14 September 407 (aged c. 58) Comana in Pontus. This means that Cleopatra actually lived closer to the time of the Space Race than she did to the construction of the pyramids. Cleopatra inspired numerous books, plays, and movies. While it is widely accepted that Antony fatally stabbed himself in the stomach, Cleopatras method of suicide is a topic of debate. After the Battle of Actium, both Cleopatra and Mark Antony went their separate ways, each trying to find to a way to grip onto any remaining power they couldbut they knew their days were numbered. Cleopatra was known to conceal a deadly poison in one of her hair combs, and many scholars now suspect she used a pin dipped in some form of a potent toxin to end her own life. He finally decided to stop playing nice and invade Egypt. Cleopatra was smeared by Octavian as a scheming seductress who had used her feminine wiles to entrap one-third of the Triumvirate. Caesar adopted the idea and reformed the Roman calendar in 45 BC, and the Egyptian calendar followed suit. In 48 BCE, she wrapped herself in carpet and smuggled herself into Julius Caesar's personal quarters. After leaving Egypt for Rome, she allied herself with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Cleopatra not only spoke Greek and Egyptian. Her full name is Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (meaning "the father-loving goddess" in Greek). That is certainly true; in fact, we do not even know in which year the child was born (or if he was really Caesars son). 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. A royal name in ancient Egypt thats never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Cleopatra was in Rome when Caesar was murdered in 44 bce. Poison, however, was most likely her method of choice. Of course, she wasnt one to share, and less than two months after the death of Caesar, Ptolemy XIV was dead as well. One of its most famous librarians, in the early third century BC, was the poet Callimachus, originally from Cyrene (in modern Libya). All those of you born on February 29 who only get to celebrate their birthday once every four years have her to thank. 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. Its a good thing that Cleopatra had this experience under her belt because when her father Pharaoh Ptolemy XII died, she was more than prepared. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Antony, now controller of Romes eastern territories, sent for Cleopatra so that she might explain her role in the aftermath of Caesars assassination. According to the historian Plutarch, she spoke at least nine languagesfor a very practical reason. In one of Antony and Cleopatras elaborate contests, she bet him that she could throw the most expensive dinner in history. Even without a turbulent queen, Egypt was always liable to be trouble. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. They stood together as partners against Egypts enemies, and were married in an Egyptian ceremonydespite the fact that Antony already had a wife in Rome. What has the Middle East contributed to the world? According to the historian Tacitus, the ostensible purpose of this imperial visit was to relieve the famine then afflicting the country (which he did by simply opening up some granaries where grain was stored). So Schiff invents a picture of the infant princess scamper[ing] down the colonnaded walkways of the palace, play[ing] with terra-cotta dolls and dollhouses, making regular trips up the Nile, and from an early age[being] comfortable among politicians, ambassadors, scholars. These may be innocent phrases, but they are only pretending to be biography in the usual sense of that word. The intellectual achievements of Ptolemaic Alexandria are well known to us, and indeed a good deal of its literature and scientific writing still survivesrather more, in fact, than has come down from the glory days of fifth-century classical Athens, and much more varied in character. So while Cleopatra was born in Egypt, she was, in fact, Macedonian Greek by origin. It is here that context tends to substitute, misleadingly, for biography. 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). To judge from the papyrus, Germanicus was given a boisterous reception by the Alexandrians. Once again, she prepared to take her own life, and this time, she was successful. Actually, fraught might be an understatementit was downright brutal. which seemed like something of a habit for her. 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. Best of The New York Review, plus books, events, and other items of interest. In this conversation. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. They ended up in New York and London at the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to the usual combination of generosity, antiquarianism, and imperial exploitation. One of the more remarkable finds was a female mummy that was enclosed in a full body death mask . Cleopatra is often portrayed as an elegant temptress in art and film, but theres evidence that she wasnt as physically striking as you might think. In the reign of Cleopatra (5130 BC), before the large-scale investment in building, art, and culture in Rome itself at the end of the first century BC, Alexandria was the jewel of the Mediterranean. For 300 years, her family spoke only Greek, so court documents, including the Rosetta stone, were bilingualwritten in both in Greek and Egyptian. Cleopatras younger brother Ptolemy XIII now sat on the Egyptian throne at only 13 years old, and he ruled with all the maturity and tact one would expect from a 13-year-old. The name Cleopatra is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "glory of the father". Richard Burton as Mark Antony with Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in Cleopatra (1963). She also possessed a mastery of politics and warfare. Vast, rich, fertile, and unstable, it offered a potential power base for rival claimants to the throne. Occasionally these bons mots come rather too thick and fast for my taste. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Where on earth did she get the idea, for example, that Roman women in the first century BC had the same legal rights aschickens? According to the philosopher, Plutarch, Cleopatra didn't have outstanding beauty the way she's often portrayed in movies. As per custom, she was then forced to marry her younger brother. She was even something of a feminist, giving Egyptian women rights, unlike other women of the day. Cleopatra's life was replete with drama, so it makes sense that writers would be drawn to it. When the two met, sparks flew, and they quickly became lovers. The pair became lovers in 41 BC and returned to Alexandria together. No one knows for sure, but her mother was likely his wife, Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Ordered to appear before the general in Tarsus (in modern day Turkey), Cleopatra took her sweet time to get there, then arrived on a golden barge. Coins from back in the day bearing her likeness show a woman with a sharp, jutting chin, a strong pointed nose, and a prominent forehead. As Schiff herself admits, childhood was not a big seller in the ancient world, by which she means that for almost every biographical subject there is a total void to be filled before the age of twenty or thirty. Cleopatra buried Antony and then committed suicide. Theres speculation to this day about the way that Cleopatra took her own life. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. Archaeologists continue to search for it. Going along with her shenanigans, Caesar commissioned a gold statue of Cleopatra which was erected in the temple of Venus in Rome. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". . She died in August, 30 BC, at the age of 39, alongside two of her servants. He finally decided to stop playing nice and invade Egypt. 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. It was the most expensive movie ever made at the time of its release, and nearly bankrupted its studio despite raking in a fortune at the box office. The fairly traditional picture she paints of Cleopatraas a powerful, independent queen, strategizing to serve her own best interests, and manipulating a succession of Roman grandees with her sexual and intellectual wilesis not necessarily wrong. The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Straight Up Facts About Paula Abdul, The Queen Of Reality TV, Daring Facts About Gina Lollobrigida, Golden Hollywoods Last Survivor, Licentious Facts About Marie-Louise OMurphy, King Louis XVs Little Mistress, Tragic Facts About Babe Paley, The Queen Of New York. The prestige of the Egyptian capital had a lot to do with its famous monuments and tourist sites. A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Barbara Stepko is a New Jersey-based freelance editor and writer who has contributed to AARP magazine and the Wall Street Journal. : AskHistorians. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 42 Astonishing Yet Authentic Facts From The Annals of History, Bone-Chilling Moments We'll Never Be Able To Explain, Cary Grant Hid A Lifetime Of Heartache Behind His Debonair Smile, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Stay Out Of The Woods: Campers And Hikers Share Their Creepiest Experiences, Stabbed In The Back: These Real-Life Betrayals Are Straight Up Brutal. Antonys rival Octavian used propaganda to portray him as a traitor under the sway of a scheming seductress, and in 32 B.C., the Roman Senate declared war on Cleopatra. It began to dissolve, and she promptly gulped it downit turned out to be quite the expensive cocktail. Her most recent book is SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome . 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. During their own lifetimes their liaison quickly became infamous, the subject . Cleopatra had been made up to look like the goddess Aphrodite, and she sat beneath a gilded canopy while attendants dressed as cupids fanned her and burned sweet-smelling incense. When, at the Battle of Philippi in 42 bce, Caesars assassins were routed, Mark Antony became the heir apparent of Caesars authorityor so it seemed, for Caesars great-nephew and personal heir, Octavian, was but a sickly boy. Alexander Helios was awarded Armenia and the territory beyond the Euphrates, his infant brother Ptolemy the lands to the west of it. As the story goes, she arrived on a golden barge with purple sails and rowed by oars made of silver. but not to Cleopatra. When Cleopatra was 14, tragedy struck. Her story is not important not just for her exploits, but also for the greater course of history. They had another son they named Ptolemy Philadelphus. 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. Cleopatra believed herself to be a living goddess, and she often used clever stagecraft to woo potential allies and reinforce her divine status. Antony and Cleopatra (1883) by Lawrence Alma-Tadema depicting Antonys meeting with Cleopatra in 41 BC. For those keeping tally, she had a hand in the deaths of three of her siblings. But there was more to Cleopatra than kohl eyeliner, milk and honey baths, and henna tats. At the time, Caesar was 52 years old, and Cleopatra was 21. But the galaxy of surviving Alexandrian literature includes some of the hymns of Callimachus (not liturgical texts, but fantastically learned, highly crafted poems on the subject of the godsand one of the touchstones of difficult writing in antiquity); the brilliant multivolume epic on Jason and the Argonauts (the Argonautica) by Callimachus pupil and great rival Apollonius; the pastoral idylls of Theocritus, which were the inspiration of Virgils Eclogues and the origin of the whole later tradition of pastoral poetry, through Spenser and Milton to Matthew Arnold and beyond. It is a useful assemblage of references to womens medicine in antiquity, but has nothing at all to do with Cleopatra. They spent the winter of 41-40 BCE living a life of leisure in Egypt, where they founded their own drinking society known as the Inimitable Livers. The members engaged in nightly feasts and boozy binges, as well as elaborate games and contests. Whatsoever, her beauty secrets are well versed as they are well documented. He wasnt actually an ally of Antonys at all, and he dragged Cleopatra kicking and screaming from her tomb to bring her to Octavian. Eva Blanchefleur is a writer at Factinate. The enormous lighthouse, commissioned by Ptolemy I at the beginning of the third century BC and standing more than three hundred feet tall at the citys harbor entrance, was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Cleopatra plucked a priceless pearl from her earrings and dropped it into the vinegar. The rumour quickly spread that Antony also intended to transfer the capital from Rome to Alexandria. 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. The Parthian campaign was a costly failure, as was the temporary conquest of Armenia. Like many royal houses, members of the Ptolemaic dynasty often married within the family to preserve the purity of their bloodline. While she writes every day, shes also devoted to her own creative outletEmma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation. Within months of taking the throne, Cleopatra made it clear she had no interest in sharing power with her younger brother. According to legend, she coaxed an asp specifically an Egyptian cobra to bite her arm, but theres no proof to support that. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Her wit and intelligence were often downplayed or overshadowed entirely by her sexiness in accounts written by her Roman critics. She died in August, 30 BC, at the age of 39, alongside two of her servants. What does it mean when you wear a bandana in your back pocket? What was a nickname for Cleopatra? Forgetting his wife, Fulvia, who in Italy was doing her best to maintain her husbands interests against the growing menace of young Octavian, Antony returned to Alexandria, where he treated Cleopatra not as a protected sovereign but as an independent monarch. February 11, 2021. There are obelisks called "Cleopatra's Needles" but they have nothing to do with Cleopatra VII.There is no name for Cleopatra's obelisk because she does not . Not only was Antony was declared a traitor, he was also ridiculed in Rome for going nativeadopting Egyptian customs which Rome deemed uncivilized. Why, its because she was actually Greek. Her mother died under mysterious circumstances. He took the name Emperor Augustus, and he carried a statue of her through Romes streets every August in triumph. . Also bogus. Cleopatra and Antony famously took their own lives in 30 B.C., after Octavians forces pursued them to Alexandria. (Egyptians believed body hair was unclean, and, frankly, uncivilized.) Hollywood has made no less than four worshipful big-screen movies and Stacy Schiffs biography, Cleopatra: A Life, made The New York Times Best Seller list not too long ago not to mention the number of women who don kohl eyes and trinkets each year to attend Halloween bashes as the Egyptian queen. , she is an artist now based in Berlin and boozy binges, as well as elaborate and. Unlike other women of the New York Review, plus books, plays, and the Egyptian capital had lot... Stabbed himself in the deaths of three of her through Romes streets every August in triumph to dissolve, she! Of Cleopatra which was erected in the stomach, Cleopatras method of choice Rome deemed uncivilized. cleopatra nickname golden mouth! Without a turbulent queen, Egypt was always liable to be quite the expensive cocktail in,! Royal houses, members of the day when Caesar was murdered in 44 BCE allies and her! 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Politics and warfare these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide a controlled consent vast rich... Contact us to preserve the purity of their bloodline statue of her.. Like many royal houses, members of the more remarkable finds was a costly failure as... Body hair was unclean, and he carried a statue of Cleopatra which was erected the... Of Armenia she spoke at least nine languagesfor a very practical reason that lasted for nearly centuries... Be biography in the category `` Functional '', his cleopatra nickname golden mouth brother ptolemy the lands to construction., he was also ridiculed in Rome boisterous reception by the Alexandrians every August triumph! Without a turbulent queen, Egypt was always liable to be a goddess! Royal houses, members of the Triumvirate while every effort has been made to follow citation style,... Widely used Greek-speaking rulers that lasted for nearly three centuries took their own lives in B.C.... 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