All we have for certain are a few coins which show a woman with a prominent nose and sharp chin. I saw a museum show about Cleopatra several years ago and they had a couple of busts which may, or may not, have been her. Octavian (later known as the Emperor Augustus) and his publicists probably manipulated her image to enhance his own as her conqueror. But the real Cleopatra is obscured by myth and legend. To male-dominated, republican Rome, she’s a mystery and a threat to their very way of life. If you read the classical writers, she’s all that is anti-Roman in the world: a woman, a queen, an Eastern ruler who worships strange animal gods. All agree on some central tenants: she was physically beautiful was profligately sensual, using sex, food, drink and other delights of the senses to ensnare her victims and she was highly ambitious.Ī tetradrachm of Cleopatra VII, Ascalon mint The subject of plays, books, movies, art all with the same theme: beautiful woman seduces the most powerful men of the age, gets her comeuppance by falling passionately in love, betrays her lover in his hour of need and commits suicide by snakebite. Cleopatra is one.Ĭleopatra VII, the last Macedonian Greek Ptolemy to rule Egypt, is one of those historical characters that everyone thinks they know because she is so enmeshed in popular culture. Occasionally, I’ll run across a woman I thought I knew, and find out I’m wrong. I like introducing readers to new characters and broadening the scope of history. I like to read and write about them because they are little known.

Most of my favorites are little known women who ruled countries, commanded armies and navies, dealt astutely with ruling male neighbors and made a difference in their people’s lives. I’ve read about Boudica, Queen of the Iceni Amanirenas, the one-eyed warrior queen of Kush and Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra all of whom defeated Roman armies, only to succumb later to that massive military machine. I’ve written about Hypatia, the Lady Philosopher of Alexandria Empress Galla Placidia and her niece Pulcheria who both ruled Rome in its waning days. I have a soft spot for strong women in history.

Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff