Who Was Cleopatra

Whether Cleopatra was her actual name? First of all, her name was not Cleopatra. Like a male ruler in Egypt was called Pharaoh, Caesar in Rome and Czar in Russia, the female ruler in Egypt at that time was called Cleopatra.

The real name of this queen globally famed in history by the name of Cleopatra was Cleopatra, VII, Philopater. She was born in the Ptolmey dynasty around 69 years before Jesus Christ.

Whether Cleopatra was an Egyptian or the Roman?

The forefathers of Cleopatra had come from Greece to Egypt for rule centuries ago. But her dynasty got permanently settled in Egypt for 300 years. Therefore in historic perspective, you may call Cleopatra family not Egyptian. Can you justify the title ''migrant'' against the name of a dynasty that was settled in Egypt over 300 years? No. So Cleopatra was also an Egyptian with Greek genes and the first of her family who learnt the Egyptian language.

Whether she was an illegitimate child?

It is quite correct within the meaning of the present era.
The old Egypt had a tradition of marrying brother and sister to keep the lineage pure. Like other royal dynasties, the Ptolemaic dynasty had been pursuing the same tradition over the centuries.

The same opinion had been held about the parents of Cleopatra by the historians. That they too, perhaps, were real brother and sister. Same way Cleopatra married her two brothers in turn. She also had children from that wedlocks. She became Queen Cleopatra at 18 when her brother was 13.
Don't forget that the male rulers of the Ptolemy dynasty were also called Pharoah.

Whether Cleopatra was as beautiful as narrated in history?

The history had endorsed the fact that Cleopatra was not that beautiful. A glimpse of it is available on the coins that bear her image.

The image clearly showed her pointed nose and masculine features.
However, some historians admit Cleopatra's beauty who had intentionally got her masculine image on the coins to assert her prowess. She may be as beautiful in reality as she is famed for. After all she was Greek origin.

Some historians described her voice and the gestures the most attractive features of her personality. She mesmerized others with them. She also commanded the art to impress others.

When the Roman ruler Julius Caesar reached Egypt, Cleopatra was at angry with her brother. Cleopatra wanted to see Ceasar but she feared her brother would impede her way.

Therefore she played a trick. She wrapped herself up in a carpet. Her servants carried this carpet to Ceasar. Nobody took notice of this carpet on the way. The servants unfolded the carpet in the camp of Ceasar. He became dumfound to see the Egyptian queen before him.

Similarly, Cleopatra sailed in a boat of gold to see General Antony for the first time. The ores of the boat were made of silver. Cleopatra had also fashioned herself to a goddess. And the servants wearing angel like dresses were fanning her. The scene made Antonius (Antony) an ardent lover of Cleopatra.

Whether Cleopatra was an able ruler or she was merely a beautiful lady.

It is also a fact that Nature had not only blessed her with beauty but also ruling abilities. She knew seven languages besides acquiring education in maths, philosophy, and astronomy. She used to study in the grand libraries of Egypt and her 22-year rule went as the best. She waived taxes during the feminine and provided grains to the people free of cost. She was so intelligent and powerful ruler that different factions of the Roman called for her help.

Did Cleopatra and Mark Antony roam about the roads?

Many factions were created in Rome after the Ceasar. Ceasar's close friend, Mark Antony led one of the factions. This group wanted to get control over Rome. But Antony too fell in love with Cleopatra. And Cleaptra too, began to love him. Both married, and they had three children. Their emotions of love after the marriage remained the same as they were before.

Antony and Cleopatra had a great liking for alcohol and loitering. Associating their friends they had secretly set up a circle. Here they used to hobnob.

Antony and Cleopatra mostly hanged around at night outside the palace. They used to mix up with the common people and enjoyed time.

Whether or not Cleopatra was also a naval commander?

Yes, she was not only beautiful, brainy and brave but also an admiral. The marriage of Cleopatra and Antony gave an alarm to the opponents of Antony in Rome. Because their unity had become a power. But the rivals of Antony launched propaganda in Rome against this unity. They maligned Antony as a traitor. That he aimed at establishing the dictatorship in Rome in collusion with Cleopatra. So forces of both the groups encountered at Actium near Greece, on 2 September 31-BC. Cleopatra too commanding a naval ship entered in support of Antony. But they faced a crushing defeat. So they were to return to the coastal city of Egypt, Alexandria. But the rival army of General Octavian following them entered Alexandria. They wanted to arrest Mark Antony. But he escaped

Whatever we know about her, is correct or incorrect?

Whatever we know about Cleopatra was written years after her. And that too, by her rivals. Because Cleopatra was a powerful Egyptian queen.
It was a time when different factions were trying to snatch power in the Roman Republic across the sea.

These factions also wanted the help of the powerful woman, like Cleopatra. But you know, the last alliance of Cleopatra and the Roman General Antony had been defeated.

The Greek faction of General Octavian, which had defeated Cleopatra, was the same that used to do propaganda to promote hatred of the woman rule. Therefore when the history was written in the Roman Court later, Cleopatra was shown the same whatever the victorious against her wanted.

They painted Cleopatra alliances with other powers as her sex stories that may be correct or it may be false. But there was no two opinion about the fact whatever was written on Cleopatra was done by her rivals in the first place.

Whether the world costliest movie was produced on Cleopatra?

The story of the Queen of Nile, Cleopatra has been shown in movies, dramas, and plays thousands of times. But the most popular of them all was the movie "Cleopatra," produced in 1963. Elizabeth Tylor had performed Cleopatra in that movie. The budget of this movie started from $2milion had reached $45million. Calculating it on the current basis, the budget would stand at $320million. So huge was the budget that it brought the production house, 20th Century Fox near bankruptcy. On the costumes of the Cleopatra had cost over $2million. It was the costliest movie when it was released.

Saadat Hasan Manto also wrote a memorable drama on Cleopatra. But it was only a romantic depiction of a scene of the last moments of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Cleopatra was the Egyptian queen 2000 years ago.

You saw her story. But remember the more the history is old, the more it becomes the hearsay. But the more the history is late, the more it nears the facts. This history also becomes easy to examine.