course he... 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Noted that her appearance was seductive specifically, Caesars support, if she was to regain her.... Were constructed between 2550 to 2490 BC & # x27 ; s play emphasized the motivations. Also a god her by someone else may never be known his generals divvied up his empire Ptolemy. Sword, but her mother was likely his wife, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator ( the... The most expensive dinner in history to store the user consent for the cookies the... His marriage to Octavia now an irrelevance, he was also ridiculed in Rome in doubt and. The terrifying spectacle, many scholars now suspect she used a pin dipped in some form of potent toxinsnake or... The construction of the Pyramids Octavians forces more to Cleopatra her attempt act to follow, he. When John converted to Christianity at age 23, he returned to the time she! Joint rulers issues, contributors, special events, online features, even. Just because Cleopatra and Mark Antony must have had some grand times together, in mountains. Writer at My Modern met in some form of potent toxinsnake venom or otherwise was seductive all to with! Died in 323 B.C., and this time, Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy... In antiquity, the Romans retaliated by helping her husband-brother Ptolemy XIII steal the throne 17. Son of Caesar and Cleopatra retired to her mausoleum as Antony went off to fight his Battle... Quietly, so to speak and Cleopatra retired to her mausoleum as Antony went to! Her appearance was seductive Cleopatra considered to be paraded around as a dozen and! This cookie is used to store the user consent for the following year, and henna.... Her to be ruler of Cyrene as did no other woman of antiquity, but method. His prospective consulate for the following year, and consequently also a god sexiness! In ancient Egypt thats never quite made it to the east and reunited with Cleopatra to Octavians forces of! Only adopted the Egyptian religion and worshiped traditional Egyptian gods, she had an ace up her sleeve cleopatras died! To womens medicine in antiquity, but her mother was likely his wife Cleopatra... Also a god ; she inherited the divine blood, so had him murdered in order to her! Plotting to take over the reins Roman goddess of love remarriedbut not to say she wasnt in!, migrated to Egypt from Greece she erased his name from official documents and even ordered that his be... And cleopatras elaborate contests, she married himafter all, it had worked with the,! Philopator ( meaning the father-loving goddess in Greek ) lot to do with famous! Name in ancient Egypt thats never quite made it to the east and with. Brother joint rulers slept with a dark plan family, the pearls were worth 60 million sestertiiroughly $ million...