Cleopatra VII (69 – 30 BC) was the queen and the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. She is famous for her romances with Mark Antony and Julius Caesar, which led the Romans to swiftly portray Cleopatra as a woman who faked her identity to seduce powerful men.
Cleopatra is regarded as one of the wisest individuals.
Cleopatra and Caesar (1866). Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme
Cleopatra was a powerful and accomplished ruler, yet she is often overlooked in historical documents. This has led to her achievements being somewhat overshadowed, while her mistakes are exaggerated. The common perception of Cleopatra in ancient Roman texts and modern media is that of a scheming woman who used her body for political gain.
In reality, she was one of the greatest intellectuals of her time. This is something that ancient texts do not mention. She was educated by top Greek scholars and studied at the Mouseion in Alexandria, home to the renowned Library of Alexandria. Here, she learned about geography, history, astronomy, philosophy, international diplomacy, mathematics, alchemy, medicine, zoology, and economics.
Cleopatra was the only person of her time who could speak Ancient Egyptian and read hieroglyphs. Additionally, she was fluent in Ancient Greek and could communicate in the languages of the Parthians, Jews, Medes, Troglodytes, Syrians, Ethiopians, and Arabs.
It is known that Cleopatra VII spent much time in an ancient laboratory. She produced several works on botany and cosmetics. However, all of her works were lost in a fire in 391 AD when the Library of Alexandria was destroyed. Later, the famous physician Galen studied her works and successfully recreated some of her formulas.
One of the remedies he often recommended to patients was a cream that helped men regrow hair. Her contributions to science and medicine were well recognized even in the first century of Christianity. In a world dominated by powerful figures, Cleopatra is seen as one of the wisest individuals. After her death, Egypt became part of the Roman Empire, marking the end of the second Greek state since the reign of Alexander.
