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The True Story of Cleopatra
In the history of ancient world, where the power rested in the hands of men, there exists one woman who eclipses all other of her own time. In the prism of popular culture, her name became a byword for beauty, luxury and intelligence. More than that, her story is twined with one of the most powerful historians like Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She is of course, the last pharaoh of Egypt, "Cleopatra". Cleopatra, though she ruled for a short period, has a strong impression in the public consciousness because she was able to sustain an empire at the peaks of ever-expanding Roman empire. Moreover, the empire she established was very powerful.
From 2 thousand years, from art, history and dossiers, which were too vague and contradictory, we idealized Cleopatra. Since many centuries, she had become a blank canvas on which the successive generations projected whatever they thought of. Since ages, Cleopatra has been portrayed by many names, starting by a stunning beauty, heroine and august leader to the sexual predator and cold-blooded murderer. Exploring facts would surely need us to erase all the conventional false impressions. From the native to her death, everything about her is a mystery. What is her true story?
The Ptolemaic
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A painting depicting the war
style of Ptolemaic
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After the death of Alexander, the great in 323 B.C. , Ptolemy I came to ascension and established a highly powerful Ptolemaic empire in 305 B.C. They declared themselves as the successors of the Pharaohs of Egypt. Inorder to blend with the Egyptian culture, they adopted Egyptian dressing style, constructed monuments in Egyptian style and married their siblings as per Egyptian culture.
There was a constant civil war waged between natives and Ptolemaic kingdom along with the outside war with Romans. In the later years, there developed many internal chaos in the empire and the stability of the empire was at a stake. It was at this time, Cleopatra rose to power in 51 B.C., at the age of 18, along with her brother (and also her husband) Ptolemy XIII.
Cleopatra- character
Since ages, Cleopatra has been immortalised as a seductress and an imposing beauty. The 2000 year-old coins found recently (have Cleopatra image on them) rules out all our assumptions of goddess-like appearance. She was not as attractive as the conventional folk praised but she was a bit plain-looking with a pointed chin, thin lips and a beak-like nose.
However, unlike the common image of seductress applied on her name, she is not so. She was a great scientist and much more than that, a very eminent administrator and leader. Most of the history of her which is available today was written by Romans and Arabs. Interestingly, Romans delineate her as a charismatic and sexual predator while Arabs characterized her as a great administrator and an appreciable scientist. It is noteworthy Arabs never mentioned about her appearance while Romans put their records mostly on the same. This might be because Romans hated her for loving Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.
Arabs she was a great sage, philosopher and an author. It is said that the early Arabs had access to the books written by the queen herself on medicine, charms and cosmetics. They wrote that "She elevated the ranks of scholars and scientists and always enjoyed the presence of them".
Caesar and Cleopatra
The meeting of Cleopatra with Caesar was sudden and unexpected. During 48 B.C., a civil war broke out in Rome between Caesar and Pompey (a military General of Rome). After series of attacks, Pompey was forced to leave to Alexandria hoping for the support of Ptolemy XIII. Instead, he was killed by Ptolemy XIII and his head was presented to Caesar when he arrived there.
At the meanwhile, the conflicts between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII became worse. Ptolemy XIII hoped that he could win the throne (According to the will of Ptolemy XII, both of the heirs should distribute their power) and barred his relations with Caesar. Cleopatra sensed this and was able to present her case to him. Impressed by her keen intelligence and beauty, eventually, he fell in love with her and a child was born named Caesarion.
With the support of Ptolemaic kingdom, Roman empire became more powerful. With the support of Caesar, Cleopatra almost grabbed the entire power of Egypt and also declared Caesarion as the co-ruler.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
In 44 B.C., with the assassination of Caesar, Cleopatra returned to Alexandria with depression. Also, there also begun internal mayhem in the empire. Antony and Octavian, who arranged the assassination of Caesar, incepted a civil war in Rome. Antony took the control over Eastern Rome whereas Octavian (later became popular as Augustus Caesar) occupied the Western part.
This is where Cleopatra found herself in awkward position. Egypt needed the support of Rome to succor and she therefore supported Antony. When she was asked about the lack of her support to Antony during the civil war, she replied him that the battle forces she sent were not just in time. Surmised, he was awed by her yearning intelligence. In the later years, they fell in love with each other and Cleopatra gave birth to 3 children.
Battle of Actium
It is said that Antony after meeting Cleopatra lost all the interest in every other things and indirectly, she controlled the empire. When Octavian and Antony relations were frayed, they waged war on each other and finally, Octavian killed Antony. Octavian killed Caesarion but spared the 3 children of Cleopatra with Antony (who were brought up in Rome later). Cleopatra committed suicide after that being bit by an Egyptian Cobra to death.
There is an interesting theory why Cleopatra chose an Egyptian Cobra. According to the Egyptian mythology, a Cobra is a sacred creature and is a symbol of immortality and divinity. They believed that if a Cobra kills a person, he/she would have a good afterlife.
With the end of her life, the 300 year supremacy of Ptolemaic kingdom has come to an end and the legacy of the great queen is marked in the history of this world.
However, unlike the common image of seductress applied on her name, she is not so. She was a great scientist and much more than that, a very eminent administrator and leader. Most of the history of her which is available today was written by Romans and Arabs. Interestingly, Romans delineate her as a charismatic and sexual predator while Arabs characterized her as a great administrator and an appreciable scientist. It is noteworthy Arabs never mentioned about her appearance while Romans put their records mostly on the same. This might be because Romans hated her for loving Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.
Arabs she was a great sage, philosopher and an author. It is said that the early Arabs had access to the books written by the queen herself on medicine, charms and cosmetics. They wrote that "She elevated the ranks of scholars and scientists and always enjoyed the presence of them".
Caesar and Cleopatra
The meeting of Cleopatra with Caesar was sudden and unexpected. During 48 B.C., a civil war broke out in Rome between Caesar and Pompey (a military General of Rome). After series of attacks, Pompey was forced to leave to Alexandria hoping for the support of Ptolemy XIII. Instead, he was killed by Ptolemy XIII and his head was presented to Caesar when he arrived there.
At the meanwhile, the conflicts between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII became worse. Ptolemy XIII hoped that he could win the throne (According to the will of Ptolemy XII, both of the heirs should distribute their power) and barred his relations with Caesar. Cleopatra sensed this and was able to present her case to him. Impressed by her keen intelligence and beauty, eventually, he fell in love with her and a child was born named Caesarion.
With the support of Ptolemaic kingdom, Roman empire became more powerful. With the support of Caesar, Cleopatra almost grabbed the entire power of Egypt and also declared Caesarion as the co-ruler.
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
In 44 B.C., with the assassination of Caesar, Cleopatra returned to Alexandria with depression. Also, there also begun internal mayhem in the empire. Antony and Octavian, who arranged the assassination of Caesar, incepted a civil war in Rome. Antony took the control over Eastern Rome whereas Octavian (later became popular as Augustus Caesar) occupied the Western part.
This is where Cleopatra found herself in awkward position. Egypt needed the support of Rome to succor and she therefore supported Antony. When she was asked about the lack of her support to Antony during the civil war, she replied him that the battle forces she sent were not just in time. Surmised, he was awed by her yearning intelligence. In the later years, they fell in love with each other and Cleopatra gave birth to 3 children.
Battle of Actium
It is said that Antony after meeting Cleopatra lost all the interest in every other things and indirectly, she controlled the empire. When Octavian and Antony relations were frayed, they waged war on each other and finally, Octavian killed Antony. Octavian killed Caesarion but spared the 3 children of Cleopatra with Antony (who were brought up in Rome later). Cleopatra committed suicide after that being bit by an Egyptian Cobra to death.
There is an interesting theory why Cleopatra chose an Egyptian Cobra. According to the Egyptian mythology, a Cobra is a sacred creature and is a symbol of immortality and divinity. They believed that if a Cobra kills a person, he/she would have a good afterlife.
With the end of her life, the 300 year supremacy of Ptolemaic kingdom has come to an end and the legacy of the great queen is marked in the history of this world.
Great post.. I didnt know her story until now..
ReplyDelete5 looks with Same Dress