Cleopatra, Beyond the Beauty Myth

We have heard and seen much about the legendary Egyptian pharaoh, the last descendant of the Ptolemaic dynasty, to whom a reign of prosperity and peace in ancient Egypt is attributed, following the decline resulting from wars with the Persian Empire. Represented in Shakespeare's plays, Tiepolo's paintings, and even portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1963 film, Cleopatra has been, for the collective imagination, a powerful, seductive woman of mesmerizing beauty.

However, Cleopatra's figure remains an enigma for some archaeologists and historians who have sought to unravel the true identity of this mythical pharaoh. The exact origins of Cleopatra are not certain, but it is believed that her heritage was mixed, given her Macedonian, Greek, and North African roots. These findings have challenged the belief that Cleopatra's beauty conformed to Caucasian and European beauty standards, as she, in fact, embodied an ethnic beauty. In 2009, British Egyptologist Sally Ann Ashton used images engraved on some of her artifacts, such as rings, bracelets, and bangles, to recreate Cleopatra's face.

Cleopatra's immense power carried significant responsibilities. The role of pharaohs, beyond being the representation of gods on Earth, was to reunify and protect the empire. In Cleopatra's case, it involved the formidable task of defending Egypt from the onslaught of the Roman Empire. This is perhaps why she is credited with one way of achieving this: by captivating the emperors Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She also aimed to embody the Goddess Isis on Earth. Consequently, Cleopatra adorned herself with significant jewelry items such as pectorals, bracelets, rings, crowns, and golden bangles adorned with precious stones that alluded to this deity.

These discoveries have led us to think that the opulence associated with Cleopatra, beyond her beautiful and delicate appearance, was more about the need to appear powerful. Hence, in the present day, she is regarded more as a shrewd politician than a beauty symbol. The power she wielded sparked envy and threats. In the twilight of her reign, her brother, Ptolemy XIII, conspired against her to usurp her power, leading to her being defeated and pursued, along with her great love, Mark Antony, by Emperor Octavian.

The location of Cleopatra and Mark Antony's tomb remains unknown. It is presumed that they managed to return to Alexandria, but there is no record of their presence there. It is said that Cleopatra induced a snake to inject her with its venom to take her own life, but there is no concrete evidence of this. The snake was a symbol of divinity used by pharaohs in their ornaments, which is why Cleopatra is often depicted with a snake, not necessarily because she died from its bite. Thus, the mythical figure of Pharaoh Cleopatra has evolved from being a beauty icon to that of a powerful woman capable of leading one of the greatest empires in ancient history."

Ana Karina Romero Ulloa
Artista, ilustradora y narradora colombiana. Teatrera y aprendiz de charango
Instagram: @el_hermoseador