Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, was one of the most renowned figures of her time. She was a beautiful, intelligent, and charismatic personality that used her power and influence to shape the course of history. However, her appearance and looks are still a mystery to the world as there are no clear images or descriptions of her. There are no surviving images of Cleopatra that were made during her lifetime, so we can only speculate about her appearance.
Archaeologists and historians are still trying to piece together her appearance through the many coins, statues, and busts they found. The findings and guesses about Egyptian queen looks are constantly changing, but one thing is for sure, Cleopatra was a stunning woman who left a lasting impression on the world. This article will help you explore the different aspects of Cleopatra’s appearance and try to better understand what she may have looked like. So, let’s dive into it.
Who was Cleopatra?
The original name of Cleopatra was Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator. She was born in 70 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. Cleopatra was the last Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt and ruled for 21 years. She took over the throne of Egypt in 51 BC, after the death of her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes. Ptolemy gained the throne after Alexander the Great’s death and the Greek rule over Egypt.
The Queen of the Nile is known for her influence on Roman politics and her love affair with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She met Caesar in Alexandria in 48 BC, after he had conquered Egypt. They became lovers and had a son together, Caesarion. He settled Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIV on the throne. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, the Queen returned to Egypt.
Three years later, she met Mark Antony in Tarsus, a city in modern-day Turkey. They became lovers and had three children together. Cleopatra accompanied Antony on his military campaigns in the East and even helped him fight against Julius Caesar’s hire Octavian.
The relationship between Cleopatra and Antony is one of the most famous love stories of all time. However, it came to an end when both of them died in 30 BC. Cleopatra killed herself with a poisonous snake bite, while Antony committed suicide after hearing the news of Cleopatra’s death. This event marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Egyptian monarchy.
Cleopatra was a skilled diplomat and used her charm and wit to great effect to get what she wanted. She was also an excellent military strategist and led her armies to victory on many occasions.
How is Cleopatra Portrayed?
Cleopatra has been portrayed in many ways by historians and writers over the years. She is shown as a beautiful and seductive queen, a skilled politician and diplomat, and a brave and bold military leader. The image of the ancient Queen that we see today is largely based on her portrayal in Roman sources, as there are no surviving images or descriptions of her from Egyptian sources. In Egyptian carvings, the ancient Queen is depicted as a beautiful and powerful goddess, but there are no specific details about her appearance.
Several documents are found of Cleopatra’s father, Ptolemy XII, but there is no clue of her mother. It makes it hard for historians to predict what she looked like. However, we can get some idea about her appearance from coins, statues, and busts that have been found.
What was Cleopatra’s Nationality?
The ancient Queen was of Greek descent and was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, founded by Ptolemy I Soter, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. The Ptolemies ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years and were of Greek and Macedonian origin. Cleopatra was not Egyptian by origin, but she was fluent in Egyptian, Greek, and Latin.
It was customary in her family not to marry someone of another race or ethnicity, and Cleopatra followed this tradition. According to some historians, Cleopatra also married her brother Ptolemy XIII to rule Egypt solely.
What was The Size of Cleopatra?
There are no specific records of Cleopatra’s height, but we can get an idea about her stature from the many statues and busts that have been found of her. Several speculations about her height have been made over the years, but no one knows which speculation is accurate.
In the movie Cleopatra (1964), the Queen is depicted as tall and slender with long, flowing hair. However, some historians believe she was short and stocky, with a hooked nose and large eyes. According to Plutarch, an ancient Greek historian, Cleopatra was small in stature and ill-favoured in aspect.
How was the Hair of Cleopatra?
There is no specific information about Cleopatra’s hair, but we can get an idea about it from many coins and statues found with her depiction. She likely had dark hair, as most Egyptians did. Cleopatra’s sister Arsinoe is often depicted with curly hair, so Cleopatra might also had curly hair.
One of her ancient statues shows that she had red hair. In Cleopatra (1963), the Queen is portrayed with long, flowing hair. It is unknown whether Cleopatra had long hair or if this was just a Hollywood portrayal.
Depiction of Cleopatra by Romans Historians
Most Roman historians describe Cleopatra as an irresistible charm with great beauty. They believe that the depiction of Cleopatra and Mark Antony on the coins minted in Egypt showed the accurate physical appearance of both. Historians also found the coins with depictions of her father, Ptolemy XII. The depictions show that the father and daughter had very similar facial features.
The ancient Roman historian Cassius Dio depicted Cleopatra as an attractive woman with a pleasing voice and manner. He also described her as a charming queen who was very intelligent. According to Cassius Dio, The Queen of Nile can subjugate anyone with her beguiling talk. That’s the reason Julius Caesar fell in love with her.
The ancient Roman biographer Plutarch also wrote about the Queen of the Nile in his book Lives. He described Cleopatra as a charming woman who was very beautiful and had an irresistible wit. However, he believed that Cleopatra’s beauty was not altogether incomparable. According to Plutarch, the most important thing about Cleopatra is her conversation skills. He wrote that she could charm anyone with her wit and intelligence. Moreover, he said that Cleopatra had a sweetness in her voice that was very captivating.
Dislikeness of Romans Towards Cleopatra
Despite her attractiveness and beauty, the Romans didn’t like Cleopatra because she was not from their culture. They considered her a foreigner who was trying to destroy their way of life. The Romans also believed Cleopatra was a powerful woman capable of seducing their leaders. In their eyes, Cleopatra was a dangerous and manipulative queen who was not to be trusted.
The hate and dislikeness were obvious in the way several Roman historians and poets depicted Cleopatra in their writings and artwork. Horace considered the last Egyptian Pharaoh a crazy woman who planned to ruin the Roman empire. This depiction of Cleopatra as a scheming and dangerous woman was a distraction from her real accomplishments as a skilled politician and diplomat. It might be because the Romans couldn’t take a woman with power and leadership qualities.
Several modern historians also believe that the Egyptian Queen was a seductress. However, it might be a misperception spread by Octavian to justify his actions against her. By making Queen Cleopatra look like a slut, Roman Emperor Octavian could gain the Romans’ support against Mark Antony. In this way, Octavian could present himself as a saviour of Rome from the seductive and dangerous Queen.
Depiction of Cleopatra by Egyptians
In ancient Egypt, Pharaohs were considered the embodiment of gods or goddesses. They were also considered the intermediary between humans and gods. The Egyptians believed that Pharaohs had divine power and were responsible for their well-being. This concept of divine power kept citizens from overthrowing their rulers.
Like other Pharaohs, Cleopatra was also considered a goddess. She was worshipped as the reincarnation of the goddess Isis. The Egyptians believed that Cleopatra was an incarnation of the goddess Isis. They also believed that she had the power to cure diseases and bring fertility.
The Egyptians were very proud of their Queen and considered her a symbol of Egyptian culture and civilization. Cleopatra was the only Pharaoh who could speak the Egyptian language. It made her very popular among the Egyptian people.
Queen Cleopatra saved her people from war and famine. With her ability to speak different languages, she also helped to improve trade relations with other countries. It also helped to bring prosperity to Egypt. Under the rule of Cleopatra, Egypt became a powerful and prosperous country.
Cleopatra took the role of Isis very seriously and worked hard to protect the Egyptian people. She often wore the sacred robes of Isis and took part in the religious ceremonies of the goddess. The Queen of Egypt, her father, and her son were quite serious about religion. Their focus on temples and religious ceremonies build up the strength of the Egyptian civilization. It made them very popular among the people of Egypt.
Though no one knew how real Cleopatra looked, she was depicted in various ways. Some described her as an olive-skinned lady with dark hair. But most historians and writers described her as a beautiful woman with golden skin, blue eyes, and curly hair.
The variation in the depiction of Cleopatra might be due to the fact that the Queen was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. It made it difficult for people to describe her in words. Painters and sculptors also found it difficult to capture her beauty in their artworks as they have not seen or read about the features of Cleopatra. Their art often depends on the descriptions given by other people. It might also be because Cleopatra was a very complex person. She was not only beautiful but also very smart and intelligent.
Depiction of Cleopatra in Films
Cleopatra has been depicted in various ways in films. In some movies, she is shown as a beautiful and seductive woman who uses her beauty to achieve her goals. Over 100 years, her character has been depicted in over 40 films. Cleopatra has been portrayed by some of the most famous actresses in the world, including Theda Bara, Claudette Colbert, Vivien Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor, and Angelina Jolie.
First Film on Cleopatra
The first movie about Cléopatre was made in 1899. It was a silent film created by George Méliès. It was a two–minute movie in which Cleopatra was shown to be very beautiful and seductive. After the silent film, Cleopatra was shown in a long dress with a spiky crown. George Méliès also introduced some effects in the film to make it more interesting.
A film by Theda Bara
Another movie was created in 1917 in which Theda Bara played the role of Cleopatra. This film was very popular and was one of the highest-grossing films of that time. In this film, Cleopatra wears an elaborate dress. She is also shown to wear the typical crown of Pharaohs.
Caesar and Cleopatra
This movie was based on the romantic life of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. It was written by Geoge Bernard Shaw and released in 1945, and it was one of the most expensive movies of that time. Vivien Leigh played the role of Cleopatra in this movie. This film shows the love story between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. However, it does not show much about her political life.
In this movie, Cleopatra wears a scaled wig and a falcon-like headdress. She is also shown to apply an extended eyeliner, which was common among ancient Egyptian women.
Cleopatra
It is a 1963 American epic historical film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison, Richard Burton, and many more. This movie is about Cleopatra’s struggle to keep Egypt independent from the Roman Empire.
Cleopatra is shown to be a powerful ruler who can lead her people to victory in this film. Elizabeth Taylor wore several elaborate dresses and headdresses in this movie. She also applied heavy makeup to look like an ancient Egyptian queen. In this movie, the Egyptian Queen is shown to have black braid hair. Elizabeth Taylor won the Academy Award for Best Actress for portraying Cleopatra in this film.
Conclusion
Cleopatra undoubtedly was one of the most famous and powerful rulers in ancient Egypt. She was also considered to be the world’s most beautiful woman. Over the years, she has been depicted in various ways in films. Some of the world’s most famous actresses have played Cleopatra’s role in movies. These films show the different sides of Cleopatra’s life. They have also helped to increase our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture.
However, with all the depictions and speculations of the Egyptian Queen, the real Cleopatra is still an unsolved puzzle. Historians and archaeologists are still trying to piece together the true story of this amazing woman.
FAQs
Do we know what Cleopatra really looked like?
No one knows for sure what Cleopatra looks like. We only have theories based on statues, coins, and paintings that were made of her. Some historians say she was fair-skinned with long, curly hair. Others believe she was dark-skinned with braided hair. In contrast, some believe that Cleopatra was a black woman.
Was Queen Cleopatra white or black?
The skin tone of Cleopatra is an unsolved puzzle. Many experts have argued about it for years. Some say she was fair-skinned, while others believe she had a darker complexion. There is no clear evidence to support either claim about her complexion. The reason is that the depiction of her mother is not known.
What did ancient Cleopatra look like?
According to the coins and statues made of her, Cleopatra was a beautiful woman with long curly hair. She was also depicted as a queen with a hooked nose. Some historians also claim that she had a jutting chin. As far as her stature is concerned, most historians believed she had an average height. Some historians also claim that she was not tall as described. However, we cannot be sure if these depictions are accurate.
How was Cleopatra described?
Cleopatra was described as a beautiful and intelligent woman. She was also said to be very persuasive. According to Roman historians, Cleopatra was a cunning woman who used her beauty to get what she wanted. They believed that she was capable of seducing any man she wanted. Plutarch, a Greek historian, wrote that Cleopatra was a woman of surpassing beauty with a brain to match her looks.
According to Egyptian records, Cleopatra was a kind and generous ruler. She was also said to be a great speaker. Her people loved and respected her. In Egyptian records, she was described as a goddess that controls fate.