19 - Cleopatra: The Inimitable Liver

Cleopatra VII is one of the most famous figures in popular culture and one of the world's most ancient sex symbols. She’s frequently painted as a seductress and an accessory to the Roman generals in her life, Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. But we often neglect Cleopatra’s legacy as a politician and commander in her own right. She was Egypt’s last independent ruler, and spent the latter part of her life unavailingly trying to keep her Kingdom out of Rome’s imperial clutches.

In this episode, we discuss the life and times of Cleopatra VII Philopater and her partner-in-death, Marc Antony, as well as the collision of ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, and the complicated concepts of girl power and aristocratic feminism.

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Sources: https://bit.ly/3bhoMVw