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Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt
The Romans regarded her as “fatale monstrum”—a fatal omen. Pascal said the shape of her nose changed the history of the world. Shakespeare portrayed her as an icon of tragic love. But who was Cleopatra, really?We almost feel that we know Cleopatra, but our distorted image of a self-destructive beauty does no justice to Cleopatra’s true genius. In Cleopatra, Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley offers an unexpectedly vivid portrait of a skillful Egyptian ruler. Stripping away our preconceptions, many of them as old as Egypt’s Roman conquerors, Cleopatra is a magnificent biography of a most extraordinary queen.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2008
128 people are currently reading
11738 people want to read
About the author
Joyce A. Tyldesley
34 books167 followersJoyce Tyldesley is a British archaeologist and Egyptologist, academic, writer and broadcaster.
Tyldesley was born in Bolton, Lancashire and attended Bolton School. In 1981, she earned a first-class honours degree in archaeology from Liverpool University, and a doctorate in Prehistoric Archaeology from Oxford in 1986. She is a Teaching Fellow at Manchester University where she is tutor and course organiser of the three-year distance learning (internet based) Certificate in Egyptology programme run from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology.
She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology at Liverpool University, an ex-trustee of the Egypt Exploration Society, Chairperson of Bolton Archaeology and Egyptology Society, and a trustee of Chowbent Chapel.
In 2004 she established, with Steven Snape of Rutherford Press Limited, a publishing firm dedicated to publishing serious but accessible books on ancient Egypt while raising money for Egyptology field work. Donations from RPL have been made to Manchester Museum and the Egypt Exploration Society: currently all profits are donated to the ongoing fieldwork at Zawiyet umm el-Rakham.
She is married with two children to Egyptologist Steven Snape and lives in Lancashire.
Tyldesley was born in Bolton, Lancashire and attended Bolton School. In 1981, she earned a first-class honours degree in archaeology from Liverpool University, and a doctorate in Prehistoric Archaeology from Oxford in 1986. She is a Teaching Fellow at Manchester University where she is tutor and course organiser of the three-year distance learning (internet based) Certificate in Egyptology programme run from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology.
She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology at Liverpool University, an ex-trustee of the Egypt Exploration Society, Chairperson of Bolton Archaeology and Egyptology Society, and a trustee of Chowbent Chapel.
In 2004 she established, with Steven Snape of Rutherford Press Limited, a publishing firm dedicated to publishing serious but accessible books on ancient Egypt while raising money for Egyptology field work. Donations from RPL have been made to Manchester Museum and the Egypt Exploration Society: currently all profits are donated to the ongoing fieldwork at Zawiyet umm el-Rakham.
She is married with two children to Egyptologist Steven Snape and lives in Lancashire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
February 6, 2017
This book is a solid biography of Cleopatra, appreciating her cleverness and ability as a politician, and examining how the world at the time reacted to her. It’s perhaps a little drier than people would hope — how could you make Cleopatra so academic, when she’s such a colourful figure? Well, I don’t mind that at all, and I enjoyed the way it contextualised her achievements and dissected the myths surrounding her. It delves into the background of her rule and her city, as well, giving a picture of Egypt under the Ptolemies.
I’ve enjoyed other books by Tyldesley before, and though it’s not one of my areas of expertise, I have found her books well-written, referenced and clear. That’s more than I can say for some other Egyptologists who write for the pop-history crowd. Other than that, I don’t have much basis to make a judgement, but I found this one enjoyable.
Originally posted here.
I’ve enjoyed other books by Tyldesley before, and though it’s not one of my areas of expertise, I have found her books well-written, referenced and clear. That’s more than I can say for some other Egyptologists who write for the pop-history crowd. Other than that, I don’t have much basis to make a judgement, but I found this one enjoyable.
Originally posted here.
December 10, 2008
This is a good biography of Cleopatra. Tydesley does not really contribute anything new about Cleopatra per se (though she offers a good analysis for the major areas of debate); however, the book does give background material about Cleopatra's family and her Egypt that one does not usually see in most Cleopatra biographies. This gives the reader a better view of the Cleopatra herself as well as the Egypt of her times, an Egypt that is not presented though Roman eyes.
March 23, 2009
I love Egyptian history especially history on women which there isn't a lot of information on. What I liked about this book was that the author pointed out all of the inaccuracies of Cleopatra's supposed life that we've been told or read about in books. The author takes the approach of a skeptic from everything like Cleopatra's ethnicity ( was she black was she white) to the father of her eldest son. The author points out all of the possibilities and then based on her education and experience makes her observation.
Because there isn't a ton of accurate information on Cleopatra, the book talks about other women, political systems in Rome, warfare, etc. Basically stuff I wasnt' all that interested in. But if you like Cleopatra, strong women or a good read,I do recommend.
Because there isn't a ton of accurate information on Cleopatra, the book talks about other women, political systems in Rome, warfare, etc. Basically stuff I wasnt' all that interested in. But if you like Cleopatra, strong women or a good read,I do recommend.
January 1, 2015
2.5 stars
Overall a decent biography on Cleopatra but not without its faults. I do feel as though it was written in an approachable manner. If I were not such a Cleophile I may have enjoyed this more, but I often found the approach to Cleopatra a bit off-putting for my preference. Also, as with many biographies for this and similar time periods, there were far too many tangents. Tyldesley would often get sidetracked by something she noted and spend up to a numerous pages on it, only to immediately go back to the topic at hand like nothing happened which can be discombobulating. Unfortunately these tangents also often added nothing to the topic of Cleopatra overall.
Ultimately I could not pinpoint Tyldesley's opinion on Cleopatra, possibly because she cannot determine it herself. Tyldesley would seem to waffle as to whether she believed the propaganda in some aspects, only to defend Cleopatra in other aspects (especially in the last chapter "History Becomes Legend").
Tyldesley also likes to write what I call "complinsults" throughout the novel. One such complinsult comes on page 4:
Tyldesley seemed to enjoy using the word "ruthless", it was a common word used for the individuals highlighted in the book. At one point she states: "Cleopatra III was, even by Ptolemaic standards, a particularly ruthless woman." Unfortunately the information Tyldesley then proceeds to bring forth about Cleopatra's ancestor did not sound terribly ruthless to me. Perhaps I am more ruthless myself and could not see it in this aspect (doubtful, but maybe), but Tyldesley frequently made broad statements such as this and proceeded not to support them.
Antony was also oddly treated by Tyldesley, such as on page 150:
Interestingly Tyldesley uses characteristics of Antony that were possibly sourced from propaganda (naive fellow and such) in the same breath as telling people to look past propaganda. This doesn't work for me.
There were a number of passages that irritated me or did not work for me such as the Antony one above. But overall as an introductory NF to Cleopatra it wasn't bad, but it could have been better. Fewer tangents would have been helpful. I also would have liked to see either a more neutral (but interested) stance taken by Tyldesley or, preferably, a stance that proved enthusiastic for this topic. Ultimately I never felt Tyldesley genuinely enjoyed the topic at hand unless it was the tangential data.
Overall a decent biography on Cleopatra but not without its faults. I do feel as though it was written in an approachable manner. If I were not such a Cleophile I may have enjoyed this more, but I often found the approach to Cleopatra a bit off-putting for my preference. Also, as with many biographies for this and similar time periods, there were far too many tangents. Tyldesley would often get sidetracked by something she noted and spend up to a numerous pages on it, only to immediately go back to the topic at hand like nothing happened which can be discombobulating. Unfortunately these tangents also often added nothing to the topic of Cleopatra overall.
Ultimately I could not pinpoint Tyldesley's opinion on Cleopatra, possibly because she cannot determine it herself. Tyldesley would seem to waffle as to whether she believed the propaganda in some aspects, only to defend Cleopatra in other aspects (especially in the last chapter "History Becomes Legend").
Tyldesley also likes to write what I call "complinsults" throughout the novel. One such complinsult comes on page 4:
That she was an ambitious and ruthless queen is obvious from even the most superficial examination of her life, although the extent of her ruthlessness tends to be hidden in the more popular histories, which gloss over the murder of her sister and (almost certainly) her brother while concentrating on her 'love life'. That Cleopatra, living in an age of highly unstable governments, chose to form personal alliances with individually powerful Romans should be seen as sensible (intelligent) rather than a weak (emotional) decision; and 'love', as in any dynastic match, may have had very little to do with it.
Tyldesley seemed to enjoy using the word "ruthless", it was a common word used for the individuals highlighted in the book. At one point she states: "Cleopatra III was, even by Ptolemaic standards, a particularly ruthless woman." Unfortunately the information Tyldesley then proceeds to bring forth about Cleopatra's ancestor did not sound terribly ruthless to me. Perhaps I am more ruthless myself and could not see it in this aspect (doubtful, but maybe), but Tyldesley frequently made broad statements such as this and proceeded not to support them.
Antony was also oddly treated by Tyldesley, such as on page 150:
It is important to see through this propaganda and to remember that Antony was not only a bluff, naive, simple fellow; he was also an extremely ambitious and capable man.
Interestingly Tyldesley uses characteristics of Antony that were possibly sourced from propaganda (naive fellow and such) in the same breath as telling people to look past propaganda. This doesn't work for me.
There were a number of passages that irritated me or did not work for me such as the Antony one above. But overall as an introductory NF to Cleopatra it wasn't bad, but it could have been better. Fewer tangents would have been helpful. I also would have liked to see either a more neutral (but interested) stance taken by Tyldesley or, preferably, a stance that proved enthusiastic for this topic. Ultimately I never felt Tyldesley genuinely enjoyed the topic at hand unless it was the tangential data.
December 18, 2023
I had a hard time getting into the book.
June 15, 2019
This was a kick bootie read with a lot of in-depth information about Cleopatra, as well as her extensive family background and the Egypt of her time. My only issue is that often the author failed to keep in minds readers unfamiliar with the Egyptian terms and various architectural terminology. All in all, fascinating.
September 2, 2020
This is an excellent history book which pulls together the oral and known history of Cleopatra. It gives a concise overview of the Ptolemy kings, covers the world in which Cleopatra lived, an overview of Alexander the Great's empire and life and for good measure the Roman empire and the men who fought for power and control of Rome and its' conquered lands. This is so much more than a biography of Cleopatra, it deals with her relationship with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony but there is so much more to this highly readable history book
December 28, 2018
I love Cleopatra. I am absolutely fascinated by her and pretty devour any fact about her I can. She is truly one of the most amazing, mysterious, and intelligent women in our planet's history, and its so frustrating how much we really don't know thanks to efforts to erase her legacy (thanks, Romans). Biographers have their work cut out for them when trying to piece together whatever they can of Cleopatra's life and I think the author makes a really good, solid attempt here.
Tyldesley's book is not my favorite Cleopatra biography (see Stacy Schiff's book) but I do appreciate how she works hard to 1) create context for all of the "characters" and 2) how she presents certain "truths" in order to then dismantle and/or offer a more likely version of events. For example, she discusses at length the obnoxious analysis presented by Plutarch of Cleopatra's actions and makes it pretty clear he is an unreliable narrator at best (especially reporting years later). I also really like how she tries to give Cleopatra's family their due time, particular her sisters who we know even less about sadly.
Overall, solid biography that any fan like myself will likely enjoy.
Tyldesley's book is not my favorite Cleopatra biography (see Stacy Schiff's book) but I do appreciate how she works hard to 1) create context for all of the "characters" and 2) how she presents certain "truths" in order to then dismantle and/or offer a more likely version of events. For example, she discusses at length the obnoxious analysis presented by Plutarch of Cleopatra's actions and makes it pretty clear he is an unreliable narrator at best (especially reporting years later). I also really like how she tries to give Cleopatra's family their due time, particular her sisters who we know even less about sadly.
Overall, solid biography that any fan like myself will likely enjoy.
December 23, 2025
The book offers a biography of Cleopatra VII "Thea Philopator" the last queen of Egypt. A moral cautionary tale and a ruthless autocrat to some, indistinguishable from the Lady of the West (Isis) to others. Her story, reduced primarily to her association with Caesar and Mark Antony, is precisely what this work seeks to correct.
The author attempts to place Cleopatra in her Egyptian context and not simply settle for a retelling that sees her uniquely through her interactions with Rome. The surviving narratives of Cleopatra come largely from Roman or Greek writers living at a distance from the time of the events which they describe and are therefore polluted by elements of Roman propaganda aimed at distorting her image, whatever is left of her memory reflects the biases of a moralizing narrative that pigeonholes her into the stereotype of the seductress and the embodiment of oriental decadence. This telling of her story was in turn inherited uncritically and absorbed to fit the cultural norms of all those that came after the Romans. At each telling (whether in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or at the time of Shakespeare) Cleopatra was molded back and forth to reflect the moral views and concerns of the era. Hence, what survives of her now tells us more about those who are narrating the story than it does about the heroine herself. The author seeks to bring back and revive the historical Cleopatra through the detective work of an archaeologist by piecing together the stories that different inscriptions, artifacts...etc. tell to form a coherent portrait of who the last queen of the Ptolemies really was.
Mostly educated guesswork, the book has a mission to correct the myths and provide a more plausible account of her life and times. There is an emphasis throughout that her sexuality is to be viewed as a political asset and not a reflection of a moral flaw. The author also asks us to see her liaisons and relationships as being motivated by strategic thinking and necessity rather than passion. Most important of all, the central idea of this "biography" is that she was a product of Ptolemaic culture. By referencing dynastic precedent, we start to see that her ruthlessness and character were shaped by this atmosphere of never-ending palace intrigues, assassinations, and a very hard-to-please population.
Though the author, through taking on an impossible unenviable task, ends up interrupting the narrative at best or misrepresenting her book as a biography at worst, she is simply trying to do too many things at once; On the one hand, she is writing a corrective biography of Cleopatra. On the other, she is continuously re-educating the reader about Ptolemaic Egypt.
When the topic is Cleopatra herself or her relationships vis-à-vis her people, Caesar or Rome the narrative is coherent and tight. But the constant zooming out (with background explanations, vignettes about Ptolemaic figures with tangled lineages, and reminders of dynastic precedents) drags the whole momentum to a standstill at times. not to mention the periodic focus on trivial matters and their over-rationalization as a means to salvage a more plausible account of them which itself cannot be justified on the basis of their pure unimportance (Does it really matter whether, for the sake of impressing her guests, she actually managed to dissolve pearls in her drink and then proceeded to consume it?).
In her obsession with always shying away from romanticizing Cleopatra or portraying her as a tragic heroine figure, the author keeps interrupting her exposition to explain or justify things away. This in itself is not a problem, but I feel that, in terms of a biography, it should not be obsessively centered around such justifications and defensive postures (the book keeps interrupting itself!!). And if the author was pressed or faced with an irresistible urge to do so, it should have been a different book on its own terms about just that, and not labeled a "biography" . Once you start over-rationalizing everything, it kills any sympathy toward the historical figure and dulls our tendency to empathize. It comes off as if she does not want us to enjoy the story too much, lest such enjoyment feed into myth (the very thing she is rallying against). But, alas, and to be honest, this is the price to pay for the author’s puritanical faithfulness to historical facts (or approximations of facts, Remember, it is mostly guesswork).
For me, the book was mostly enjoyable, bar distracting trivialities. The first half was great, and you get to learn a thing or two about ancient Egyptian theology and cults in the process and their usage as a means of manufacturing consent. Besides, who wouldn’t like an entire chapter dedicated to Ptolemaic Alexandria? (By God, it must have been a magnificent sight to see). I would like to conclude by saying: only read this if you’re interested in the topic, and even if you are interested, I’d advise another work other than this (I still think calling it a "biography" is a misrepresentation). So, to correct myself: only read it IF YOU HAVE TO (for lack of a better alternative).
Rating: 3/5.
The author attempts to place Cleopatra in her Egyptian context and not simply settle for a retelling that sees her uniquely through her interactions with Rome. The surviving narratives of Cleopatra come largely from Roman or Greek writers living at a distance from the time of the events which they describe and are therefore polluted by elements of Roman propaganda aimed at distorting her image, whatever is left of her memory reflects the biases of a moralizing narrative that pigeonholes her into the stereotype of the seductress and the embodiment of oriental decadence. This telling of her story was in turn inherited uncritically and absorbed to fit the cultural norms of all those that came after the Romans. At each telling (whether in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or at the time of Shakespeare) Cleopatra was molded back and forth to reflect the moral views and concerns of the era. Hence, what survives of her now tells us more about those who are narrating the story than it does about the heroine herself. The author seeks to bring back and revive the historical Cleopatra through the detective work of an archaeologist by piecing together the stories that different inscriptions, artifacts...etc. tell to form a coherent portrait of who the last queen of the Ptolemies really was.
Mostly educated guesswork, the book has a mission to correct the myths and provide a more plausible account of her life and times. There is an emphasis throughout that her sexuality is to be viewed as a political asset and not a reflection of a moral flaw. The author also asks us to see her liaisons and relationships as being motivated by strategic thinking and necessity rather than passion. Most important of all, the central idea of this "biography" is that she was a product of Ptolemaic culture. By referencing dynastic precedent, we start to see that her ruthlessness and character were shaped by this atmosphere of never-ending palace intrigues, assassinations, and a very hard-to-please population.
Though the author, through taking on an impossible unenviable task, ends up interrupting the narrative at best or misrepresenting her book as a biography at worst, she is simply trying to do too many things at once; On the one hand, she is writing a corrective biography of Cleopatra. On the other, she is continuously re-educating the reader about Ptolemaic Egypt.
When the topic is Cleopatra herself or her relationships vis-à-vis her people, Caesar or Rome the narrative is coherent and tight. But the constant zooming out (with background explanations, vignettes about Ptolemaic figures with tangled lineages, and reminders of dynastic precedents) drags the whole momentum to a standstill at times. not to mention the periodic focus on trivial matters and their over-rationalization as a means to salvage a more plausible account of them which itself cannot be justified on the basis of their pure unimportance (Does it really matter whether, for the sake of impressing her guests, she actually managed to dissolve pearls in her drink and then proceeded to consume it?).
In her obsession with always shying away from romanticizing Cleopatra or portraying her as a tragic heroine figure, the author keeps interrupting her exposition to explain or justify things away. This in itself is not a problem, but I feel that, in terms of a biography, it should not be obsessively centered around such justifications and defensive postures (the book keeps interrupting itself!!). And if the author was pressed or faced with an irresistible urge to do so, it should have been a different book on its own terms about just that, and not labeled a "biography" . Once you start over-rationalizing everything, it kills any sympathy toward the historical figure and dulls our tendency to empathize. It comes off as if she does not want us to enjoy the story too much, lest such enjoyment feed into myth (the very thing she is rallying against). But, alas, and to be honest, this is the price to pay for the author’s puritanical faithfulness to historical facts (or approximations of facts, Remember, it is mostly guesswork).
For me, the book was mostly enjoyable, bar distracting trivialities. The first half was great, and you get to learn a thing or two about ancient Egyptian theology and cults in the process and their usage as a means of manufacturing consent. Besides, who wouldn’t like an entire chapter dedicated to Ptolemaic Alexandria? (By God, it must have been a magnificent sight to see). I would like to conclude by saying: only read this if you’re interested in the topic, and even if you are interested, I’d advise another work other than this (I still think calling it a "biography" is a misrepresentation). So, to correct myself: only read it IF YOU HAVE TO (for lack of a better alternative).
Rating: 3/5.
August 22, 2018
On a wild hair (something I never do when it comes to reading), I stopped my current book and picked up something completely different, purely because I got interested in it. It wasn't a long read, but it was challenging. The writing itself was not difficult to understand, but the repeated names (as royalty do) and all the intermarrying and divorces and murders and children all over the place was increasingly confusing to follow. I don't even know how these people kept track of themselves, much less how anyone who has studied them, whether professionally, academically, or (like myself) merely out of curiosity, can ever keep them all straight. Non-fiction has a tendency to be textbook-dry, but relatively speaking, this wasn't so bad. It was a quick read, at any rate, so that helped. I did especially like the "Who Was Who" section after the chapters, as well as the Introduction. Nonetheless, an interesting dip into a royal family of Egypt and what is possible to know or surmise about one of history's well known individuals: Cleopatra VII (the Cleopatra typically being referred to when someone casually mentions Cleopatra).
July 13, 2020
الكتاب يتناول حياة كليوباترا السابعة، وخلفية حكم البطالمة عموما لمصر، وعلاقة روما بمصر وصراعات الحكم، والجوانب الدينية والآلهة التي كان يعبدها المصريين، وفي آخره تعريف سريع بملوك وملكات البطالمة تقريبا جميعهم.
الكتاب جيد جدا ومسلي أيضا للتعرف على تلك الفترة من مصر القديمة عموما وعلى مُلابسات حكم كليوباترا لها خاصة.
والترجمة تحثني للثناء عليها؛ من الكتب القليلة المترجمة التي دفعتني للإعجاب بجودة ترجمتها.
الكتاب جيد جدا ومسلي أيضا للتعرف على تلك الفترة من مصر القديمة عموما وعلى مُلابسات حكم كليوباترا لها خاصة.
والترجمة تحثني للثناء عليها؛ من الكتب القليلة المترجمة التي دفعتني للإعجاب بجودة ترجمتها.
August 23, 2019
One of the most boring historical books I have ever read. Cleopatra is the subject of the book but is left out of half of it to talk about the structure of Alexandria and other unrelated boring things. The author's way of writing is wanting and the way she keeps mentioning how (by her own words) questionable writers talked about Cleopatra is just annoying. A horrible book that massacred its subject with its poor writing and structuring.
January 3, 2024
i love how much tyldesley admits that the full history of the queen is not available but does her best to let facts rather than opinions take center stage
January 10, 2009
An excellent overview written by a thoughtful, but easily readable historian. I got a little lost with some of the descriptions of how Greek and Egyptian dieties, pharaohs and kings were intermingled and associated, but I got the feeling that there are precious few people who have a handle on all of that. I also found the interrelationships amongst the Ptolemaic kings, and their lack of imagination in the child-naming department fascinating.
I appreciated how Tyldesly introduced several of the legends (actual and Hollywood-ized) surrounding Cleopatra, discussing the sources and likelihood of each (eg., appearing before Caesar wrapped in a rug, dissolving a pearl in wine and drinking it, being bitten on the breasts by two asps), without ridiculing or poo-pooing various scenarios. The result is a balanced introduction to a very intriguing personage about whom we know very little.
Throughout the book I was reminded how much I think of this time period in terms of movies I've seen. I kept thinking of Elizabeth Taylor and Rex Harrison and the cast of HBO's Rome. I had to keep reminding myself to get those images out of my head. This book helped.
I appreciated how Tyldesly introduced several of the legends (actual and Hollywood-ized) surrounding Cleopatra, discussing the sources and likelihood of each (eg., appearing before Caesar wrapped in a rug, dissolving a pearl in wine and drinking it, being bitten on the breasts by two asps), without ridiculing or poo-pooing various scenarios. The result is a balanced introduction to a very intriguing personage about whom we know very little.
Throughout the book I was reminded how much I think of this time period in terms of movies I've seen. I kept thinking of Elizabeth Taylor and Rex Harrison and the cast of HBO's Rome. I had to keep reminding myself to get those images out of my head. This book helped.
March 6, 2014
heheheheh - a comb-over for Julius.
NEW BBC Radio Audiobiography
The Romans regarded her as 'fatale monstrum', a female Saddam Hussein. Pascal said the shape of her nose changed the history of the world. Shakespeare and Tiepolo (and Elizabeth Taylor) portrayed her as an icon of tragic beauty. But who was Cleopatra, really? She was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty of Ptolemies who had ruled Egypt for three centuries. Highly educated (she was the only one of the Ptolemies to read and speak ancient Egyptian as well as the court Greek) and very clever (her famous liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were as much to do with politics as the heart), she steered her kingdom through impossibly taxing internal problems and against greedy Roman imperialism. Stripping away our preconceptions, many of them as old as her Roman enemies, Joyce Tyldesley uses all her skills as an Egyptologist to give us a rich picture of a country and its Egyptian queen in this magnificent biography.
Read by Haydn Gwynne.
NEW BBC Radio Audiobiography
The Romans regarded her as 'fatale monstrum', a female Saddam Hussein. Pascal said the shape of her nose changed the history of the world. Shakespeare and Tiepolo (and Elizabeth Taylor) portrayed her as an icon of tragic beauty. But who was Cleopatra, really? She was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty of Ptolemies who had ruled Egypt for three centuries. Highly educated (she was the only one of the Ptolemies to read and speak ancient Egyptian as well as the court Greek) and very clever (her famous liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were as much to do with politics as the heart), she steered her kingdom through impossibly taxing internal problems and against greedy Roman imperialism. Stripping away our preconceptions, many of them as old as her Roman enemies, Joyce Tyldesley uses all her skills as an Egyptologist to give us a rich picture of a country and its Egyptian queen in this magnificent biography.
Read by Haydn Gwynne.
November 18, 2015
This book wasn't bad, it was just more like reading a text book! It was also sometimes hard to follow as the author continued to go back and forth and back forth on the dynastic heritage and the different theories!
At one point I simply continued to read because I kept hoping it would get better.
Maybe in a college course, as a professors text and overview this would be wonderful but not as an at home reAd.
I didn't feel like I learned much about Cleopatra, other than the fact that the author is pretty convinced Rome hated her and she was ugly and not beautiful. Maybe the author was denied the opportunity to write a text book and chose to take the route of a novel
At one point I simply continued to read because I kept hoping it would get better.
Maybe in a college course, as a professors text and overview this would be wonderful but not as an at home reAd.
I didn't feel like I learned much about Cleopatra, other than the fact that the author is pretty convinced Rome hated her and she was ugly and not beautiful. Maybe the author was denied the opportunity to write a text book and chose to take the route of a novel
July 6, 2012
I had no idea Cleopatra had four children. Interesting to read how Romans made the details of her life into useful propaganda for their own interests. Quite a bit of the author's accounts of Egyptian women's lives and the mixed ethnic groups in Egypt during the late Ptolemy period were new to me.
August 9, 2018
This is a biography of Cleopatra VII so I was disappointed to find that this book focused more on the events and people surrounding Cleopatra VII instead of being mainly focused on Cleopatra VII herself.
July 21, 2020
It was interesting, but not much about Cleopatra because there are so few sources that detail her life. Most of it was about Egyptian mythology, changes in cults, and Ptolemaic background. Wish it addressed her myth a bit more. Oh well.
August 25, 2025
Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt by Joyce Tyldesley
Cleopatra comes across as a dazzling, smart, valiant, dedicated, resolute, obstinate and a role model in many respects
Cleopatra is one of the best known women in the world.
I mean the name rings a bell for, I venture to speculate – one in four people and that is probably more than almost any other woman in history.
There would be Joan of Arc…
Here I stopped and checked the internet to see if I am right.
And I am.
Cleopatra rests at number nine, but all the others have become famous in much more recent history, not to mention present.
Oprah Winfrey is still alive and kicking with Madonna at number two and then a few who have just passed away:
- Rosa Parks, Anne Frank, Marilyn Monroe, Mother Theresa and a few more…
Cleopatra is a disputed figure among two camps of experts who attribute either an African or a European ancestry to the great queen.
She might have been black, but there are also arguments in favor of a Macedonian ancestry, the dynasty of the Ptolemy.
The supposedly gorgeous brunette was not just well educated, but from what historians record she had an exceptional upbringing
She could convers with various foreign guests in their respective tongues, be they Arabs, or even troglodytes- if I did not misheard that last group.
I must note that the version I heard was a BBC production that has been adapted and abridged for the radio.
The relationship with Cesar was controversial in the Roman world and even if a son may have resulted, the emperor did not recognize him/
Cesar is presented as vain, twenty years older and keen to have his statues with hair, even if he was already balding.
The will he made did not mention the son born to the queen of Egypt, but that might have been just the Roman law.
Roman citizens could not give away property to foreigners, but then Cesar did not say anything about his natural son.
It was not well regarded that at one point it looked like he was the parent of the heirs to the throne of both Egypt and Rome.
After the well-known assassination of Caesar, a triumvirate followed and relations between Antony and Octavian were tense.
Although Marc Antony marries the sister of Octavian, he maintains a relationship with Cleopatra and they have three children.
According to different sources, at least in the first period of their intimacy Antony was not very interested in the Egyptian queen.
Her bad reputation is false, as she had only the two famous lovers- Caesar and Marc Antony and no other.
As the friction between Marc Anthony grew until a war broke out, the armies of the two rivals clashed.
Octavian won and the defeated Antony got word that Cleopatra has committed suicide and so he asks his slave, Eros to kill him.
The latter stabs himself rather than raise a hand at his master and so the cornered leader takes a knife and stabs himself in the stomach.
Then news arrive that Cleopatra has not committed suicide after all and she is barricaded with her treasure.
I will avoid the details, not for any worry of a spoiler alert for we all know what happened even if the specifics are unexpected.
Cleopatra comes across as a dazzling, smart, valiant, dedicated, resolute, obstinate and a role model in many respects, even if the Romans called her
- “fatale monstrum”
Cleopatra comes across as a dazzling, smart, valiant, dedicated, resolute, obstinate and a role model in many respects
Cleopatra is one of the best known women in the world.
I mean the name rings a bell for, I venture to speculate – one in four people and that is probably more than almost any other woman in history.
There would be Joan of Arc…
Here I stopped and checked the internet to see if I am right.
And I am.
Cleopatra rests at number nine, but all the others have become famous in much more recent history, not to mention present.
Oprah Winfrey is still alive and kicking with Madonna at number two and then a few who have just passed away:
- Rosa Parks, Anne Frank, Marilyn Monroe, Mother Theresa and a few more…
Cleopatra is a disputed figure among two camps of experts who attribute either an African or a European ancestry to the great queen.
She might have been black, but there are also arguments in favor of a Macedonian ancestry, the dynasty of the Ptolemy.
The supposedly gorgeous brunette was not just well educated, but from what historians record she had an exceptional upbringing
She could convers with various foreign guests in their respective tongues, be they Arabs, or even troglodytes- if I did not misheard that last group.
I must note that the version I heard was a BBC production that has been adapted and abridged for the radio.
The relationship with Cesar was controversial in the Roman world and even if a son may have resulted, the emperor did not recognize him/
Cesar is presented as vain, twenty years older and keen to have his statues with hair, even if he was already balding.
The will he made did not mention the son born to the queen of Egypt, but that might have been just the Roman law.
Roman citizens could not give away property to foreigners, but then Cesar did not say anything about his natural son.
It was not well regarded that at one point it looked like he was the parent of the heirs to the throne of both Egypt and Rome.
After the well-known assassination of Caesar, a triumvirate followed and relations between Antony and Octavian were tense.
Although Marc Antony marries the sister of Octavian, he maintains a relationship with Cleopatra and they have three children.
According to different sources, at least in the first period of their intimacy Antony was not very interested in the Egyptian queen.
Her bad reputation is false, as she had only the two famous lovers- Caesar and Marc Antony and no other.
As the friction between Marc Anthony grew until a war broke out, the armies of the two rivals clashed.
Octavian won and the defeated Antony got word that Cleopatra has committed suicide and so he asks his slave, Eros to kill him.
The latter stabs himself rather than raise a hand at his master and so the cornered leader takes a knife and stabs himself in the stomach.
Then news arrive that Cleopatra has not committed suicide after all and she is barricaded with her treasure.
I will avoid the details, not for any worry of a spoiler alert for we all know what happened even if the specifics are unexpected.
Cleopatra comes across as a dazzling, smart, valiant, dedicated, resolute, obstinate and a role model in many respects, even if the Romans called her
- “fatale monstrum”
March 18, 2023
Which is more of a historian's worst nightmare: 1) creating a biography of a two millennium-old legendary figure using limited, ideally unbiased, primary sources or 2) attempting to reset the public perception of said subject built up through centuries of various media projects, and replacing their image with a more accurate representation that is not nearly as entertaining as what we have been repeatedly presented with. This is exactly the conundrum that Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley finds herself in with this undertaking of writing a fresh biography of Cleopatra by giving her back some agency and humanity. Not only does she have her work cut out for her in terms of primary sources, but Tyldesley also feels the need to fill her readers in on countless backstories to the time of Cleopatra VII, who was truly the last Queen of Egypt when her reign ended in 30 BC and Egypt was annexed by the Roman Empire. With Cleopatra only having so many verified storylines and much of this book being devoted to the AGE of Cleopatra and her dynastic line rather than truly about her life, this book's methodology limited its potential and the finished product from the outset.
July 30, 2024
In the wise words of the great Emma D'Arcy, too many men. I FULLY understand that in order to tell the full history, rise and fall of Cleopatra you have to include all of the figures who lead to her being queen -- but there is an overwhelming amount of subservient women with powerful, senseless, philandering men! Don't get me wrong, women showed their power and strength in this time of history, I just wish they had a stronger voice that wasn't left out of history.
I think the hardest part of retelling the story and history of Cleopatra is that so many people had different opinions and views of her. We don't have much of her own voice or POV documented to know how she really was. Hands down, she will always be a part of history that fascinates me and makes me want to know all I can about Egypt. She was smart, charismatic, strategic, cunning and loyal to the people. She knew what she wanted and how to get it.
Regarding the book specifically, it was so hard to follow who was who -- would have loved if that part of the book was in the beginning so it set you up for being able to follow all of the specific people throughout history. Would recommend.
I think the hardest part of retelling the story and history of Cleopatra is that so many people had different opinions and views of her. We don't have much of her own voice or POV documented to know how she really was. Hands down, she will always be a part of history that fascinates me and makes me want to know all I can about Egypt. She was smart, charismatic, strategic, cunning and loyal to the people. She knew what she wanted and how to get it.
Regarding the book specifically, it was so hard to follow who was who -- would have loved if that part of the book was in the beginning so it set you up for being able to follow all of the specific people throughout history. Would recommend.
April 26, 2019
Queen Cleopatra, or to be more exact, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, was one of the most enigmatic figure in classical world. An astute politician on her own right, the relentless propaganda reduced her into an exotic seducer who managed to seduce Caesar and domineer over Marc Antony, culminated in her portrayal by Elizabeth Taylor. Throughout the book, we follow the treacherous political maneuvering, both by the Ptolemaic dynasty members (who are uniformly, and confusingly named Ptolemy, Cleopatra, Arsinoe and Berenice), and the Romans, who were keen to capture the riches of Egypt like the Ptolemaics used to. Many aspects of ancient Greco-Egyptian life is also discussed, such as the practice of egyptian royals’ incestuous marriage practice adopted by the Ptolemaics, the cults and royal association with gods, the uneasy relationship between Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, and so on. The book also put one interesting question which probably has not been answered concretely until now: was Cleopatra a european, or an african?
December 7, 2020
Peripheral information abounds with many references to 'interpreted' details surrounding the life and times of Cleopatra.
There is more of Hollywood than of history when it comes to works related to Cleopatra. Fact is predominately overshadowed and swallowed up by fiction, tales take over truth, and, of course, reality is recorded over by the reels of movie film. The chapter "Who Was Who" may be the cream of crop for some. Others may find additional research into the actual original-source historian works the route to pursue. This work can still be of interest for those who enjoy some historical facts laced with the speculative - Sort at your own leisure.
CLEOPATRA by Georg Ebers AND CLEOPATRA by H. Rider Haggard may also be of interest for the devotees of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt.
There is more of Hollywood than of history when it comes to works related to Cleopatra. Fact is predominately overshadowed and swallowed up by fiction, tales take over truth, and, of course, reality is recorded over by the reels of movie film. The chapter "Who Was Who" may be the cream of crop for some. Others may find additional research into the actual original-source historian works the route to pursue. This work can still be of interest for those who enjoy some historical facts laced with the speculative - Sort at your own leisure.
CLEOPATRA by Georg Ebers AND CLEOPATRA by H. Rider Haggard may also be of interest for the devotees of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt.
October 17, 2025
An amazing and captivating book that brings Cleopatra to life in all her complexity. From her childhood to her death, Tyldesley paints a vivid portrait of a brilliant, intelligent, and politically astute woman. I felt as though I was walking alongside Cleopatra, learning not only the major events of her life but also the small details that made her human, her ambitions, her fears, and her strategies.
The writing is clear, engaging, and well-researched, making history feel alive rather than distant. This book gave me a deeper understanding of Cleopatra not just as a legendary figure, but as a real person navigating a dangerous and fascinating world. A truly memorable read.
The writing is clear, engaging, and well-researched, making history feel alive rather than distant. This book gave me a deeper understanding of Cleopatra not just as a legendary figure, but as a real person navigating a dangerous and fascinating world. A truly memorable read.
November 8, 2025
An enlightening read that opened my eyes to the legend I thought I knew. It was interesting how one Ptolemy after another were prepared to kill members of their family to stay on the throne, and how they married direct members of their family, too. I also never realised that Cleopatra bore children to both Caesar and Mark Antony.
What I did find scary, but shouldn't have, is how history has been tainted so much by cultural and political prejudice. Even worse how Octavian even destroyed documents to promote his own agenda. It wasn't that it happened two thousand years ago. But it reminded me of Orwell's 1984, and what is happening today in the US, and here in Britain to some extent.
Primary documents, statues and books need to be kept so future generations can make their own interpretations rather than make destroy those that don't align with the agenda of the power of the day.
What I did find scary, but shouldn't have, is how history has been tainted so much by cultural and political prejudice. Even worse how Octavian even destroyed documents to promote his own agenda. It wasn't that it happened two thousand years ago. But it reminded me of Orwell's 1984, and what is happening today in the US, and here in Britain to some extent.
Primary documents, statues and books need to be kept so future generations can make their own interpretations rather than make destroy those that don't align with the agenda of the power of the day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
The book is overall interesting and helps wrapping your head around who Cleopatra actually was. However, significantly less verified facts and information about her exist than her fame would suggest and this is reflected in the book.
Half the book (~100 pages) is about Cleopatra’s life and the other half provides context on her environment notably familial, political, religious and social. The latter is mostly relevant materials but on occasions its inclusion seems intended to merely occupy space.
Half the book (~100 pages) is about Cleopatra’s life and the other half provides context on her environment notably familial, political, religious and social. The latter is mostly relevant materials but on occasions its inclusion seems intended to merely occupy space.
January 15, 2018
Very informative and full of great details, descriptions and illustrations. However, it is a bit dry, written like a history text book from the archaeologist point of view. If you do not love Egyptology and/or Ancient Rome, this would be a very difficult book to read, let alone finish. I love Egyptology, Ancient Rome and Women in Antiquity yet this was a challenging read for me. However, it was my first archaeological book.
June 16, 2022
A very well written book about Queen Cleopatra VII that appropriately focuses on her role in the Egyptian/Hellenistic world she ruled, instead of solely her life as a Roman mistress. Despite being a pop-culture icon today, we know very little about Cleopatra and I like that this book has no qualms with acknowledging the many gaps in our knowledge. All in all, this is a very refreshing, well rounded look at this powerful queen.
June 13, 2023
Part of my rating is because I cannot believe that everything I thought I knew about cleopatra turned out to be made up. I was so shocked to learn that. This novel wasn’t impossible to follow but it was definitely challenging. So many people, so many pronunciations, and overall just not super interesting after the first 100 pages. But I finished it and learned something I didn’t know before so that’s something
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