Cleopatra

Duane W. Roller traces Cleopatra VII Theá Philopátor’s rise and fall. She ruled Egypt in the time of the last Ptolemies. This life story looks past her fame to study her rule. She spoke, worked as a doctor, and led troops. She was also a scholar and ruler. Roller sees her ties with Caesar and Mark Antony as more than love affairs. He views them as choices she made to serve her rule.

Roller studies history and the ancient Greek and Roman world. He draws only on ancient texts and finds from digs. He uses Roman, Greek and Egyptian accounts. He also uses texts by Cleopatra that still exist. He seeks to set her life apart from later myths. Legends from the Renaissance helped shape her image in art. They left their mark on painting, theatre and film. The book asks how this image came to overshadow her ancient power.

Emanuela Jalbă-Șoimaru translated this edition from English. The book is part of the Humanitas history series.