Cleo Notes
The Cleopatra of legend is portrayed as spoiled, pampered, sexually insatiable.
In reality (according to Egyptian sources) she was concerned about Egypt and was a serious ruler. (Evidence of this is a series of decrees found in Egypt).
During her first years the Nile didn’t flood and there was a lack of corm – hunger was an issue in the cities
According to Egyptian sources she sent out an edict saying that no corn was to be sent south but directed north to Alexandria
This is evidence of her concern to feed her people in the cities.
The legend of Cleopatra is a results of the Greek and roman propaganda
Her enemies created the fiction of her as a wicked temptress, seducer of men
In reality she was an energetic, daring leader- a visionary who had no intention of sharing power
There had been powerful women before Cleopatra in the Ptolemaic dynasty
However, no other female had dared to claim the throne on their own
One of her strategies was seduction but she also used grand theatre and ostentatious display (Tryphe)
As part of her propaganda she used massive monuments e.g the temple at Dendera she made a bold statement to the Egyptian people depicting herself and Caesarion as Isis and her son Horus. Isis’ dead husband was Osiris
Isis was the mother figure of Egypt, representing fertility and idea of being the protector of Egypt.
Roman propaganda depicts her as a harlot but they never prove their claim
The romans viewed the Egyptians as pathetically decadent,