Cream. Mix 40 ml of aloe juice with 40 ml of distilled water, 20 ml of rose water or rose petal infusion and 1 teaspoon of honey. Put the mixture in a water bath and gradually add 100 g of melted pork fat. Transfer the finished cream into jars, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator. Apply a thin layer once a day.
milk bath Cleopatra's most important beauty recipe is, of course, the famous milk bath. To make a Cleopatra milk bath, dissolve a small cup of honey in 1 liter of hot (but not boiled) milk and pour the mixture into the bath. The temperature of the bath should be the same as body temperature, that is, 36-37°C, take a bath for 10-15 minutes. Modern followers of Cleopatra's beauty sometimes suggest replacing fresh milk with powdered milk, at the rate of 1-2 kg per bath.
Speaking about the beauty of Cleopatra, we note that the effect of Cleopatra's bath was enhanced by the scrub. 300 g of ground sea salt was mixed with half a cup of heavy cream and rubbed on the body of the queen. They rubbed it before the bath or after - opinions differ, but, as practice shows, it’s good anyway, but it’s better to use a scrub before the bath: it will cleanse the skin, and milk with honey will bring a greater effect to the beauty of the skin.
aromatherapy Why do you think Cleopatra chose milk and honey as the basis of her beauty recipes? The smell is another component of her feminine attractiveness. The smell of honey in deep esoteric beliefs is personified with the smell of nature, it is “sweet” from nature, and a child, youth, youth smells of milk. Therefore, milk and honey, if you look at the philosophy of faith, mean a combination of natural sweetness and youth, literally "a young tasty woman." It is no coincidence that both Caesar and Mark Antony could not resist the spell of such a deeply subconscious natural beauty of Cleopatra.
In addition to these smells, Cleopatra loved incense and myrrh: mysterious and attractive, they simultaneously calmed her strong, but often unrestrained and quick to punish men.
Internal flush According to legend, the queen performed an “internal washing” twice a month. To do this, she mixed in equal proportions lemon juice, water and olive oil. This mixture should be drunk on an empty stomach, in small sips. Then you need to do 15-20 exercises with the abdominal press - the stomach is drawn in to the spine, lingers for a few seconds in this position, and only then the muscles relax. This is nothing more than a cleansing of the liver and intestines. A very useful and common procedure to this day.
Water bioenergy method Our body is almost 80 percent water. And the purity of our biofield, the state of the chakras, the color of the aura and the general condition of the body will depend on its fine structure. Cleopatra was well aware of the energy potential of "special" water.
Making silver water Pour melted water into an earthen vessel. (You can take ice cubes from the refrigerator and let them melt). Melt water is neutral, all information is erased. Dip a silver object into the water. For example, a ring, a spoon or a brooch. And put it at the window at night. It is advisable to do this on a full moon so that the light of the moon falls on a vessel of water. And an even greater effect is achieved if there is a night thunderstorm. Such water will have a wonderful energy that can erase negativity and heal wounds.
Making golden water Pour melted water into an earthen vessel, dip into it Golden ring, chain or other object. It is desirable that the sample of gold was as high as possible. The vessel should be placed by the window on a sunny day. The rays of the daylight should illuminate the water. It will be charged with life-giving energy that can work miracles with the body.
Store water in closed bottles in the refrigerator. Should be used like this. Drink seven sips of silver water first, and after a few minutes, seven sips of golden water. It is also useful to wipe the face and body first with silver and then with golden water. Silver water will remove negative energy, “smooth out” the centers of tension in the body, relieve stress, destroy bad bacteria, and “plug” energy holes. And golden water, in turn, will fill the whole body with healing power, rejuvenate it, harmonize it, give vigor and charm.
Cleopatra VII (69 - 30 BC) - the last queen of Egypt, the most famous woman of the ancient era.
Cleopatra was born on November 2, 69 BC. e. She is one of the three (known) daughters of King Ptolemy XII Auletes of the Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty, founded by Ptolemy I, the commander of Alexander the Great.
Antique bust of Cleopatra
(British Museum, London)
Reliable images of Cleopatra have not been preserved. There are several antique busts of Cleopatra, the most reliable is the Algerian bust of Cleopatra, now located in the Berlin Museum of Antiquities, created after her death on the occasion of the wedding of Cleopatra's daughter. Some scientists believe that this is a bust of Cleopatra herself in her last years, others believe that the bust depicts not Cleopatra, but her daughter. Images of Cleopatra have been preserved on coins cast in her reign, but it is difficult to say how much they reflect her actual appearance.
The ancient Greek historian Plutarch, who saw the portrait of Cleopatra, in the biography of Mark Antony, describes the appearance of Cleopatra as follows: “the beauty of this woman was not what is called incomparable and striking at first sight, but her appeal was distinguished by irresistible charm, and therefore her appearance, combined with rare persuasiveness speeches, with great charm, showing through in every word, in every movement, firmly cut into the soul.The very sounds of her voice caressed and delighted the ear, and the language was like a multi-stringed instrument, easily tuned to any tune - to any dialect, so that only she spoke with very few barbarians through an interpreter, and most often she herself talked with strangers - Ethiopians, troglodytes, Jews, Arabs, Syrians, Medes, Parthians ... They say that she also studied many languages, while the kings who ruled before her, they didn't even know Egyptian, and some of them forgot Macedonian."
Libyan bust of Cleopatra (Berlin Museum of Antiquities)
Cleopatra on an antique coin
The Roman historian Sextus Aurelius Victor, negatively inclined towards Cleopatra, writes about her this way: "She was so depraved that she often prostituted, and possessed such beauty that many men paid with their death for possessing her for one night." However, the Roman sources describing Cleopatra should not be treated with confidence, because. Cleopatra in the eyes of the Romans was an enemy, and the ancient historiography of Cleopatra was inspired by the winner of Cleopatra, Emperor Octavian Augustus, who did not want her idealization at all.
Frederick Augustus Sandys. Cleopatra
Alexander Cabanel. Cleopatra
Frederick Arthur Bridgman. Cleopatra
Cleopatra
Mikhail Vrubel. Cleopatra on a bed
Gustave Moreau. Cleopatra
Testament of Ptolemy XII, who died in March 51 BC. e., passed the throne to Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIII, who was then about 9 years old, and with whom she was married formally, since according to Ptolemaic custom, a woman could not reign on her own. Cleopatra at first ruled alone, removing her young brother, but then the latter won revenge, relying on the eunuch Potinus (who was something like the head of government) and the commander Achilles.
At this time, a civil war was going on in the Roman Republic between Caesar and Pompey. The defeated Pompey fled to Egypt, hoping to find support, but was killed by Ptolemy's close associates, who hoped to win favor with Caesar. However, Caesar, having arrived in Egypt, was angry with the massacre of Pompey. Caesar decides to restore order in Egypt, which is torn apart by a feud between Cleopatra and her brother. Plutarch in the biography of Caesar describes the first meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra as follows:
“Cleopatra, taking with her only one of her friends, Apollodorus of Sicily, got into a small boat and, at nightfall, landed near the royal palace. Since it was otherwise difficult to go unnoticed, she climbed into a bed bag and stretched out in it to its full length. Apollodorus tied the bag with a belt and carried it across the courtyard to Caesar. They say that this cunning of Cleopatra already seemed bold to Caesar and captivated him. Finally subdued by Cleopatra's courtesy and her beauty, he reconciled her with the king so that they reigned together.
Jean-Leon Gerome. Caesar and Cleopatra
A rebellion began against Caesar in Egypt, which Caesar managed to suppress. King Ptolemy is dead. Cleopatra, formally combined with her other young brother Ptolemy XIV, actually became the undivided ruler of Egypt under a Roman protectorate, the guarantee of which was the three legions left in Egypt.
Cleopatra gave birth to a son from Caesar, who was named Caesarion. In the summer of 46 BC. Caesar calls Cleopatra to Rome (formally - to conclude an alliance between Rome and Egypt). Cleopatra was allocated Caesar's villa in his gardens on the banks of the Tiber. There was even a rumor that Caesar was going to take Cleopatra as his second wife and move the capital to Alexandria. Caesar himself ordered that a gilded statue of Cleopatra be placed at the altar of Venus the Ancestor (Venus as the mythical ancestor of the Julius family, to which he belonged). However, Caesar did not dare to officially recognize Caesarion as his son.
Caesar was killed as a result of a conspiracy on March 15, 44 BC. e. A month later, in mid-April, Cleopatra left Rome and arrived in Alexandria in July. Shortly thereafter, the 14-year-old Ptolemy XIV died. According to Josephus Flavius, he was poisoned by his sister: the birth of a son gave Cleopatra a formal co-ruler. In this situation, the maturing brother was completely redundant to her.
In Rome, a civil war began between the murderers of Caesar, Cassius and Brutus on the one hand, and on the other hand, his heirs Antony and Octavian. Antony and Octavian won. In the division of the Roman world, made after the defeat of the Republicans, Antony got the East. Antony, planning a war with the Parthians, arrives in Egypt to enlist Egyptian help. Cleopatra at the time of their meeting was 29 years old, Anthony - 40. According to Plutarch, the queen arrived at the meeting with Anthony "on a boat with a gilded stern, purple sails and silver-plated oars, which moved to the tune of a flute, harmoniously
combined with the whistle of flutes and the rattling of citharas. The queen rested under a canopy embroidered with gold in the dress of Aphrodite, as the painters depict her, and on both sides of the bed stood boys with fans - like erotes in pictures. In the same way, the most beautiful slaves were disguised as Nereids and Charites and stood at the stern oars, some at the ropes. Marvelous incense rose from countless incense burners and spread along the banks. "Antony was completely captivated by Cleopatra. Their romance lasted more than 10 years until their death. Cleopatra had three children from Antony.
Anthony and Cleopatra
By 32 B.C. relations between the former allies - Antony and Octavian - finally turned from friendly to hostile. Antony, carried away by Cleopatra and breaking with his official wife Octavia (Octavian's sister), giving away Roman lands to Cleopatra's children, began to look like a traitor in the eyes of the Romans. At the Battle of Actium on September 2, 31 BC. e. the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra lost, the vanquished returned to Egypt and tried to flee to India, but when they tried to drag the ships across the Isthmus of Suez, they were burned by the Arabs. The escape plan had to be abandoned.
When Octavian reached Egypt, Antony committed suicide by throwing himself on a sword. Cleopatra tried to seduce Octavian, or at least negotiate with him, but the charms of the 39-year-old queen were powerless this time. Octavian wanted to take Cleopatra as a prisoner to Rome to participate in his triumph, but Cleopatra committed suicide. According to the most common version, Cleopatra died from a snake bite, but the snake was not found in the room. According to another, more plausible version, Cleopatra was poisoned by poison. This version is supported by the quick death of Cleopatra, the fact that she tested poisons on prisoners shortly before her death, and finally, the fact that two dead servants were found together with Cleopatra (it is doubtful that one snake killed three people). Octavian unsuccessfully tried to revive Cleopatra with the help of the Psylli, an exotic tribe that could suck out poison harmlessly to themselves.
Alexander Cabanel. Cleopatra tests poisons on prisoners
Benedetto Gennari el Joven. Death of Cleopatra
Guido Cagnacci. Death of Cleopatra
Jean Andre Rixens. Death of Cleopatra
Giampietrino. Death of Cleopatra
Guido Reni. Death of Cleopatra
Guido Reni. Death of Cleopatra
Hans Makart. Death of Cleopatra
Death of Cleopatra
Michelangelo. Cleopatra
Octavian finds Cleopatra's body
The image of Cleopatra has been embodied in cinema many times. The most famous performer of the role of Cleopatra is Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away on March 23. Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor, was released in 1963.
Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra
The predecessors of Elizabeth Teilov in the role of Cleopatra were no less famous actresses - Vivien Leigh (the film "Caesar and Cleopatra", 1945) and Sophia Loren (the film "Two Nights with Cleopatra", 1953).
Vivien Leigh as Cleopatra
Sophia Loren as Cleopatra
Of the modern incarnations of Cleopatra in the cinema, one can note, for example, Monica Belucci in the comedy Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.
a source; http://kolyan.net/index.php?newsid=31607
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The dazzling beauty of the Egyptian queen is beyond doubt. However, contemporary sources say nothing about this, and a later author writes that she didn't look ugly. Face femme fatale can be represented by its official images.
Not irresistible sexuality shocked in some way. She was a mistress the great commander and dictator Julius Caesar, after whose murder she took over his comrade-in-arms Mark Antony. Together they tried to resist Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus, but were defeated and committed suicide. The story of Cleopatra's life and suicide has inspired many writers, artists, filmmakers. The most brilliant Hollywood stars - Claudet Colbert, Vivien Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor - starred in her role. However, ancient portraits of Cleopatra suggest that with rumors about her unearthly beauty somewhat exaggerated.
More about the "Pearl of the Nile"
Almost all images of the queen look embellished, symbolic, deliberately distorted, or turn out to be not her portraits at all. However, scientists again and again carefully look at them. In the end, these are the only "material evidence" available to them, the descriptions of eyewitnesses have not been preserved. The most reliable source is the work of the Greek historian Plutarch (c. 45 - c. 127). who knew the grandson of one of Cleopatra's courtiers:
“They say that her external beauty was not incomparable at all ... but she talked with irresistible charm. On the one hand, her appearance, combined with seductive speech, and on the other hand, her character, which inexplicably manifested itself in all actions ... conquered those around her to the highest degree. Her voice was gentle."
deceptive appearance
On coins minted in Alexandria (see right), Cleopatra has a hooked nose and a protruding chin. However, these parts of the face in official portraits were often enlarged to make the image more strong-willed and powerful.
In any case, Cleopatra hardly met modern standards of beauty. Judging by the mummies, women from the Ptolemaic dynasty were about 1.5 m tall and by no means thin. Coins and busts of Cleopatra show fatty deposits around the neck- at statues they are called "venus rings". Perhaps the artists emphasized the well-fed life of their models with them, but, according to a number of experts, in this case this is not pure symbolism. It seems that the neck of the queen was a bit thick. In some images, a long, hooked nose and a sharp protruding chin are striking.
Cleopatra was really killed by an asp - under the name of a real asp, the Egyptian cobra or gaya (up to 2 m long) is known, depicted on the crown of the Egyptian queen: the bite is not very painful, death is quick.
Deity
The relief on the Temple of Hathor at Dendera (see left) depicts Cleopatra wearing a goddess headdress with cow horns. Obviously, identifying herself with the Egyptian goddess, the queen tried to strengthen her authority with her subjects. Before the Europeans, she could also appear in the form of the Roman Venus.
queen of diplomacy
Cleopatra VII was born in 69 BC. Her Ptolemaic dynasty, nominally ruling, had long been dependent on the Roman Republic. What they lacked in strength, the monarchs made up for in outward brilliance. Cleopatra herself received an excellent education and, by all accounts, behaved like a king at a very early age.
Without diplomatic skills, it was difficult to survive. In 17 years she inherited the throne - along with her 12-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII, traditionally declared her husband, and immediately faced the discontent of her subjects, the intrigues of court parties and the threat of direct Roman annexation (occupation) of Egypt.
In 48 BC in the battle of Pharsalus (Greece), Caesar defeated Pompey (Gnaeus Pompey the Great). He fled to Egypt, where he was killed by the Ptolemaic court, who feared the revenge of the victor. Soon Gaius Julius Caesar himself came here. Cleopatra had previously been expelled from Alexandria by her brother's supporters. The great commander after a difficult and dangerous war with them in 47 BC. restored the victim to the throne. Returning to Alexandria, for effect or simply fearing for her life, Cleopatra ordered that she be secretly delivered to Caesar's camp in a linen bag.
Describing this episode, Plutarch (the ancient Greek philosopher, biographer, moralist) does not say that Caesar was struck by the beauty of the queen, but "he was immediately captivated by her coquetry".
Seductress...
Cleopatra's reputation as a femme fatale developed in ancient rome after her death, when the name of the queen became a prestigious brand for cosmetics and beauty salons. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that she bewitched Mark Antony with a witch's potion. Shakespeare, using the works of Plutarch and Suetonius, tried his best to discern the queen in her. Nowadays image of Cleopatra was vividly embodied, in particular, in the film by Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor.
Of course, rolling out of the carpet at Caesar's feet, she looks - by the standards of moviegoers - extremely sexy. However, Cleopatra really hid from her enemies, and in the Roman commander she saw the only guarantor of security. In the end, the question is who seduced whom.
Let's compare the odds: she has 22 years behind her and a fictitious marriage with her younger brother; he is 53, he has a wife, a bunch of mistresses and a long experience of carnal pleasures.
Such a description hardly corresponds to the romantic version of a seasoned warrior who threw 22 year old naughty the whole kingdom. They became lovers, and soon she came to him in Rome. Certainly, Caesar defeated Cleopatra's enemies and again made her the ruler of ancient Egypt, primarily for political reasons!. Historian Suetonius Tranquill believes that the Roman dictator chose to leave her on the throne, because at that time Time of Troubles the governors of the provinces, appointed from Rome, he trusted even less.
Caesar was not in love. All Roman authors, including Suetonius, call him an inveterate red tape: he had connections with noble Roman women, as well as queens of dependent kingdoms. Suetonius adds that Cleopatra charmed the dictator with her shamelessness, however, while she lived in Rome (46-44 BC), he did not dare to make her either his wife or even an official favorite. Caesar understood that this would be too exotic for conservative fellow citizens.
But still Cleopatra gave to him what the Roman wives could not give, a son named Caesarion. According to Suetonius, the dictator dreamed of an heir and even considered a law that would allow him to circumvent existing rules. Some historians believe that if Caesar had married Cleopatra, their son would have ruled Rome in due time.
However, here she miscalculated. Caesar was killed on March 15, 44 BC. conspirators, and his will, written a few months before his death, bitterly disappointed queen of Egypt. The dictator appointed his adopted great-nephew Octavian as his successor and heir. Caesar did not dare to break the law that forbade foreigners to inherit Roman citizens. Octavian became head of state (later the first Roman emperor, Augustus), and Cleopatra returned to Alexandria.
On this ring (see right) 50-30 years. BC. Cleopatra in Egyptian regalia. Her nose and chin stand out less here than in other images. Perhaps this portrait is closer to reality?
Exit to Antonia
Three years later, Cleopatra got together with another influential Roman- Mark Antony, commander and co-ruler of Octavian. It is generally accepted that she seduced him for purely political purposes. The authors of the Augustan era write that she pushed Antony around, who did not refuse her anything. “Whatever Cleopatra ordered, everything was fulfilled, regardless of human and divine laws,” the historian Appian.
Royal face...
Cleopatra's Egyptian attire was richly decorated. The maids lined the eyes of the queen, painted her nails, palms and feet with henna, and lips with special plant extracts. The hair was hidden by a traditional Egyptian wig. On Egyptian statues, Cleopatra is distinguished from previous queens by the “triple uraeus”, i.e. images of three cobras at once on the crown. These sculptural portraits do not convey the resemblance to the original - they correspond to the traditional image of the ruler from the Ptolemaic dynasty. Although, perhaps, a short neck and large ears are the hallmarks of Cleopatra herself.
This connection began in 41 BC, when the queen was already 28 years old. Cleopatra came to Antony in Tarsus (in the south of present-day Turkey) to justify herself, since she did not support the army of the triumvirs (Antony, Octavian, Lepida), which Antony actually commanded, before the battle of Philippi (42 BC), where the triumvirs defeated the republican troops led by Brutus and Cassius, the murderers of Julius Caesar (who committed suicide after the battle).
Cleopatra arrived with great fanfare. Plutarch writes about it this way:
“She sailed up the Kydnu in a barge with a gilded stern with a loose purple sail, and silver oars beat on the water in time with the playing of flutes, pipes and harps. She reclined under a canopy embroidered with gold in the costume of Venus. Antony received, in the language of boxing, a hit "below the belt" and, apparently, was "knocked out." They became lovers and Cleopatra became pregnant again.
Antony's visit to Egypt followed, dragging on for a year. He attended games and performances, enjoyed the honor that surrounded him in Alexandrian society.
The presence of a Roman general greatly strengthened the political position of Cleopatra: obviously, she tried with all her might to keep an influential lover nearby. However, in 40 BC. Antony returned to Rome, where his wife Fulvia and brother Lucius, by their actions (the rebellion in Etruria), almost led to a break with Octavian. A reconciliation took place, and as a sign of eternal friendship, Antony married the widowed (childless marriage with Marcellus who died in 54 BC) sister of Octavian, Octavia (Fulvia had died by this time) to the horror of Cleopatra, who had just given birth to twins - Alexandra- Helios and Cleopatra-Selena.
Appian describes this collision as follows. At first Antony, like a boy, lost his head” from Cleopatra. Having enjoyed her company in Alexandria, he now spent the same winter in Athens with Octavia.
“He dined according to the Greek custom and ... attended the festivities in the company of Octavia, who gave him great pleasure. He also fell in love with her without memory, because in general he was greedy for women.
Ugly girl...
This bust is from the Depseig collection. considered a true portrait of Cleopatra. The hairstyle and tiara are the same as in her official portraits.
Especially great is the similarity with the bust of Cleopatra, discovered in 1933 by L. Curtius in the Vatican. True, his nose was beaten off, which is preserved here. Its tip is bent down, the nostrils are slightly inflated. Careful study of these details says that they are individual. On the whole, the features of the first person are softer than in other portraits, but their smoothness may be due to the relatively recent treatment with chemicals.
For two hares
Antony's family happiness did not last long. In 37 BC he returned to Cleopatra. Is this not proof of her irresistible charms? Apparently not. The queen was already well over 30. Busts and coins of that time show her strict hairstyle and stern face.
Immediately striking is the long, hooked nose of Cleopatra - not at all the same as that of Elizabeth Taylor. However, the Roman Mark Antony served for a long time in the east of the Mediterranean - apparently, this one, which had already become by the 1st century BC. he considered the usual type of female face there (very different from the northern-type Caucasoids with “classical” features that still prevailed in Italy and Greece at that time) to be attractive.
However, it is unlikely that he was returned to Egypt only love. Antony's relationship with his rival Octavian was never friendly and deteriorated more and more. Probably both understood that in one country they were getting crowded. Having abandoned his wife and brother-in-law in Rome, Anthony decided to gain a foothold in Egypt. Cleopatra's fleet was one of the strongest in the Eastern Mediterranean - this factor could be more significant than female charms.
Anthony married Cleopatra(a marriage invalid from the point of view of Roman law) and announced that he would give her and her children Libya, Syria, Cilicia, Armenia and the not yet conquered Parthia.
In Rome it bigamy sparked legitimate outrage. The divorce from Octavia, the official marriage to Cleopatra, and the announcement (at the initiative of Octavian) of the will, in which Antony asked to be buried in Alexandria, finally undermined his former popularity. Speakers denounced Antony as a rebel who had betrayed the Roman cause, rumors circulated in Italy (inflated by Octavian) that Cleopatra dreams of dominating the whole world and vows to "make laws on the Capitol." It can be said that by the time more decisive measures were taken, Octavian had already won the propaganda war.
...or a Macedonian matron
This is a possible image Cleopatra (see left) discovered on the Greek island of Delos. Susan Walker, deputy curator of the Greco-Roman Antiquities Department of the British Museum, believes that the hairstyle and shape of the nose matches other portraits of the queen. Fat folds on the neck are pronounced - the so-called "venus rings". Coins minted in Ascalon (Ashkelon) depict an 18-year-old Cleopatra with similar features, so the Delo bust may well represent her.
End of Cleopatra
In 32 BC Octavian declared war, and it was Cleopatra, since Antony, who was in alliance with her, remained a Roman citizen and retained the remnants of popularity. It was important to put the blame on the "sorceress and harlots" from Egypt.
In 31 BC the combined fleet of Antony (170 heavy ships) and Cleopatra (60 ships) was defeated by Octavian's fleet(260 light ships) at Cape Promotions in Epirus (Greece), in 30 BC. the remnants of their troops went over to the side of the enemy, and the couple committed suicide. Octavian in 27 BC, he took the title of Augustus and ruled - already as emperor - until his death at the age of 14. Under him, the myth of Cleopatra, a dissolute but seductive intriguer, who confused and bewitched the addicted Antony, was formed. Over the centuries, this story has become more and more romantic, and its heroine has turned into a fabulous beauty. In whose true face - on darkened coins and damaged statues - no one was interested anymore.
The name of Cleopatra is known to everyone - she was not only an outstanding ruler of Egypt, but also an amazing woman. More than two thousand years have passed since her death, but she is still remembered as one of the personalities who changed history.
Cleopatra was not a beauty either by the standards of Ancient Egypt or by modern standards. However, she managed to fall in love with two powerful Roman generals and completely subordinate them to her influence. She was an unusual woman and possessed an extraordinary intellect.
What else is Cleopatra remembered for?
- Cleopatra has gone down in history as the most famous ruler of Egypt. But it is worth noting that she came from the Ptolemaic dynasty, who migrated from Greece during the reign of Alexander the Great. Thus, Cleopatra, although born in Egypt, was not an Egyptian at all, but a representative of an ancient Greek dynasty.
- Who knows about other Cleopatras? No one! But the famous Egyptian queen was the seventh in a dynasty bearing the name of Cleopatra. Much is known about her father - he was the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy XII. But the identity of the mother is still a mystery. There is a version that she was the half-sister of the king himself, since relationships and marriages between brothers and sisters in this dynasty were the norm. It is absolutely certain that Cleopatra was not the legitimate child of Ptolemy XII, since he officially recognized only one daughter - Berenice IV.
- The name of Cleopatra, when she ascended the throne, sounded like this - Thea Philopator (Θέα Φιλοπάτωρ), which means "the goddess who loves her father." After she added to the title also "loving the fatherland" and became known as Fea Neotera Philopator Philopatris.
- Cleopatra had an extraordinary intellect and was (spoke in nine languages, at least). She was the only one of all the kings of her dynasty in 300 years who learned the Egyptian language. Prior to this, the Ptolemies spoke only Greek and did not bother to learn the language of the country in which they ruled and lived. In addition to Greek and Egyptian, she knew Hebrew, Ethiopian, Aramaic, Persian and even Latin.
- In addition to linguistics, she also studied mathematics, astronomy, oratory and philosophy. The queen, again the only one of all her predecessors, adopted the religion and culture of Egypt. Prior to her reign, the Ptolemies were not interested in the gods and customs of their people.
- She married her brothers, that was the law in those days. Despite her originality, Cleopatra could not rule alone, without a male co-ruler. Therefore, she had, like many of her predecessors, to marry first with one brother, and then with another. But she did not feel safe, as the brothers all the time wanted to take the throne from her. After their death, she gave birth to a son and secured a carefree future for herself, as she made the boy her co-ruler.
- The younger brother of Cleopatra and her first legal husband did not want to put up with the power of her sister. Therefore, a war broke out between them, which forced the queen to flee to Syria. Ptolemy XIII made an alliance with Caesar, but took the wrong step and killed the noble Roman Pompey. This turned the Roman commander away from his brother, and Caesar turned his attention to Cleopatra. He helped the queen overthrow her brother and regain her throne.
@thegreatcoursesplus.com - According to legend, Cleopatra snuck into Caesar's chambers wrapped in a carpet. The losing queen understood that she could change the balance of power only by personally meeting with Caesar. And she did not miscalculate - Caesar immediately became interested in her, although she was then 21 years old, and he was already 52.
- According to rumors, Cleopatra is involved in the death of her brothers and sister. The first brother Ptolemy XIII drowned in the river during his flight, very fortunate for Cleopatra. Sister Arsinoe was executed by order of the queen on the steps of a Roman temple. And the younger brother died after poisoning at the age of 14. This was in the hands of Cleopatra, who at that time gave birth to a son and could make him a co-ruler. She did not need a growing brother who could encroach on her power.
- Her arrival as Caesar's mistress in Rome was a triumph. She was hated, but imitated, the Romans began to style their hair like hers and weave pearl jewelry. She was in Rome at the time of her lover's murder and was forced to flee home to Egypt.
- Cleopatra never got lost in the crowd. Her contemporaries noted the amazing charm and charm that the queen exuded. She took very good care of herself - she took milk baths, had a scrub, masks and shampoos made from egg yolks and honey in her arsenal. Cleopatra loved incense and picked up the aromas of oils for different purposes.
@neolaia.gr - Both of her novels were scandalous, because the men were already married and had heirs in Rome. However, after Caesar, Cleopatra easily fell in love with his successor, Mark Antony. For the first impression, she dressed up as Aphrodite and arrived on a ship that looked more like the abode of the gods. She became his mistress and faithful companion, hunted with him, drank wine and arranged feasts.
- Mark Antony and Cleopatra had three children. The first to be born were twins, a girl and a boy, named Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene. In translation, their middle names mean "Sun" and "Moon".
- The love between Mark Antony and Cleopatra led to the fact that in Rome the commander was considered a traitor. Octavian defeated the forces of the lovers in sea battle which led to their flight and fall. None of Cleopatra's children survived, and Caesar's son Caesarion was executed by his half-brother Octavian.
- Mark Antony and Cleopatra, as agreed, committed suicide after the defeat. He threw himself on the sword, and she, according to assumptions, died from snake venom. Historians are still arguing how she managed to die in a locked room guarded by Octavian's warriors. It is worth noting that this is not the only mystery of her death. The tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony has not yet been found.
Cleopatra became the last queen of Egypt and a representative of the Ptolemaic dynasty. After her death, Egypt, which was ruled by the Greek kings but had freedom, became a Roman province. This amazing woman, who died at the age of 39, became a symbol of the fall of Egypt as the greatest civilization of the Ancient World.
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August 12, 30 BC e. Egyptian queen Cleopatra committed suicide inside the mausoleum in Alexandria. She was the last independent pharaoh that Ancient Egypt knew. For two decades, Cleopatra fought a relentless power struggle with her siblings, battled the future Roman emperor, and was involved in military alliances and amorous affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She is remembered as one of the most striking and charming figures of antiquity, but many facts of her life are either unknown or remain myths. You have the opportunity to learn 10 amazing facts about the legendary Queen of the Nile.
1 Cleopatra Wasn't Egyptian
Despite the fact that Cleopatra was born in Egypt, the roots of her family go back to Macedonia and Greece. She belonged to the dynasty of Ptolemy I Soter (one of the generals of Alexander the Great). Ptolemy took over the reins of Egypt after the death of Alexander in 323 BC. e. and became the founder of a dynasty of Greek-speaking rulers. The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled in Egypt for almost three centuries. Despite her origins, Cleopatra adopted many of the ancient traditions of the land she ruled and was the first of the Ptolemaic dynasty to learn the Egyptian language.
2 She Was Born By Incest
Like many rulers, members of the Ptolemaic dynasty entered into marriages within their own family in order to preserve the purity of the bloodline. More than a dozen of Cleopatra's ancestors tied the knot with their cousins, so it is possible that her father and mother were also brother and sister. In accordance with tradition, Cleopatra married two of her brothers, and each of them served as her ceremonial husband and regent during different periods of her reign.
3 Cleopatra's Beauty Wasn't Her Biggest Accomplishment
Roman propaganda made Cleopatra a depraved seductress who used her sex appeal as a political weapon. Regardless, she should have been known for her intelligence, not her looks. She spoke dozens of different foreign languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, rhetoric, and astronomy. Egyptian sources later described her as a ruler who was elevated to the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their respect. There is also evidence that Cleopatra was not as attractive as is commonly believed. Coins with her portrait depict a masculine face with a hooked nose, although some historians argue that she specifically ordered her image to be made more masculine and masculine. For his part, the ancient writer Plutarch argued that Cleopatra's beauty was not so incomparable, but this was compensated by the "caressing the ear" voice and irresistible charm, which made her so desirable.
4. She had a hand in the death of three brothers and sisters
Forceful seizure of power and murder were as much a Ptolemaic tradition as were marriages within the family, and Cleopatra and her siblings were no different. Her first husband, who was also her brother, Ptolemy XIII expelled her from Egypt when she tried to completely seize power, so the couple met already during the civil war. Cleopatra managed to win, as she made an alliance with Julius Caesar, and Ptolemy drowned in the Nile after being defeated in battle. After the war, Cleopatra married her younger brother Ptolemy XIV, but it is assumed that he was also killed when she tried to make her son her co-emperor. In 41 BC. e. she also eliminated her sister Arsinoe, whom she considered a rival in the struggle for the throne.
5. Cleopatra knew how best to present herself.
Cleopatra considered herself a living embodiment of the goddess and often played a role in front of her allies in order to win their favor and strengthen her divine status. A famous example of her talent for dramatic acting: in 48 BC. e., when Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria during her feud with her brother, knowing that Ptolemy would prevent her from meeting with the Roman commander, she wrapped herself in a carpet. Some sources say that it was a linen bag. Thus she was brought into Caesar's private quarters. The commander was blinded appearance young queen and agreed to become her ally.
Cleopatra used a similar representation a little later, in 41 BC. e., during a meeting with Mark Antony. When she was on her way to meet the Roman triumphant at Tarsus, she ordered the construction of a golden barge with purple sails and oars adorned with silver. Outwardly, she resembled the goddess Aphrodite and sat under a gilded canopy, while her servants in cupid costumes burned sweet-smelling incense. Antony, who believed himself to be the incarnation of the Greek god Dionysus, was instantly captivated.
6 Cleopatra Was Living In Rome At The Time Of Caesar's Assassination
Cleopatra joined Julius Caesar in Rome in 46 BC. e., and her presence caused quite a stir. Caesar did not hide the fact that they were lovers, she also brought their common child to the city. Many Romans were outraged when he erected a gilded statue of her in the temple of Venus Progenitor. Cleopatra was forced to flee when Caesar was assassinated in the Senate in 44 BC. e., but before that she managed to leave her mark on the city. Her exotic pearly hairstyle became a fashion trend, and according to historian Joan Fletcher, many women began to imitate Cleopatra. Their statues have even been mistaken for images of Cleopatra herself.
7. Cleopatra and Mark Antony created their own club
The legendary romance of Cleopatra and Mark Antony began in 41 BC. e. Their relationship had a political basis. Cleopatra needed Antony to protect the throne and preserve the independence of Egypt, while the commander needed access to the wealth of the country. But they also enjoyed spending time in each other's company. According to ancient sources, the winter of 41-40 years. BC e. they spent together relaxing and enjoying the riches of Egypt, and even created their own club, known as the Inimitable Liver. The club was engaged in organizing nightly feasts, and its members sometimes participated in complex games and competitions. It is said that Antony and Cleopatra's favorite pastime was to wander the streets of Alexandria in disguise and play pranks on the inhabitants of the city.
8 She Led A Fleet In A Naval Battle
Cleopatra married Mark Antony and bore him three children, but their relationship also caused a public scandal in Rome. Antony's rival Octavian used propaganda to portray the general as a traitor who fell victim to the intrigue of a seductress. As a result, in 32 BC. e. The Roman Senate declared war on Cleopatra. The conflict reached its climax the following year, during the famous Battle of Actium. Cleopatra personally led several dozen Egyptian ships, but they were not enough to fight Octavian's navy. The battle soon turned to flight, and Cleopatra and Antony were forced to hide in Egypt.
9 Cleopatra May Not Have Died From A Snake Bite
Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide in 30 BC. e., after Octavian pursued them to Alexandria. If there are no secrets with Antony's death (he killed himself with a sword), then Cleopatra's death is not so clear. The legend says that she died from the bite of an Egyptian cobra in her hand, but the ancient chronicler Plutarch reports that no one knows the truth. He says that Cleopatra may have hidden a deadly poison in one of her combs, and the historian Strabo notes that she may have used a fatal "ointment". Given this, many historians are inclined to think that she could use a pin dipped in some kind of powerful toxin, for example, snake venom.
10. The film about Cleopatra, filmed in 1963, became one of the most expensive in the history of cinema
In 1963, the film "Cleopatra" was filmed. The film's original budget went from $2 million to $44 million, with Taylor's costumes alone running at $200,000. It was the most expensive film at the time of its release and practically bankrupted the studio that made it. Given inflation, it remains one of the most expensive to date.