Sources

• Coin of Ptolemy Auletes


  shows Cleopatra may have not been as beautiful as some people described
• Coin of Cleopatra


  hooked nose and braided hair in bun shows Hellenistic style - realism to her portrait - designed to show her power not beauty - shows how she wanted to be presented
• Silver denarius of Antony and Cleopatra minted in 32 BC


  shows off powerful political relationship - Cleo gets title ‘Queen of Kings’
• Relief portraits of Cleopatra and Caesarion from Dendera

  Cleopatra displayed the role of being a mother very important
• Plutarch - the life of Caesar
• ‘Caesar turned away in horror when Theodotus showed him Pompey’s head’ - Plutarch Life of Caesar 


  shows Caesar upset about the death of Pompey, his friends and former son-in-law - beginning of Caesar not liking Ptolemy XIII
• ‘it is said that becuase of this plan of Cleopatra’s, Caesar was first charmed by her and afterwards he liker her more becuase of her sweet conversation and pleasant entertainment’ - Plutarch Life of Caesar

  charm is what allowed her to begin her reign of power, she uses charm to her advantage to get the Roman solider that would change the history of Egypt
• Suetonius, The divine Julius
• ‘He even made love to queens … But he especially loved Cleopatra' - Suetonius, The divine Julius


  emphasises that he was captured by her charm and beauty, unlikely that physical attraction was the only reason he support Cleo but it was a factor
• Cassius Dio, Roman History
• ‘Cleopatra was to hold all the power alone, since her husband was still a boy’ - Cassius Dio, Roman History


  relationship between Cleo and Ptolemy XIV - Cleopatra was close to being her own independent ruler
• Plutarch - Life of Mark Antony
• ‘her beauty, so we are told, was not itself outstanding; it did not immediately strike those her saw her; yet being with her was an inescapable hold’ - Plutarch - Life of Mark Antony


  shows her charm, even if she wasnt as beautiful as we are told to believe she managed to make people fall for her due to her charm
• ‘could be turned to whatever language she wished, so that in conversations with barbarians, she rarely spoke through an interpreter’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony


  knew 8-9 languages hinting that she had a high education and was intelligent
• ‘When she came, he welcomed her with gifts which were neither small nor few, but were the kingdoms of Phoenicia, Coele Syria Cyprus, and a large part of Cilicia;’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony


  expansion of Egyptian territory, gave additional resource to Egypt (timber) + trading ports — Antony gave over lands that had not been conquered yet, Cleo knew this but public recognition of addition to Egypt control would have pleased citizens and strengthened Cleo’s reputations as ruler
• ‘cunning and cleverness in conversation’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony

  she used charm on everyone / it was a natural thing for her as this is what a messenger used to describe her, shown that it was overwhelming - Alexandria education could have helped her to be eloquent, intelligent with wit and captivating charm
• ‘It would be pointless to list all the many childish games he got up to at that time’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony


  shows Antony’s immaturity however we see that Cleopatra joins in with some / many of these games showing that she has a sense of humour as well
• ‘admired her noble spirit’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony


  Octavian’s thoughts towards Cleo, important for Octavian to have Cleo represented as a worthy enemy to magnify his victory however we can also see how she was an important figure to get ride of
• ‘She herself lay back beneath a canopy embroidered with gold, dressed to look like Aphrodite’ - Plutarch Life of Mark Antony


  shows off her power - Aphrodite goddess of Love - trying to seduce Mark Antony from the start
• Horace Odes
• ‘she did not, like most women, fear the sword,’ - Horace Odes


  shows her courage until death, she was not afraid to die