The Search for Cleopatra: The True Story of History's Most Intriguing Woman

by Michael Foss

Cleopatra is wreathed by so many outsized myths that it is sometimes difficult to tell the woman from the legend. For centuries, historians have scarcely deviated from the occidental, Horatian portrayal of an Eastern temptress bent on bringing down the great men of Rome. Michael Foss looks through and beyond the myths, using fresh research to vividly bring to life the historical Cleopatra. A descendant of Alexander the Great’s Macedonian court, she struggled to hold her kingdom together at a time when the volatile clash of cultures threatened to shake Ptolemaic Egypt apart. Egypt’s decay coincided with the rise of Rome, and it is in the contest between the Eastern and Western empires that her story unfolds.

Rome cast Cleopatra as a threat to the order of its own crumbling republic. To them, she represented decadence, corruption, and temptation. Yet as Foss shows with clarity and insight, Cleopatra played her hand in the only manner she could. Determined that her kingdom survive, she was prepared to do whatever it took to retain power, and very nearly achieved dominance of the whole of the eastern Mediterranean world. When she finally surrendered her ambitions, it was with a larger-than-life flare that has since inspired ancient chroniclers. Fully-illustrated, and impeccably documented, The Search for Cleopatra sets before us the most absorbing figure of the ancient world.

Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Genres: History, Egypt, Nonfiction, Biography

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are expecting a detailed biography of Cleopatra, adjust your expectations. I also think I over-estimated how much material there was on this ancient figure. There was a very healthy dose of Roman history/politics so Cleopatra was entirely absent for chunks of the book, but I guess given the relationship between Egypt and Rome during her life that should be expected. Still, without being overly compelling at any one stage I found myself reading through the book quite quickly and I do think of the historical figure of Cleopatra differently after completing this book.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides an excellent overview of the historical events and figures surrounding Cleopatra, as well as highlighting her subtle strength in international politics. Cleopatra was a woman of extraordinary will, using any and every tool available to her to protect her people and advance Egypt's position in the world. Every action was calculated, even her acts of passion with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.

Because of the historical records of her day, this book can provide no more than a thorough sketch if the legendary queen. The extensive quotes from Plutarch did contribute substantially to her character development, but I wish we knew more about this remarkable woman.

[Sharon T. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I learned a more than I knew about Cleopatra, but there was a whole lot more about Caesar and Antony and the other men in her life than about her. The writing was cumbersome too. I've since seen other books about her that seem to be more about her and easier to read, so for anyone who is interested, I'd look elsewhere than Foss's book.