Cleopatra

by Michel Chauveau

Book Overview

Cleopatra: kohl and vipers, barges and thrones, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. We have long been schooled in the myth of the Egyptian ruler. In his new book Michel Chauveau brings us a picture of her firmly based in reality. Cleopatra VII reigned in Egypt between 51 and 30 B.C.E. Her primary goal as a ruler was to restore over the eastern Mediterranean the supremacy of the Lagides, the dynasty of Macedonian origin of which she herself was...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801438675
• ISBN13: 9780801438677
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Myths old and new

Almost every scientist when writing about famous historical persons sets himself a task of separating reality from the myth.Also Michel Chauveau is trying to do so.Still the myths created during the lives or soon after the death of the heroes of the legends are not very dangerous for the historical truth.They merely exaggerate the deeds these persons had really committed and the qualities of character they had really possessed.The myths created after 2000 years by modern historians endanger reality much more.The book by Michel Chauveau is based on the historical facts.It is a great pity that the author mentions without commentaries a modern myth according to which Octavian had wanted Cleopatras death before the triumph.This myth is absolutely unfounded.The queen could commit suicide only after 2 unsuccessful attempts.Octavian had commanded to do everything in order to save the dying woman.He had threatened to murder her children in case she would try to kill herself. We may read about it in the book by John Whitehorne "Cleopatras." Could Cleopatra have changed the world?The question ought to be raised otherwise:could the military conflict with Rome have been avoided?For even in the case of Mark Antonys military victory Cleopatras situation would have become tragic and hopeless.The Romans would have never accepted the Egyptian queen as their sovereign.