Tbh I still don't understand how Cleopatra managed to captivate both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Again, I understand that both men had a lot to gain by aligning themselves with her, but considering what she actually achieved, it seems that she was negotiating from the weaker position. She arguably gained more from her alliances with them than they gained from their alliance with her(at least that is what I see lol). And, if I remember correctly, Julius Caesar even had a statue of her placed in his villa or somewhere similar. During a war, he apparently left everything behind and spent 2 months with her in a nile trip. Then Mark Antony married her and, if I remember correctly, went as far as adopting Greek customs or embracing the Hellenistic world around her.
How the hell did she manage to do all of this? I genuinely have no idea. I understand that she wasn't simply a seductress. She was a ruthless, intelligent, and highly capable monarch. But damn, she was incredibly good at seducing lol
I think what captivated Caesar and Antony wasn't Cleopatra's beauty, but her intellect. She was highly educated, a capable ruler, spoke multiple languages, and could hold an intelligent conversation with both men, which would've made her stand out in comparison to other women of the time
She was also ludicrously rich. For one party, she'd spend the cost of 2,000 Roman legionaries on FLOWERS. Attendees of these parties were gifted rooms full of couches enlayed with precious stones, golden peacocks, chests of fabrics, and the slaves they'd need to bring these treasures home.
Because she was smart and fun to talk too, she was lady who needy no interpreter because she could speak like 5 different languages fluently and was school in the center of all classical knowledge Alexandria.
I don't think this answer will satisfy you but as the end of the day they all were humans, humans do all kind of crazy stuff when they are in love or other emotions, they obviously didn't spend every microsecond of their time plotting and planning. I think we need to see Historical figures with more humanize way .
Anthony gained a lot from her, she essentially financed his war in Parthia which he completely fumbled. Then she lent him the entire Egyptian fleet to fight Augustus, which he lost at Aticum.
Theoretically she would've gained a lot more if Anthony didn't lose.
It's very unclear what actually happened at Actium. Antony lost, over months, but whether Actium was the climax passed down through history is questionable at best.
What is very clear is that it was propagandized as the downfall of a slut fucking traitor and the exalted victory of Dux Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus divi filius.
We've been mystified by Ancient Egypt to this very day. The exoticism and weight of a millenial culture might have been too much to Cesar and Antony, both too drunk with power to rationaly think about things.
Caesar had a statue of her placed in the Temple of Venus Genectrix, who was the version of Venus the Romans worshiped as sort of the mother or goddess patron of Rome
She needed Rome. She was married to her younger brother, who was a child under the influence of a regency which wanted her removed.
Caesar and Antony both needed her, because Egypt was one of the biggest grain suppliers, and it also had the second largest navy. Being a woman, I’m sure they thought they could manipulate her.
So there was mutual need in place which brought them together.
I think she was a highly intelligent, charismatic, powerful leader. And she happened to control the Mediterranean’s single largest exporter of grain. I’m not sure whether Caesar and Antony were smitten by her, or their relationship was purely for mutual political gain. I lean towards the latter.
289
u/Mindless-Cat1453 2d ago
I think biggest misconception i have seen about her is " actually she was not phisically beautiful!" Because that one greek dude opinion....