World History
I have heard or read this question asked many times. Was Cleopatra ugly? Joan Smith of the Hamilton Spectator writes about this in A myth that proves men prefer beauty to brains.
She wrote, "Even Sarah Bernhardt, gamely playing Cleopatra on stage into her 70s, was more likely exposing her own self-delusions than acknowledging that this great figure from history was no raving beauty, as archaeologists from Newcastle University have just pointed out. This week, they put on show a silver denarius, pictured above, coined in Mark Antony's own mint to mark his victories in 32 BC, which could hardly be less flattering to the celebrated queen."
After comparing popular culture images of Cleopatra to history, Smith continued, "Anyway, it's clear that whoever wrote this week's excited headlines about the Newcastle denarius -- brought to Britain, presumably, by a Roman soldier -- was unaware of other coins bearing Cleopatra's image, of which there is at least one in the British Museum. That coin gives the queen equally masculine features, including heavy brows, a sharp chin and a beaky nose."
Smith and others writing on this topic are making a simple mistake on Cleopatra. They are using 20th and 21st century notions of beauty and applying them to the world of 2100 years ago. Has not what is beautiful for a woman changed over time and varied by culture? Was it possible that Cleopatra was indeed beautiful by the standards of her age or her culture?
Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar were very powerful men in the late stages of the Roman Republic. They both had access to many women both slave and free. Would both have become determined lovers of Cleopatra if she had been ugly? Maybe she was rich and powerful but I do not think that that alone would have snared both Roman men. She must have been beautiful for her time or I doubt either man would have spent so much time with her.
- Sheroes Central
Sheroes Central. This site was founded by authors Tamora Pierce and Meg Cabot. It is dedicated to female heroes past and present.The index page lists fun facts, has links to other sites, and ultimately leads to an active online community centered on...
- Loot, Plunder, And A New Public Library
Libraries, like most educational institutions, often have to engage in fund raising to raise money to either continue operations or to enhance services. This development work may take many forms. However, how about the raid and plunder approach? Bobinski...
- Eyewitness To History
EyeWitness to History. This site has profiles of historical characters and events, from ancient times to today, told with the images and words of those who lived it. The site notes that it is, "Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to...
- Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome - A collection of photographs of the city of Rome which includes most major monuments, and a virtual tour of the Roman Forum by Sion McElveen. Nothing too exiciting here but this site is worth a visit. Many of the pictures have some text...
- Reading For Winter Break
Here are two terrific books, one about Cleopatra from the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Stacy Schiff, and the other about the development of nationalism, called Imagined Communities, by the recently deceased...
World History
Was Cleopatra Ugly?
I have heard or read this question asked many times. Was Cleopatra ugly? Joan Smith of the Hamilton Spectator writes about this in A myth that proves men prefer beauty to brains.She wrote, "Even Sarah Bernhardt, gamely playing Cleopatra on stage into her 70s, was more likely exposing her own self-delusions than acknowledging that this great figure from history was no raving beauty, as archaeologists from Newcastle University have just pointed out. This week, they put on show a silver denarius, pictured above, coined in Mark Antony's own mint to mark his victories in 32 BC, which could hardly be less flattering to the celebrated queen."
After comparing popular culture images of Cleopatra to history, Smith continued, "Anyway, it's clear that whoever wrote this week's excited headlines about the Newcastle denarius -- brought to Britain, presumably, by a Roman soldier -- was unaware of other coins bearing Cleopatra's image, of which there is at least one in the British Museum. That coin gives the queen equally masculine features, including heavy brows, a sharp chin and a beaky nose."
Smith and others writing on this topic are making a simple mistake on Cleopatra. They are using 20th and 21st century notions of beauty and applying them to the world of 2100 years ago. Has not what is beautiful for a woman changed over time and varied by culture? Was it possible that Cleopatra was indeed beautiful by the standards of her age or her culture?
Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar were very powerful men in the late stages of the Roman Republic. They both had access to many women both slave and free. Would both have become determined lovers of Cleopatra if she had been ugly? Maybe she was rich and powerful but I do not think that that alone would have snared both Roman men. She must have been beautiful for her time or I doubt either man would have spent so much time with her.
- Sheroes Central
Sheroes Central. This site was founded by authors Tamora Pierce and Meg Cabot. It is dedicated to female heroes past and present.The index page lists fun facts, has links to other sites, and ultimately leads to an active online community centered on...
- Loot, Plunder, And A New Public Library
Libraries, like most educational institutions, often have to engage in fund raising to raise money to either continue operations or to enhance services. This development work may take many forms. However, how about the raid and plunder approach? Bobinski...
- Eyewitness To History
EyeWitness to History. This site has profiles of historical characters and events, from ancient times to today, told with the images and words of those who lived it. The site notes that it is, "Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to...
- Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome - A collection of photographs of the city of Rome which includes most major monuments, and a virtual tour of the Roman Forum by Sion McElveen. Nothing too exiciting here but this site is worth a visit. Many of the pictures have some text...
- Reading For Winter Break
Here are two terrific books, one about Cleopatra from the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Stacy Schiff, and the other about the development of nationalism, called Imagined Communities, by the recently deceased...