CLIENT:
Cleopatra VII Philopator (c.69 BC - 30 BC)
Life
- Cleopatra was an ancient Egyptian queen (wealthy).
- Love affairs with Roman leaders (warlords): Julius Caesar, Mark Antony.
- Caesar assassinated.
- Cleopatra and Antony went into battle against Octavian's army, lost.
- With Cleopatra believed dead, Antony stabbed himself and died in her arms - in a tomb where she kept her treasures hidden.
- Cleopatra planned her suicide, supposedly from a snake bite, thus poisoned to death.
- Cleopatra and Antony buried together.
- Famous account of death famously attributed to a planned suicide by an Egyptian cobra.
Physical description
- Macedonian/Greek decent.
- Styled herself as the goddess Isis, a 'mother' goddess..
- Facial profile - 'alive' - known to be rather beautiful.
- Possibly quite small build, and light in weight.
- Facial features ‘strongly moulded… general effect given is that of smallness and delicacy’ (Weigall 2013, p. 19)
Character
- Charming and charismatic
- Graceful
- Persuasive/seductive
- Proud, has been described as vain (considering she was a Queen)
- Spontaneous
- Youthful, vivacious, full of life
- Contrast; ‘Her untutored heart leapt from mirth to sorrow, from comedy to tragedy, with unexpected ease; and with her small hands she tossed about her the fabric of her complex circumstances like a mantle of light and darkness.’ (Weigall 2013, p. 20)
- Can be serious; described as having a thoughtful/quiet demeanour. At the same time, lighthearted, joyful, adventurous, good sense of humour, active. — ‘To use a popular phrase, she was always “game” for an adventure’ (Weigall 2013, p. 23).
- Gifted, quick-minded, wit.
- Tenacious
- Dion Cassius: ‘no wealth could satisfy her, and her passions were insatiable’ (Weigall 2013, p. 21)
- Fond of her children/maternal/motherly/dutiful
- Passionate and intense.
- Refined/cultured
- Articulate
Brave and ambitious.
Believed to be considerably moral.
Beliefs
- Pagan; divinity/royalty — believed in the heavens.
- Believed in astrology
- Animal cults such as the sacred Buchis bull (the god Montu).
- Attended traditional and religious ceremonies
- Ancient Egyptian traditions/culture.
Interests/other
- Knew many languages.
- Literate and supported the arts; ‘recorded that she made Antony present to the city of Alexandria the library which once belonged to Pergamum, consisting of 200,000 volumes’ (Weigall 2013, p. 22).
- Artistic (adopted/generational)
- Also a patron of sciences - friends with mathematicians, astronomers, physicians.
- Had royal tutors (primarily her Librarian), musician
- Advisors
Family
- When her father passed, she assumedly married and shared co-regency with her brother, but became the more influential ruler.
- Fled Egypt to Syria, returned with an army to battle her brother.
- Bore a son with Caesar - eventually making the son a co-regent.
- Bore two sons and one girl with Antony. Political/romantic relations. Elopement was not recognised under Roman law - Antony was still officially married to Octavia (sister of Octavian, Roman emperor).
General
- Wealthy, stylish, woman, power, secret rooms for treasures, cosmetics, closets, plans for war, passionate, intelligent, sibling rivalries, well-travelled, dramatic.
References
Breau, A. 2012, Why did Cleopatra wear makeup, Indiana Public Media, viewed 17 October 2018, <https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/cleopatra-wear-makeup/>.
British Broadcasting Corporation 2014, Cleopatra (c.69 BC - 30 BC), London, viewed 16 October 2018, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cleopatra.shtml>.
Helden, A.V. 2014, Cleopatra, Encyclopaedia Britannica, viewed 16 October 2018, <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt>.
Roller, D. 2010, Cleopatra: a biography, Oxford University Press, New York.
Weigall, A. 2013, The life and times of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt: a study in the origin of the Roman Empire, Routledge, New York.
