Curious ElfIf we ask people to name some of the most versatile Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, they are sure to have a toss-up between King Tut and Cleopatra. Honestly, that would be a clever answer because both of them have been powerful enough to be remembered that way. Yes, Cleopatra was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt and perhaps one of the most successful rulers of her time. During her reign, she made sure that Egypt saw immense prosperity and women’s empowerment. But there is so much more that makes her who she is today to all of us. Let us learn about these facts as we read.
- Cleopatra was not an egyptian
Although Cleopatra was born in Egypt, her family origins come from Macedonia, Greece. Even though Cleopatra was not an Egyptian, she was so equipped with everything that she quickly became a Pharaoh there. Cleopatra had a knack for making Egypt prosperous that seldom made people think she did not belong there. That is why people loved her there. She was also well aware of the Egyptian language, which was quite hard to understand during those times.
- Her beauty wasn’t the endgame.
Most people think that Cleopatra was only beautiful and nothing else was good about her. But this is not true. Yes, Cleopatra was attractive enough to charm everyone during those times. Men were fascinated by her beauty and charisma and dreamt of being with her. But she also possessed many other qualities that made her who she was. Among all of them, she was also quite intellectual. She was so well-witted that it was hard to fool her at all.
- Cleopatra knew nine languages
Have you ever heard of someone who knows nearly nine languages? Well, even if you have, it is a big deal. We all know how difficult it is to remember a single language and ace it properly, but Cleopatra is the intelligent woman she was, quickly learning nine languages. This also helped her to charm people from other countries and ascend their throne. Syrian, Arabic, Egyptian, Median, Parthian, and Latin were some of the main languages.
- Cleopatra and Mark Anthony had a drinking club
If you thought there weren’t enough extraordinary women during the Egyptian era, Cleopatra is here to prove you wrong. With her Roman affair, Mark Anthony, Cleopatra had decided to form a drinking club where people could enjoy in groups and indulge in wine binges. There were also nightly feasts and music to enjoy. These members also enjoyed occasional gambling and other exciting games. They also played several pranks on the residents to improve the fun of the night. No wonder we love Cleopatra.
- She was the product of incest
During those times, many dynasties had this tradition of marrying within the family. In the Ptolemaic dynasty, too, this was prevalent. As such, Cleopatra was the product of incest and also tied the knot to her brother. So, it is likely that her parents and other cousins may have also gotten married the same way.
- Cleopatra was thirsty for the throne
Cleopatra was known to use love to get power. She used her striking Beauty and intelligence to lure several kings, marry them and use this strategy to ascend the throne. Her main goal was always to get to the throne and lead Egypt to the top. That is why men kept lurking around her, and she used them to make the most of her power wherever she could. This is also the exact reason why Egypt was at the peak of its prosperity during her reign.
- Her death is still a mystery
It is believed that Cleopatra suicided in 30BC because she did not want to fall under the Octavian dynasty. But the death is still speculated. Most people suggest that she may have died of an asp bite. But many other sources claim that she could have been killed due to murder. Although several researchers have conducted experiments to find out what was true, the former is a more convincing reason. That is why people believe it even today.
The bottom line
Cleopatra was the best of her time. Even today, people use her name as an example to define prosperity, Beauty, and excellence. What do you think about it?
