Queen Cleopatra of Egypt skillfully employed various hairstyles to honor her status and power.
According to Diana Kleiner, author of the newly published book “Cleopatra and Rome,” statues, coins, and several depictions of the queen indicate that Cleopatra (69-30 BC) wore at least three distinct hairstyles. The first style, called “the traveling style,” imitates the hair of a Macedonian Greek queen, where the hair is divided into curly locks and gathered into a bun at the back.
The second style, known as “the melon,” features hair divided into sections resembling the segments of a melon, while the third style is the royal look, characterized by the traditional Egyptian queen’s wig adorned with a cobra made of precious metal.
Cleopatra did not invent these hairstyles, but she knew how to utilize them in the appropriate situations, Kleiner, a professor of art history at Yale University, explains.
“Since the time of King Ptolemy I (the Egyptian king), the Ptolemaic queens have styled their hair with sections divided like melon or pumpkin segments. Cleopatra followed this tradition – she was more inclined towards classical styles than to promote new trends,” Kleiner states.
However, in reality, Cleopatra employed many other hairstyles. When the queen was in her homeland, her aim was to resemble a traditional Egyptian leader (as she was of Greek descent) and to legitimize the Ptolemaic dynasty by linking it to the era of the Pharaohs. Some ancient statues show her wearing the traditional Egyptian wig with the coiled cobra. “This is the hairstyle associated with the image of Cleopatra that we often see today,” Kleiner notes.
This hairstyle is connected to the goddess Wadjyt, the sun god Ra, and the goddess Hathor, thus wearing it signifies that the person is viewed as divine.
The Egyptian queen was also known to travel extensively. She would sail on a luxurious boat attended by servants who catered to her every need. In Rome, she wore the “traveling style” when appearing in public, where she could be admired and discussed at gatherings. During that time, Kleiner observes that the “melon” hairstyle appeared in Roman portraits, indicating that Roman women admired her and imitated her style.
Both Roman leaders Octavian and Antony were captivated by Cleopatra’s beauty. Kleiner suggests that Octavia, Antony’s wife, created the nodus hairstyle to compete with Cleopatra. The nodus features curled locks at the forehead, resembling Cleopatra’s famous cobra-shaped adornment. The nodus became fashionable in Rome in the 30s BC, just before Cleopatra’s suicide at the age of 39.
Kleiner asserts that Cleopatra was not traditionally beautiful, but her overall presence exuded an irresistible allure.
“Her beauty did not necessarily leave observers breathless, but her way of speaking possessed an undeniable charm. Her gaze, captivating voice, and unique personality radiated from an unmistakable demeanor, making her a kind of enchantress.”
M.T. (Discovery)
