Cleopatra's Beauty

The differing perspectives on Cleopatra’s image and death reveal much about the subjective nature of historical interpretation. The range of competing theories concerning Cleopatra in life and death are a clear illustration that images in history change according to social context and each individual’s perspective. The issue of Cleopatra’s image, particularly her beauty, has remained a popular obsession for two millennia, though the scarcity of reliable evidence prevents a truly objective rendering. Additionally, the mystery and tragedy of her death has captivated audiences throughout time, though again, the array of evidence offers little certainty.

The interpretation of events in history depends on the individual. Facts are interpreted differently by each and every person involved; for instance, the victor would interpret a battle differently to the defeated party. This subjective nature is shown in various sources of evidence referring to Cleopatra’s death, and also in opinions of her beauty.

Cleopatra VII was the last of the Ptolemaic dynasty to reign in Egypt. She was a Greek woman, coming from a family who took over the Egyptian kingdoms following the death of Alexander the Great. It is said that Cleopatra was the first reigning Ptolemy to learn to speak Egyptian. Cleopatra came to power in Egypt at the age of 17, and she reigned from 51-30 B.C.

The question of Cleopatra’s beauty is seemingly straightforward, yet there are many characteristics of beauty, and all must be considered when applied to Cleopatra. Beauty is a historically and culturally complex concept, as it is different for every person and every time period. It is not only the person that dictates what is beautiful; the social context during which beauty is portrayed must be taken into account as well. The point is exemplified by the fact that the aesthetic ideal of the Renaissance is quite different from that of today's typical "beauty." When applying