Casa Buonarroti, Florence/Bridgeman Art Library, Cleopatra; drawing by Michelangelo, sixteenth century. Did Caesar really give Cleopatra the nickname "golden mouth" for her oral sex skills? Why would an Egyptian queen bear a Greek name, you ask? Coins with her portrait show her with manly features and a large, hooked nose, though some historians contend that she intentionally portrayed herself as masculine as a display of strength. In part maybe, but it was not just that. Like any good Egyptian ruler, a luxurious tomb was already waiting for her. 14 September 407 (aged c. 58) Comana in Pontus. she didnt want to be paraded around as a prisoner. In her case the best we have is a possible signature on a document authorizing tax concessions and the report that in her final days she muttered again and again, I shall not be led in triumph (whether the surviving fragments of writing on cosmetics, dandruff, and weights and measure, attributed to a Cleopatra are by her or not is now anyones guess). Even when these are reasonably well documented by ancient standards, there are always huge gaps in the evidence. It was irresistible for Augustus to demonize Cleopatra as a dangerously seductive Oriental despot, living a life of extravagance entirely at odds with the down-to-earth traditions of Rome and Italy, which he himself claimed to represent. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]). Cleopatra, (Greek: Famous in Her Father) in full Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (Cleopatra the Father-Loving Goddess), (born 70/69 bcedied August 30 bce, Alexandria), Egyptian queen, famous in history and drama as the lover of Julius Caesar and later as the wife of Mark Antony. She also possessed a mastery of politics and warfare. When she heard rumors that shed be taken to Rome, she was horrifiedshe didnt want to be paraded around as a prisoner. She became queen on the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 bce and ruled successively with her two brothers Ptolemy XIII (5147) and Ptolemy XIV (4744) and her son Ptolemy XV Caesar (4430). Cleopatra and Julius Caesar were lovers for two years, during which Cleopatra gave birth to his son, Ptolemy Caesar, who was nicknamed Caesarion, or Little Caesar. In the days between Cleopatra's death and the Roman triumvir Octavian's formal annexation of Egypt, Caesarion was officially the sole ruler of Egypt at just 16 years old. Did Caesar really give Cleopatra the nickname "golden mouth . Even the richest Ptolemaic monarchs were surely not capable of constructing that. They had another son they named Ptolemy Philadelphus. Antony and Cleopatra spent the winter of 3231 bce in Greece. John was born in 347 in Antioch, Syria. The mummy with the golden tongue was highly unusual, but it is only one of the fascinating relics that have been found in the 16 new burial shafts recently discovered by Kathleen Martinez and her Dominican-Egyptian team. The first three years of Cleopatras reign were tough. Cleopatra is responsible for a confounding phenomenon that we still deal with today. 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. Roman propaganda painted Cleopatra as a debauched temptress who used her sex appeal as a political weapon, but she may have been more renowned for her intellect than her appearance. What does it mean when you wear a bandana in your back pocket? She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes (flute player, the nickname said to refer to his chubby cheeks), but the identity of her mother is a mystery, as is the date of her birth. Noticing eight boars being cooked, he assumed that a very large party was being catered. Reportedly, she was fastidious about the way she looked and dipped into the nations treasury to maintain her grooming habits and lavish lifestyle. Archaeologists have found a 2,000-year-old mummy with a gold tongue at an ancient Egyptian site called Taposiris Magna. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Author of. Octavian (Romes first emperor, later known by the name Augustus) is said to have visited the tomb in 30 BC after he had finally defeated Cleopatra and Mark Antony, her partner and his Roman rival: in his enthusiasm to touch the mummified body, Octavian actually broke off a piece of Alexanders noseor so one Roman historian alleged. Though she got the throne at 17, she was well-educated and well-prepared to take over the reins. Cleopatra was charismatic and intelligent, and she used both qualities to further Egypt's political aims. She died in August, 30 BC, at the age of 39, alongside two of her servants. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The line had been founded by Alexanders general Ptolemy, who became King Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. A fragment of papyrus excavated from the rubbish dumps of the Egyptian town of Oxyrhynchus gives a precious glimpse of Germanicus visit. When Cleopatra sided with the Syrians, the Romans retaliated by helping her husband-brother Ptolemy XIII steal the throne from her. Cleopatra considered herself divine in accordance with the religion of the times: Egyptian rulers were both governor and god/goddess. Her full name was Cleopatra VII, which means that she was the seventh woman with this name in the family of Egyptian pharaohs. In short, Antony was a goner. Or sheer fantasy? Three years later Antony was convinced that he and Octavian could never come to terms. As a part of this, might somebody have remembered some rumor they had heard about Caesar's pet names for Cleopatra back from when she was Caesar's mistress prior to his death? News about upcoming issues, contributors, special events, online features, and more. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. All Rights Reserved. But the early Ptolemies were great builders on a much wider scale. How long can a foreign object stay in your ear? Cleopatra plucked a priceless pearl from her earrings and dropped it into the vinegar. Caesar and Cleopatra became lovers and spent the winter besieged in Alexandria. Reply . The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Egypt for 275 years and Cleopatra was the last of its rulers. 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. In 48 BCE, she wrapped herself in carpet and smuggled herself into Julius Caesar's personal quarters. According to legend, she coaxed an asp specifically an Egyptian cobra to bite her arm, but theres no proof to support that. She was even something of a feminist, giving Egyptian women rights, unlike other women of the day. February 11, 2021. Not only was Antony was declared a traitor, he was also ridiculed in Rome for going nativeadopting Egyptian customs which Rome deemed uncivilized. : AskHistorians. As the story goes, she arrived on a golden barge with purple sails and rowed by oars made of silver. Cleopatra and her son were now co-regents. 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. Once again, she prepared to take her own life, and this time, she was successful. But it is worth observing that the English historian Adrian Goldsworthy in his recent double biography Antony and Cleopatra reached precisely the opposite conclusionthat she was an unimportant sideshow in Roman power struggles that she could hardly influence, the last in the line of a once glorious but now very faded dynastyon exactly the same evidence. Did Caesar really give Cleopatra the nickname golden mouth for her oral sex skills? She likely made herself appear more masculine in looks and in manner in order to project a more powerful demeanor. Schiffs problem lies more in the nature of the project that she has set herself: namely to write the biography of an ancient character as if it were possible to tell a reasonably reliable story from cradle to grave (on the model of her earlier excellent studies of Antoine de Saint-Exupry and Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov). Just because Cleopatra and Mark Antony were the life of the party doesnt mean they didnt have their fair share of problems. One of the most expensive beauty secrets of Cleopatra was that she slept with a golden mask on her face. This was the only province of the Roman Empire to which such travel restrictions applied. 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. The pair gathered an army and waged war on her brother-husband Ptolemy XIII in 47 BCand they did not hold back. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Daughter of King Ptolemy XII Auletes, Cleopatra was destined to become the last queen of the Macedonian dynasty that ruled Egypt between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 bce and its annexation by Rome in 30 bce. What nicknames did Cleopatra have? You can share the . In the end, we should probably resist the allure of biography and stick with the Augustan myth and Horaces demented queen.. Each of the floats required hundreds of men to pull them along, partly because of the ingenious, mechanicaland presumably very heavydisplays that they carried. Cleopatra dressed up as the goddess Aphrodite and sat beneath a gilded canopy while servants dressed as cupids fanned her and burned sweet-smelling incense. Cleopatra had won, and was the ruler of Egypt, but it wasnt enough for heras the people around her would soon find out. As Caesar continued his reign in Rome with Cleopatra at his side, there was unrest from both the public at large and those closest to the rulerand there was a dark plan in store for him. Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanityfrom the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. According to his estimate, the pearls were worth 60 million sestertiiroughly $28.5 million dollars today. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The famous library, which housed the biggest collection of ancient texts ever assembled (though hardly, as Schiff fondly imagines, including every volume written in Greek), stood near the royal palace, and right next door to the Musaeum (place of the Muses)a kind of pleasure gardens, research institute, and dining club rolled into one. Antony had already left Alexandria to return to Italy, where he was forced to conclude a temporary settlement with Octavian. Cleopatra not only adopted the Egyptian religion and worshiped traditional Egyptian gods, she actually believed she was one of them. Cleopatras legacy remains as the last true Queen of Egypt. Theda Bara as Cleopatra, from the 1917 movie Cleopatra. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]). Schiffs approach to the story of Cleopatra is, in part, skeptical and businesslike. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]). His reaction was utterly heartless. 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. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users 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. Generally, she represents the History of ancient Egypt. Is it OK for a 13 year old to shave their legs? All Rights Reserved. Foreign Influence Why would an Egyptian queen bear a Greek name, you ask? document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 1963-2023 NYREV, Inc. All rights reserved. One such writer is famous playwright George Bernard Shaw, whose 1901 Caesar and Cleopatra chronicles the relationship of the two lovers. It began to dissolve, and she promptly gulped it downit turned out to be quite the expensive cocktail. 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. Julius Caesar, in particular, had an eye on Egypts wealth, needing it to support expensive Roman battles. Going along with her shenanigans, Caesar commissioned a gold statue of Cleopatra which was erected in the temple of Venus in Rome. Thats not to say she wasnt irresistible in her own way. 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