Cleopatra- the last of the pharaohs, the first of the female politicians, the most famous queen of Egypt, pharmacist, poetess, explorer, commander and femme fatale.
The queen's full name is Cleopatra Philopator VII. She was the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt from the Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty.
Having come to power, she married her 12-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII, when she herself was 18 years old. This was a common tradition at that time. Later, her brother Ptolemy XIV also became her husband, and then she was actually married to the Roman commander Mark Antony.
Cleopatra was identified with Isis and Venus. There is a legend that one of Cleopatra’s pearl earrings was sawn into 2 parts and adorned the ears of the statue of Venus in the Roman Pantheon. Coins were found depicting Cleopatra as Aphrodite with her child. Caesarion, who personified Eros.
Perhaps Cleopatra had African blood in her. In the ancient city of Ephesus, the tomb of Cleopatra's sister, Arsenois, was found. After analyzing her remains, scientists suggested that Cleopatra’s mother could be an African concubine of King Ptolemy XII.
The ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch admired the courage of Cleopatra's mind. Thus, he described the case when Cleopatra ordered her to be rolled up in blankets and tied with ropes, and in this form she appeared for the first time before Caesar, as if presenting herself to him.
When Mark Antony invited Cleopatra to the first meeting, she refused him several times. In fact, she was building a grandiose ship from valuable wood under scarlet sails. On it she sailed up to Anthony, strewn with rose petals, and forever captivated the great commander.
According to Plutarch, at the end of the feasts that Cleopatra organized for Mark Antony, she gave palanquins along with slave porters to important guests, and horses in golden harness to less important ones.
Alchemists of ancient times believed that Cleopatra owned philosopher's stone, which can turn metals into gold. And it is not surprising, because the queen’s extravagance had no limits, and her wealth seemed inexhaustible.
Cleopatra collected collections of various poisonous drugs and often tested their effect on prisoners, trying to find out which poison killed faster.
Some historians suggest that Cleopatra did not die from cobra bite, and from the deadly poison - a mixture of opium and the hemlock plant, which left no traces on her body.
Historical chronicles mention a bet between Cleopatra and Antony, the essence of which was that she herself could easily spend an amount equal to several hundred thousand sesterces on one meal. When, at the end of the feast, Antony calculated the total amount of expenses, Cleopatra said: “Now I will try to spend the agreed amount on myself.” The queen took off her earrings with two huge pearls, each of which was worth more than half the amount stated in the bet, took out one of the pearls, threw it into a bowl of vinegar and drank the contents.
According to Plutarch, at the end of the feasts that Cleopatra organized for Anthony, the queen gave each guest a sofa on which he reclined, cups that stood on the table in front of him, and the most important guests - palanquins along with slave porters. She provided horses in golden harness for less important guests.
To commemorate the marriage of Antony and Cleopatra, coins were minted with their heads and their names written on them. In honor of this event, Cleopatra began a new reckoning of her reign, and on coins issued six years later, next to the heads of Anthony and the queen, there is an inscription: “In the reign of Queen Cleopatra, in the 21st, which is also the 6th year of the Goddess.”
To entertain the Romans at a feast, Cleopatra once ordered the floor of the banquet hall to be strewn with roses half a meter high. The flowers formed a continuous carpet thanks to the nets that were stretched over them and attached to the walls, and the guests walked to their boxes along the fragrant carpet.
Since Cleopatra's extravagance knew no bounds, and her wealth seemed inexhaustible, the alchemists of those times believed that the queen owned the philosopher's stone, which gave her the ability to turn base metals into gold.
It was said about Cleopatra that the queen did not get drunk thanks to a magic ring with an amethyst, which has the ability to expel wine fumes from the head of the one who wears it.
Galen (an ancient physician) preserved Cleopatra’s curious recipe for the treatment of baldness. Perhaps this was the same recipe that she composed for Caesar, hiding his bald crown under the emperor's laurel wreath. As a treatment, Cleopatra advised: “Crush red sulfur with arsenic and mix with oak resin. Put the mixture on a rag and apply, after thoroughly lathering the bald area.”
Cleopatra collected collections of all kinds of poisonous drugs and often went to prison to conduct her experiments on convicted criminals.
Of all the stories told about Cleopatra's great scientific curiosity, the most unusual is the story told in the Talmud (Niddah), which tells of the experiments carried out by the queen on her handmaidens, who were sentenced to death. Experiments were carried out to determine at what point the fetus in the womb takes shape, becomes an embryo, and to establish when a person is actually born through the entry of the soul into him.
Historian Christopher Schaefer believes that Cleopatra died not from a snake bite, as was commonly believed, but from a deadly cocktail of opium and hemlock plants. After studying ancient medical texts, the scientist reported that death from a cobra bite occurs within a few days, and spots appear on the victim’s body. Cleopatra wanted to remain beautiful even after death, so she used a mixture of opium with poisonous plants, and died within a few hours without experiencing any pain.
However, among all the writers of antiquity, the question of the deadly power of a snake bite and the alleged use of it by Cleopatra was resolved by Aelian Claudius, an ancient Roman writer and philosopher, who wrote: “it is extremely difficult to detect manifestations or traces of snake bites, and snake venom is surprisingly fast-acting. When Octavian’s courtiers noticed two tiny punctures and the trace of a snake in the sand, they realized that there was a snake involved.”
The death of Cleopatra was a kind of ritual act with deep meaning, a rite subject to a strict canon. Cleopatra asked Octavian to allow Mark Antony to be buried in Egypt. She wanted to be buried next to her husband, because she dreamed of reproducing the myth of Osiris and Isis.
From the stories of Plutarch it is known that Cleopatra’s tomb was part of the temple buildings, so that the queen’s remains rested on the territory of the sanctuary of the Goddess Isis, with whom she was identified. The mausoleum was striking in its height and was built from valuable types of marble. Plutarch reports that by order of Octavian, the last queen of Egypt was buried next to her defeated husband, a Roman.
The Roman historian Dio Cassius claims that Cleopatra's body, like Antony's, was embalmed. But no one knows where the grave of Cleopatra and Anthony is located.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and armed conflicts wiped off the face of the earth that ancient quarter where generations of Cleopatra’s family lived for 300 years. Now the greatness and glory of ancient Alexandria rests deep on the seabed.
In April 2009, Egypt's Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass reported that radar surveys at the temple of Taposiris Magna (modern Abusir) showed three important anomalies, one of which may be the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
The Temple of Osiris is located 45 kilometers west of Alexandria and was built during the reign of King Ptolemy II. This sacred site is one of those where, according to legend, the body of Osiris (or one of its fragments) was buried.
A 120-meter tunnel filled with sand was discovered under the ruins of the temple. After clearing it, scientists found Anthony's death mask, a statue of Cleopatra and 20 coins with her image minted in Egypt during the reign of the queen.
Cleopatra planned everything in advance - how she should live, how she would die, and how her sarcophagus should be found. All that remains is to wait for the completion of the excavations.
Cleopatra is the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt, a femme fatale, a famous personality all over the world, a poetess, pharmacist, and researcher.
And to this day the story of the queen’s life, love and tragic death has not been fully solved. For more than two thousand years, the image of Cleopatra has been shrouded in a romantic aura of mystery. However, despite all this, ancient and modern historians agree on one thing: the Egyptian queen was an intelligent, power-hungry, charming, daring, insightful woman, could speak seven languages, was the author of books on philosophy, units of weight, measurements and the monetary system, as well as books on hairstyles and cosmetics.
Cleopatra has been famous throughout the centuries not only for her political activities and attempts to save Egypt from the Romans. The Egyptian queen is known for her love affair with the commander Julius Caesar, as well as for her dramatic love story with the Roman commander Mark Antony. It is these historical facts that formed the basis of many films and literary works.
Cleopatra lived a rather rich, vibrant life and died on August 12, 30 BC, poisoning herself with snake venom after her defeat in the Battle of Actium. In memory of the great Egyptian queen and unique woman, we offer you to learn the most interesting facts from the life of Cleopatra.
1. At the age of 18, Cleopatra marries her 9-year-old brother Ptolemy XII, since, according to Ptolemaic custom, a woman cannot reign on her own.
2. With her younger brother, Cleopatra rules the country for 4 years, until Ptolemy XII rebels against the queen and her ally Julius Caesar, loses and, fleeing, drowns in the Nile.
3. Thanks to her charm and intelligence, Cleopatra managed to seduce two famous Romans of that time - Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, thereby ensuring 20 years of Egyptian independence from the Romans.
4. Cleopatra had four children: Caesarion (from Julius Caesar), Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene and Ptolemy II Philadelphus (from Mark Antony).
5. According to Plutarch, at the end of the feasts in honor of Mark Antony, the queen gave palanquins along with slave porters to important guests, and horses in golden harness to less important ones.
6.According to Plutarch, in order to conquer Caesar, Cleopatra ordered herself to be rolled up in blankets, tied with a rope, and thus offered herself to politics. Thus, she told the commander that she was surrendering to his mercy.
7.When Mark Antony invited the queen to the first meeting, she refused a couple of times. At that time, Cleopatra was building a ship with scarlet sails, strewn with rose petals, to amaze the commander.
8. The queen’s extravagance had no limits, and her wealth seemed countless. That is why ancient alchemists believed that Cleopatra owned the philosopher's stone, which turns metal into gold.
9.According to the physician Galen, Cleopatra was fond of cosmetology. She helped Caesar fight baldness by providing cosmetic treatment with a mixture of red sulfur, arsenic and oak resin.
10.According to historical facts, Cleopatra collected all kinds of poisonous drugs and often went down to prison to conduct her experiments on convicted criminals.
11.After the defeat at Actium, Mark Antony and Cleopatra create the “Suicide Squad” and vow to die together. On August 1, 30 BC, upon learning of Cleopatra’s false death, Mark Antony throws himself on his sword.
12.According to one version, a peasant with a pot of figs entered the queen’s tomb, guarded by the guards of the Great Pontiff Octavian. It was in this pot that the cobra that killed the queen was found.
13. According to another version, Cleopatra kept snake venom in a hollow head pin. It was this poison that the Egyptian queen and her two maids took.
14.According to historian Christopher Schaefer, Cleopatra died not from a cobra bite, but from a lethal mixture of opium and the hemlock plant, which left no trace on the body.
15.Many people believe that Cleopatra was a beauty. However, historians are sure of the opposite. Scientists at the University of Cambridge managed to recreate a model of the queen's face. Cleopatra, by today's standards, was not particularly beautiful.
Femme fatale, famous personality all over the world, poetess, pharmacist, researcher. And to this day the story of the queen’s life, love and tragic death has not been fully solved. For more than two thousand years, the image of Cleopatra has been shrouded in a romantic aura of mystery. However, despite all this, ancient and modern historians agree on one thing: the Egyptian queen was an intelligent, power-hungry, charming, daring, insightful woman, could speak seven languages, was the author of books on philosophy, units of weight, measurements and the monetary system, as well as books on hairstyles and cosmetics.
Cleopatra has been famous throughout the centuries not only for her political activities and attempts to save Egypt from the Romans. The Egyptian queen is known for her love affair with the commander Julius Caesar, as well as for her dramatic love story with the Roman commander Mark Antony. It is these historical facts that formed the basis of many films and literary works.
Cleopatra lived a rather rich, vibrant life and died on August 12, 30 BC, poisoning herself with snake venom after her defeat in the Battle of Actium. In memory of the great Egyptian queen and unique woman, we offer you to learn the most interesting facts from the life of Cleopatra.
Interesting fact #1
At the age of 18, Cleopatra marries her 9-year-old brother Ptolemy XII, since, according to Ptolemaic custom, a woman cannot reign on her own.
Interesting fact #2
With her younger brother, Cleopatra rules the country for 4 years, until Ptolemy XII rebels against the queen and her ally Julius Caesar, loses and, fleeing, drowns in the Nile.
Interesting fact #3
Thanks to her charm and intelligence, Cleopatra managed to seduce two famous Romans of that time - Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, thereby ensuring 20 years of Egyptian independence from the Romans.
Interesting fact #4
Cleopatra had four children: Caesarion (by Julius Caesar), Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene, and Ptolemy II Philadelphus (by Mark Antony).
Interesting fact #5
According to Plutarch, at the end of the feasts in honor of Mark Antony, the queen gave palanquins along with slave porters to important guests, and horses in golden harness to less important guests.
Interesting fact #6
According to Plutarch, in order to conquer Caesar, Cleopatra ordered herself to be rolled up in blankets, tied with a rope, and thus offered herself to politics. Thus, she told the commander that she was surrendering to his mercy.
Interesting fact #7
When Mark Antony invited the queen to the first meeting, she refused a couple of times. At that time, Cleopatra was building a ship with scarlet sails, strewn with rose petals, to amaze the commander.
Interesting fact #8
The queen's extravagance had no limits, and her wealth seemed countless. That is why ancient alchemists believed that Cleopatra owned the philosopher's stone, which turns metal into gold.
Interesting fact #9
According to the physician Galen, Cleopatra was fond of cosmetology. She helped Caesar fight baldness by providing cosmetic treatment with a mixture of red sulfur, arsenic and oak resin.
Interesting fact #10
According to historical facts, Cleopatra collected all kinds of poisonous drugs and often went down to prison to conduct her experiments on convicted criminals.
Interesting fact #11
After the defeat at Actium, Mark Antony and Cleopatra create the “Suicide Squad” and vow to die together. On August 1, 30 BC, upon learning of Cleopatra’s false death, Mark Antony throws himself on his sword.
Interesting fact #12
According to one version, a peasant with a pot of figs entered the queen’s tomb, guarded by the guards of the Great Pontiff Octavian. It was in this pot that the cobra that killed the queen was found.
Interesting fact #13
According to another version, Cleopatra kept snake venom in a hollow head pin. It was this poison that the Egyptian queen and her 2 maids took.
Interesting fact #14
According to historian Christopher Schaefer, Cleopatra died not from a cobra bite, but from a lethal mixture of opium and the hemlock plant that left no trace on her body.
Interesting fact #15
Many people believe that Cleopatra was a beauty. However, historians are sure of the opposite. Scientists at the University of Cambridge managed to recreate a model of the queen's face. Cleopatra, by today's standards, was not particularly beautiful.
One of the most famous and influential women in all of history was without a doubt Cleopatra, the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt. She was distinguished by her extraordinary intelligence, insight, and managed to prove herself to be a strong leader and an excellent strategist. Here are some interesting facts about this bright and controversial personality.
1. She was not Egyptian.
Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, was Greek by birth. He took over as ruler of Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great.
2. She was born as a result of incest.
Cleopatra's father married his sister, beginning the royal tradition of incest. Since then, marriages between brothers and sisters have become common in this family.
3. Most likely, she was not a beauty.
Historians claim that the famous queen of Egypt had an attractive appearance, but nothing more. However, Cleopatra knew how to take care of herself and used cosmetics made according to her own recipes. She charmed men not only with her appearance and manners, but also with her education: Cleopatra knew more than 7 languages, and was well versed in philosophy, mathematics, politics and literature of that time.
4. Cleopatra did not hesitate to kill if necessary.
She married her younger brother Ptolemy XIII when she was 18 years old and he was only 12. Together they ruled for 4 years until the young king rebelled against Cleopatra. Joining forces with Julius Caesar, the queen suppressed the uprising. Soon her ex-husband drowned in the Nile River. After this, Cleopatra married another of her younger brothers, Ptolemy XIV, but soon he also died under mysterious circumstances. Cleopatra also persuaded Mark Antony to kill her sister Arsinoe, who was her rival in the fight for the throne.
5. She knew how to make an impression.
According to the ancient Greek writer Plutarch, in order to conquer Julius Caesar, Cleopatra ordered herself to be rolled up in blankets, tied with a rope and presented to the commander in this form. Thus, she wanted to show Caesar that she relied on his mercy. No less impressively, Cleopatra managed to appear in front of Mark Antony. She sailed to him on a ship with scarlet sails, a gilded stern and silvered oars, and the deck was strewn with rose petals.
6. Cleopatra was in Rome during the assassination of Caesar.
Their relationship lasted long enough, and Cleopatra’s presence in Rome became one of the reasons that accelerated the death of Caesar. Soon the queen left Rome, leaving behind a legacy associated with fashion - at that time, many Roman women copied her exotic hairstyles and pearl jewelry.
7. She knew how to have fun.
Although her relationship with Anthony was politically motivated, they really enjoyed spending time together, especially having fun. In Alexandria, Cleopatra and Antony founded their own club, known as the Inimitable Liver. The club organized nightly feasts, during which various games and competitions were held.
8. She once led a navy in battle.
When Cleopatra married Mark Antony, it caused a public scandal in Rome and eventually led to war. During the Battle of Actium, the queen personally commanded a fleet of several dozen Egyptian ships. However, this was not enough for a successful battle with Octavian's navy, and Cleopatra soon had to retreat to Egypt.
9. Cleopatra may not have died from a snake bite.
Legend has it that when Cleopatra learned of Mark Antony's suicide, she committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by a poisonous snake. But some historians are inclined to believe that Cleopatra died using poison hidden in her comb. There is also a version according to which she committed suicide by smearing herself with a lethal mixture of opium and hemlock.
10. The film about Cleopatra, shot in 1963, became one of the most expensive in the history of cinema.
In 1963, the film Cleopatra was filmed starring Elizabeth Taylor. The film's original budget of $2 million soon grew to a whopping $44 million, with nearly $200,000 spent on Cleopatra's costumes alone.