Episode 1217
In this episode, we unravel the complex life of Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, the last active Hellenistic pharaoh of Egypt. Far more than the seductress of Roman legend, we explore Cleopatra as a scholar, naval commander, and the only Ptolemaic ruler known to have learned the native Egyptian language.
Join us as we examine the pivotal moments that shaped the ancient world:
• A Dynasty in Decline: Cleopatra’s Macedonian Greek ancestry and the civil war against her brother, Ptolemy XIII, which forced her into a brief exile before regaining the throne.
• Rome’s Power Brokers: Her strategic personal and political alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, utilized to secure her kingdom and produce heirs like Caesarion.
• The Queen of Kings: The "Donations of Alexandria," a bold political maneuver in which she and Antony distributed territories to their children, declaring them rulers over Armenia, Media, and Syria.
• The War of Propaganda: How Octavian (later Augustus) turned the Roman Senate against Antony, leading to the decisive naval defeat at the Battle of Actium.
• The End of an Era: The invasion of Egypt in 30 BC, the suicides of Antony and Cleopatra, and the execution of Caesarion, events that marked the final end of the Hellenistic period.
Tune in to separate the history from the myth regarding one of antiquity's most famous monarchs.
Published on 2 days, 17 hours ago
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