Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth

by Susan Walker, Peter Higgs

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Book Description

Fabled for her sexual allure and cunning intelligence, Cleopatra VII of Egypt has fascinated generations of admirers and detractors since her tumultuous life ended in suicide in 30 B.C. The last of the Ptolemaic monarchs who had ruled Egypt for three centuries, Cleopatra created her own mythology. She became an icon in her own lifetime and a legend after her death.

This lavishly illustrated catalogue coincides with a major international exhibition celebrating images of Cleopatra. It explores how she was depicted during her own era, in works ranging from coins to life-size sculpture. Exciting new discoveries are featured including seven Egyptian-style statues believed to represent Cleopatra, and two portraits probably commissioned while she was living in Rome with Julius Caesar. The book also examines interpretations of Cleopatra from the Renaissance to modern times, as seen in paintings, ceramics, jewelry, plays, operas, and film. In addition, recent archaeological finds from Alexandria (Cleopatra's capital) and from Rome illustrate aspects of life in Cleopatra's day.

Index of lenders

Foreward by the Director
Preface
Maps
The Ptolemies and Alexandria

Sins of the father: the inheritance of Cleopatra, last queen of Egypt
Alexandria

Cleopatra, Lady of the Two Lands

Cleopatra's subtle religious strategy by Guy Weill Goudchaux
Cleopatra's images: reflections of reality by Susan Walker
Identifying the Egyptian-style Ptolemaic queens by Sally-Ann Ashton

Cleopatra and the Power of Rome

'Spoiling the Egyptians': Octavian and Cleopatra by J.H.C. Williams
Searching for Cloepatra's image: classical portaits in stone by Peter Higgs
Was Cleopatra beautiful? The conflicts answers of numismatics by Guy Weill Goudchaux

Egypt in Rome / The Myth of Cleopatra
Egyptian influences in Italy by Carla Alfano
Anything truth can do, we can do better: the Cleopatra legend by Christopher Pelling
The myth of Cleopatra since the Renaissance by Mary Hamer

Chronology
Glossary
Bibliography
List of authors
Concordance
Photographic acknowledgements
Index

Reviews

Cleopatra Comes To Life Again, After 2000 Years, October 11, 2005
Reviewer: G.Reed (Somewhere in Utah...)
This book, I would say, is the best book I have read, (and that's a lot) on the Ptolemaic Period and Egypt's last and fateful Macedonian Queen, who died for her ambition, and desire to restore her country as major power. She was brave enough to challenge the enslaving and powerful force of Rome, and dreamed of an independant Egyptian Empire. But her attempt to achieve her goal cost her her life, and her country.

After her death, the Romans destroyed most representations of her. They overlooked, however, the many exquisite Egyptian-style statues of the queen, however, and instead destroyed what would have been the many classical depictions of her, which are lost to the Romans wrath. But fortunately, the Egyptian art survived the centuries, and with these gorgeous and mysterious representations of the living goddess herself, Susan Walker, with the help of the British Museum, has pieced together an accurate and enthralling portrait of her eventful life.

The sections, on subjects such as Alexandria, The Ptolemies, and Cleopatra and Rome, this book contains dozens of well-written and powerful essays on the monarch's life and relationship, and also Egypt at the time. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of full color images of Egyptian style artwork depicting the queen, and also many statues of the people that influenced her life such as her lovers Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her nemesis, the enigma Octavian, later to be Augustus, the first emperor of Rome.

I recommend very strongly this book to anyone at all interested in Egyptian, Greek, or Roman history, and art. An unearthly account of the last years of Egyptian power.

Great resource for Cleopatra, October 18, 2002
Reviewer: Scott Chamberlain "Historian and archaeologist" (Minneapolis, MN United States)
If pressed, I'd almost say that this is the single best book on Cleopatra. Granted, there are critical biographies, historical accounts, and all sorts of other sources, but this massive book is unique in that it shows nearly every sculpture, coin, or papyrus that can be tied directly to Egypt's last independent ruler. Its fascinating to finally see how Cleopatra presented herself to her subjects -- in traditional Egyptian style for the local population, in Greek style to the Greco-Roman world at large. It's also sobering to see how little remains of her reign. The Romans went after her Greek-style statues, but since they didn't understand Egyptian art, many works of art in that style survive. Besides the impressive visuals, the book includes important essays on many different parts of Cleopatra's reign, life in Alexandria, and the legends that have swirled around Cleopatra after her death. A good comprehensive look at this famous queen, scholarly and readable. But boy, those visuals...!