#cleopatra philopator

[aboutanancientenquiry]

A black bassalt statue of Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last Hellenistic queen of Egypt, as Isis-Aphrodite

State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. ДВ-3936

Source of the picture: https://egypt-museum.com/statue-of-cleopatra-vii-philopator/

See also on this statue https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8294/cleopatra-as-isis-aphrodite/

[qutibahalfarouqitheclonetrooper]

My favorite Cleopatra in Space Character is Cleopatra Philopator VII!

The Space Princess of Egypt!

[thepastisalreadywritten]

This papyrus signed by Cleopatra grants tax exemption from sales of imported wine to the Roman businessman Publius Canidius, a friend of Mark Antony.

At the bottom, in a rare example of her handwriting, Cleopatra herself added the Greek word "ginesthoi," which means "make it happen."

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Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (70/69 BC – 10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.

[caernua]

ASSASSIN’S CREED: ORIGINS

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[suetravelblog]

The Temple of Dendera Egypt

Pondering the Ceiling at Dendera Temple Yesterday I visited Dendera – the Temple of Hathor, a one-hour drive from Luxor. Dendera lies along the Nile River near the small Egyptian town of Dendera. The temple was “inhabited in prehistory as an oasis on the west bank of the Nile, south of Qena”. The complex was less crowded than the tours I’ve taken in Luxor. Aerial View Dendera Temple – Viator It’s…

[aboutanancientenquiry]

The discovery of an impressive Greek tunnel under an ancient Egyptian temple (which perhaps is related to the tomb of Cleopatra)

I reblog this article about the discovery of an impressive tunnel of Greek style and engineering under an ancient Egyptian temple of the Hellenistic period. I don’t know whether it is really related to the tomb of Cleopatra VII Philopator, last Egyptian Pharaoh and Greek queen of Egypt. The future will show if the the expectations of the archaeologists who have done the excavation are founded or not, although I think that the discovery of the tunnel does not mean anything directly about the location of the tomb of the queen. But this discovery is itself very important, independently of the question of the tomb of Cleopatra. Moreover, the truth is that I would like to learn more about the function of this tunnel and its relation to the temple of Tapuziris Magna, questions which are also very important. 

“An Ancient Tunnel Discovered Beneath an Egyptian Temple May Lead to Cleopatra’s Tomb, Archaeologists Say

For nearly 20 years, archaeologists have been searching the area around the temple Tapuziris Magna for the final resting place of the Egyptian queen and her husband Mark Antony.

Sarah Cascone, November 7, 2022

An alabaster statue of Cleopatra is shown to the press at the temple of Tasposiris Magna on the outskirts of Alexandria, on April 19, 2009. Archaeologists are now more convinced than ever that the tomb of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra lies nearby. Photo credit should read Cris Bouroncle/AFP via Getty Images.

Archaeologists have discovered a rock-cut tunnel beneath Egypt’s ancient Taposiris Magna Temple—and it may lead to the lost tomb of Cleopatra, who was the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C.E.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the find last week, describing the 4,265-foot tunnel, located 43 feet underground, as a “geometric miracle.” It is similar to the Tunnel of Eupalinos on the Greek Island of Samos, considered one antiquity’s engineering marvels.

News of the discovery, made during an excavation project led by archaeologist Kathleen Martinez of the University of San Domingo, was reported by Ancient Origins.

Cleopatra famously died by suicide after her husband, the Roman general Mark Antony, also killed himself. The two are believed to have been buried together.

The Greco-Roman tunnel archaeologists discovered beneath Tapuziris Magna Temple near Alexandria could be a sign that the lost tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony lies nearby. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

Martinez first came to Egypt in search of Cleopatra’s tomb some 20 years ago, convinced after more than a decade of research that Taposiris Magna, located on outskirts of Alexandria and dedicated to Osiris, the god of the dead, was a leading candidate for the queen’s burial spot.

After hundreds of ignored emails, Martinez managed to secure a meeting in Cairo with archaeologist Zahi Hawass, then the country’s minister of Egypt’s antiquities affairs.

She convinced him to give her two months to conduct excavations on the site. Work has been ongoing since 2004—but the new find is the most compelling evidence to date that Martinez is on the right track.

Archaeologists discovered this alabaster head at excavations beneath Tapuziris Magna Temple near Alexandria. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

“This is the perfect place for the tomb of Cleopatra,” Martinez told the blog Heritage Key.  “If there’s a one percent chance that the last queen of Egypt could be buried there, it is my duty to search for her. If we discover the tomb… it will be the most important discovery of the 21st century. If we do not discover the tomb… we made major discoveries here, inside the temple and outside the temple.”

To date, the excavations have revealed mummies with golden tongues and a cemetery containing Greco-Roman-style mummies buried facing the temple, which supports Martinez’s theory that a royal tomb was built in the area. There was also a bust believed to depict Cleopatra and 22 coins depicting her visage.

The Greco-Roman tunnel archaeologists discovered beneath Tapuziris Magna Temple near Alexandria could be a sign that the lost tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony lies nearby. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

In addition to the tunnel, the latest find includes two Ptolemaic-era alabaster statues, one of which appears to be a sphinx, as well as ceramic vessels and pots. Part of the tunnel is underwater, perhaps due to ancient earthquakes that struck the region between 320 and 1303 C.E. Those natural disasters could have led to the collapse of the Taposiris Magna.

Egypt’s most famed archaeological discovery, of course, is King Tut’s tomb, unearthed 100 years ago last week by Howard Carter in the Valley of Kings outside the city of Luxor.

Archaeologists discovered this alabaster head at excavations beneath Tapuziris Magna Temple near Alexandria. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

A century later, the site is still the subject of active, fruitful excavations—and debate, with scholars and experts divided on the possibility that the burial chamber contains hidden rooms.

British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves has been a longstanding proponent of the theory that it was originally built as the tomb of Nefertiti, the boy king’s stepmother. (Hawass has separately claimed that he is on the verge of announcing the discovery of Nefertiti’s resting place.)

Source: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-tunnel-cleopatra-tomb-2205456

Kathleen Teresa Martínez Berry (born 1966) is a Dominican lawyer, archaeologist, and diplomat, best known for her work since 2005 in the search for the tomb of Cleopatra in the Taposiris Magna temple in Egypt. She heads the Egyptian-Dominican mission in Alexandria, and is currently minister counselor in charge of cultural affairs at the Dominican embassy in Egypt. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Mart%C3%ADnez

[tiny-librarian]

On September 2nd, in 44 B.C. Cleopatra VII named her then three year old son by Caesar the King of Egypt and her co ruler. After Caesar’s murder on the infamous “Ides of March”, the Egyptian Royal Family had fled from Rome for their safety and returned home to Alexandria. Pregnant with their second child at the time of Caesar’s death, Cleopatra miscarried the child sometime during the flight or shortly after.

Her half brother/husband, Ptolemy XIV, died sometime after July 26, 44 BC, which is the date of the last known inscription that mentions him being alive. He would have been about 17 at the time, and of an age to take an active role in ruling, which is something Cleopatra wouldn’t have wanted. It is often thought, though un-proven, that she had the young Ptolemy killed so she could replace him on the throne with her son and Caesar’s only living biological child.

The new King was officially known as Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar,  with an additional set of Egyptian Names, though he most often went by the nickname of Caesarion. Because of his young age at the time, he was King in name only and his mother kept all real authority to herself

[thepastisalreadywritten]

A significant part of Cleopatra VII Philopator’s enduring reputation is as one of history’s most famous femme fatales, renowned for her beauty and wit which attracted not one, but two of the Roman Republic’s most powerful men.

Whether or not this popular characterization of Cleopatra is historically accurate, her reputation has led many to wonder whether she had any particular beauty secrets that she used to ensure Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.

The historical record does provide some clues as to how the Ptolemaic dynasty’s most famous ruler presented herself, from hairstyles to clothing, and even makeup.

Although we cannot be entirely certain how she presented herself, there are enough historical details to piece together a reasonable picture of how Cleopatra might have presented herself.

Was Cleopatra really a beauty?

As the old adage goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

As far as the ancient sources are concerned, the question of Cleopatra’s beauty raised mixed responses, with some ascribing an irresistible physical appearance to her and others attributing her allure more to her intellect and charm.

For example, Cassius Dio (164 to c. 235 AD), an ancient Greek historian, described Cleopatra as “a woman of surpassing beauty.”

During the first meeting between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, Cassius Dio wrote:

"Caesar, upon seeing her and hearing her speak a few words, was so completely captivated that the Roman general acquiesced immediately to Cleopatra’s requests."

Plutarch (c.46 to c.119 AD) also briefly commented on the Ptolemaic queen’s appearance in his Life of Mark Anthony.

Contrary to Cassius Dio, Plutarch did not reckon Cleopatra’s beauty to be particularly noteworthy but instead praised her intelligence and character.

“Her beauty, so we are told, was not itself outstanding; it did not immediately strike those who saw her; yet being with her had an inescapable hold; when talking with her, she was persuasive, and the character which surrounded her whole manner in company had a force to it,” wrote the Greek historian and philosopher.

Hair and makeup

In the few surviving marble busts of Cleopatra, she is depicted wearing her hair tied at the back in a bun.

Historians like Paul Edmund Stanwick refer to this as a “melon hairstyle.”

Coinage depicting the queen shows her wearing the same hairstyle.

Depictions of Cleopatra with this hairstyle also show her wearing a diadem, a symbol of royal power adopted by many Hellenistic rulers who succeeded Alexander the Great as the masters of the divided fragments of his empire.

Professor Diana Kleiner of Yale University has identified two more hairstyles worn by Cleopatra.

One of these hairstyles emulated those worn by Macedonian queens, which is unsurprising given Cleopatra’s lineage.

To achieve this style, the hair was carefully divided into individual curls, which were typically swept away from the face and elegantly gathered into a bun positioned at the back.

According to Professor Keline, it may have been worn during travel.

The other hairstyle was “the usual Egyptian wigged headdress that had its origins in Pharaonic times.”

In this case, the main point of attention would have been the headdress rather than the hair itself, with a rearing cobra made of precious metal proudly displayed.

Professor Kleiner explains that “Cleopatra appears to have worn different coiffures in different circumstances, playing to her audience, so to speak, in life and in art.”

It would have been important for her to present herself in the Hellenistic fashion to the Greek elites who held the most senior positions in Ptolemaic Egypt, but also in traditional Egyptian fashions for her ruler to appear legitimate to a native Egyptian audience.

Regarding the Ptolemaic queen’s makeup choices, she would darken her eyebrows and enhance her eyeliner using black kohl, creating an elongated look.

The application of deep blue eyeshadow extended gracefully up to her brows, further accentuating her eyes.

Additionally, Cleopatra embraced the fashionable trend of adorning her hands with intricate henna patterns, a popular practice during that era in Alexandria.

Clothing

Cleopatra wore a variety of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman outfits intended to accentuate her beauty.

The selection of these styles would have been dependent on the contexts in which the queen appeared, as it was important for her to present herself accordingly to her friends, foes and subjects.

One of the styles she wore combined Greek and Egyptian aesthetic sensibilities and is seen depicted on sculptures of other Ptolemaic queens.

This style consisted of a sheer dress, likely of a semi-transparent material, which left the bare breasts exposed in a manner popular amongst native Egyptian women.

The depictions of other Ptolemaic queens wearing this style are consistent with the writings of the Roman poet Lucan, who claimed that she wore a transparent dress that exposed her breasts, likely made of Chinese silk.

Lucan also described the jewelry she wore, writing that “her baleful beauty inordinately painted, covered with Red Sea pearls, a fortune in her hair and around her neck, weighed down with jewelry.”

NOTE:

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (70/69 BC – 10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC and its last active ruler.

A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder, Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.

[caernua]

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[egypt-museum]

Statue of Queen Cleopatra

Black basalt statue of Cleopatra VII Philopator, last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, 1st century BC.

Cleopatra VII Philopator is one of the most mesmerizing women in all of history. Born of a Ptolemy, she became queen at the early age of 17. She was highly educated in the full laws and customs of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, she engrossed herself in science, philosophy, women’s issues, and most impressive the native language of Egypt. She chose to link herself with Egypt by her dress, worship, and representation.

Now in the State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. ДВ-3936

Read more

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The Hunt: Cleopatra’s Long-Lost Tomb

The Egyptian queen may rest in the ancient city of Alexandria, which now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

She has one of the most captivating and enduring mythologies of any leader in history, yet the true end of Queen Cleopatra’s story remains an enigma. Archaeologists might be able to offer some clarity, if they could only find her final resting place.

The location of the Queen of the Nile’s tomb has eluded experts for centuries. Napoleon famously led an expedition searching for the crypt in the early 19th century. Egyptologists widely believe it is hidden somewhere in Alexandria, where the missing tombs of all 14 of the Ptolemaic Pharaohs, the final dynasty of ancient Egypt, are expected to be. Alas, much of ancient Alexandria now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

Greek historian Plutarch indicated that when Emperor Octavian ended a civil war by defeating Cleopatra and her beloved husband, the great Roman general Mark Antony, he allowed for them to be buried together. Though the prospect of finding both of their physical remains is thrilling, Plutarch wrote of their death and burial several decades after their occurrence, which casts his words into doubt.

Many Egyptologists accept that both the Queen and her royal consort died dramatically by suicide, she by snakebite and he by his own sword. Others speculate that she died by intentional drug overdose, or by stinging herself with a poison-tipped hairpin. A growing number of experts suspect the suicide is a cover-up—that perhaps the queen was murdered. Much of the contemporary understanding of Cleopatra is based on the accounts of ancient Roman and Greek historians who undoubtedly held a bias towards her. An autopsy of her mummy might reveal different truths.

Dominican archaeologist Kathleen Martinez.

Today, the quest for Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator’s elusive burial place has been taken on primarily by Dominican archaeologist Kathleen Martinez, who has dedicated two decades of her life to this mission. Martinez subscribes to the snakebite ending. She believes the ancient queen’s suicide was a ceremonial act, part of a ritual apotheosis: shedding her mortal coil so as to ascend to the status of goddess. The ritual, Martinez theorizes, culminated in moving Cleopatra’s body from her palace to a temple 25 miles west of Alexandria, Taposiris Magna.

In 2022, Martinez announced the discovery of a tunnel running under the temple that she believes could have served as a corridor for delivering Cleopatra’s body. The tunnel is widely agreed to be an aqueduct, an exact replica of a similar structure found in Greece.

After working with Martinez for 11 years at Taposiris Magna, Zahi Hawass, former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs of Egypt, now categorically disagrees with her. For one, it would be incredibly anomalous for a pharaoh to be interred at a temple. Furthermore, he asserts that there is “no evidence at all” to indicate that Cleopatra, ancient Egypt’s last pharaoh, is buried there.

“I believe now that Cleopatra was buried in her tomb that she built next to her palace and it is under the water,” Hawass lamented. “Her tomb will never be found.”

By Adnan Qiblawi.