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The Real Cleopatra

Beauty was not an asset

By Corrina Pelle Published 3 years ago 3 min read
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When we hear the name 'Cleopatra', we immediately think of the dazzling and beautiful Woman who stole the hearts of many during her reign as Queen of the Nile; her beauty being the predominant reason for her success in Ancient times.

This could not be more wrong.

Cleopatra was not actually objectively beautiful in the way that society painted her to be. She was not slender or incredibly proportioned. She did not have the iconic short-cropped black hair with a fringe. So, what did the 'Queen of the Nile' look like? Cleopatra's physique can be seen through archaeological findings such as sculptures and coins as being masculine; with a thick neck, a strong jawline, and a large hooked nose. It was merely assumed that Cleopatra was beautiful due to her ability to influence infamous leaders such as Alexander the Great, as well as seduce the so-called 'womanisers' Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. This assumption is of course due to our modern societal norms that of course for a Woman to achieve this, they must have been beautiful.

It was actually Cleopatra's incredible intellect and ability to lead which made these men head-over-heals for her. Unfortunately, Hollywood cannot seem to come to terms with the fact that a Woman so powerful and respected in her time was not due to her beauty, but for her mind. It is of course common to mistake the physical appearance of historical figures over time, as photography was not invented at that point. This does not excuse the complete alteration to fit societal's standard of beauty, in order to appeal to a wider audience when releasing a film.

There is the argument that the ideals of beauty change with time, such as how women who were curvy in the Renaissance period were more desirable than thinner women, as this reflected wealth. This was not the case with Cleopatra though, as there are quotes by men referring to Cleopatra's physique, which clearly state that their attraction was not due to her looks (which she lacked), but rather for her "voice" and "mind". The historian Plutarch writes: "her beauty… was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her.” Plutarch goes on to say that it was her demeanour and ability to converse on any topic that all men were attracted to. It is also important to note that Cleopatra's appearance has changed throughout time to reflect the ideal of beauty in the era in which she is illustrated.

Something else that was incredible about Cleopatra that not many people know, is that she was a Polyglot, meaning she had the ability to speak many languages (in her case, four). Her intellect spanned beyond being able to rule people and influence leaders; she was also well versed in Philosophy, Astronomy and Mathematics.

The bastardisation of Cleopatra's image can be dated back to the Romans after she had passed. Most of the paintings and sculptures we have found depicting her beauty were created by Roman Men, who feared her power intellect, so a way to illustrate this power over these Men was to paint and depict her as outlandishly beautiful so as to excuse their reason for being controlled by a Woman.

The way in which The Queen of the Nile's image has altered so dramatically to paint her as a vision of beauty rather than her genuine appearance, which is objectively 'normal', says a lot about the society we live in today, as well as the values society has carried throughout time. It is no surprise that a Woman with such incredible power, intellect, ingenuity, inventiveness and skills of diplomacy, could be illustrated as nothing more or less than society's reflection of beauty.

Historical
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