5 Facts About Cleopatra You Might Not Know

 

 

When you think about ancient history and its queens, one of the most iconic and first to mind is almost always Cleopatra. Exotic with beads in her hair, thick black eyeliner, and a beauty unrivaled throughout time, Cleopatra is famous in movies, books, and even a Halloween costume. While you might think you know everything there is about the legendary last queen of the Macedonian dynasty, there may be some interesting facts about her that you don't know. Let's look at some fascinating, underreported morsels about Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.

She May Not Have Been (That) Beautiful

When most of us think of Cleopatra, we picture the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor in thick kohl eyeliner, gold huggie earrings, and adorned with a stunning headdress. While she may have genuinely been dressed to the nines for her time, there is evidence that she may not have been as gorgeous as we believe her to be. In February of 2007, a coin was discovered which had the face of Cleopatra on it, and she was rather plain-looking. Historians rarely talk about her beauty, making it seem even more likely she wasn't as stunning as the actresses who have portrayed her. She was, however, brilliantly clever, which we all know to be much more important. Confidence, cunning, and intelligence made Cleopatra irresistible to men, not so much her looks.

Cleopatra Smelled Amazing

There's no doubt that Cleopatra must have smelled amazing since she owned a perfume factory. She had an avid interest in alchemy and firmly believed that the sense of scent was not only important as a cosmetic but also in persuasion. Cleopatra would even go so far as to put perfume on the sails of her ships on the way to visit Mark Antony so he would smell her before he even laid eyes on her. She owned a perfume factory, and its ruins are still near the Dead Sea near Ein Gedi. There is historical evidence that it wasn't just a factory but somewhat of a day spa.

Was She Isis?

Well accomplished in the power of persuasion, she convinced her people that she was the reincarnation of the goddess Isis. She told her people that she was the "New Isis," They believed that a god was walking among them. However, Cleopatra was known to portray whichever goddess suited her fancy. For example, when she went to visit Mark Antony, she played the role of the goddess Venus, going as far as to have young boys dressed up as Cupid waiting on her.

Cleopatra Was Not Egyptian

True history buffs may already know this, but Cleopatra was not Egyptian; she was part of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, a descendant of Alexander The Great. This would make Cleopatra Greek. Greece ruled Egypt for 300 years after it was given to Ptolemy 1 after Alexander The Great died in 323 B.C. For 300 years, they spoke Greek and followed Greek customs. However, one thing that sets Cleopatra apart is that she learned the Egyptian language. Not only could she speak their language, she learned to speak the language of her neighbors, including the Arabs, Syrians, Jews, and others.

Her Eye Makeup Wasn't Just For Looks.

The legendary eye makeup associated with Cleopatra wasn't just to make her appear more beautiful; it was to ward off eye infections. While common conditions killed more people in ancient times than they do today, eye infections were widespread in ancient Egypt. When the famous Nile river floods, it stirs up a host of nastiness that could easily cause infections. The lead-based makeup that Cleopatra is so renowned for, while detrimental, did a great job killing toxic bacteria that the eyes came in contact with. While the ordinary Egyptian may have considered this a magical effect, the queen was intelligent. She knew alchemy, so she likely understood how her elaborate eye makeup helped her.

Few rulers of Egypt are as famous as Cleopatra, perhaps only King Tut - and while most of what we learn about her is true, these fun and little-known facts are great fodder for dinner party discussion or even lively debates. After all, it's not every day you get some juicy gossip about a celebrity you thought you knew everything about.