Cleopatra: Power, Politics & Myth-Making - with Natasha Solomons
Classical Wisdom Speaks
How much of what we think we know about Cleopatra comes from history?
And how much was created by Roman propaganda, Shakespeare, and centuries of storytelling?
In this fascinating episode of Classical Wisdom Speaks, host Anya Leonard speaks with international bestselling author Natasha Solomons about her novel I Am Cleopatra, the extraordinary life of Egypt's last pharaoh, and the challenge of separating the historical Cleopatra from the myths that surround her.
For more than 2,000 years, Cleopatra VII has captivated historians, writers, artists and audiences. Yet her story is so often told through the men in her life.
But who was Cleopatra beyond these famous relationships?
Natasha explains how rereading Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra inspired her to imagine a different version of the Egyptian queen: not simply a romantic heroine, but a formidable ruler, a shrewd political strategist and a woman navigating extraordinary dangers.
Together, Anya and Natasha explore the fascinating intersection of ancient Egyptian history, Roman politics, historical fiction and mythology.
They discuss how Cleopatra cultivated her image as the goddess Isis, used language and religion to appeal to her Egyptian subjects, and maneuvered between the competing worlds of Alexandria and Rome.
But they also examine a more intimate side of Cleopatra.
What was it like to be a woman wielding power in the ancient world? How did motherhood, personal vulnerability and the physical realities of women's lives influence the choices available to a queen?
From Shakespeare and Plutarch to the Library of Alexandria, Cleopatra's relationships with Caesar and Antony, and the enduring mystery of her death, this conversation reveals why Cleopatra continues to fascinate us.
Can we ever discover the real Cleopatra... Or does every generation create the Cleopatra it needs?
Key Topics:
Who was the real Cleopatra VII?
Cleopatra: history versus myth
Natasha Solomons and I Am Cleopatra
Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra
Why Cleopatra remains fascinating today
Roman propaganda and Augustus
Cleopatra's intelligence, charm and political power
Julius Caesar and Cleopatra's relationship
Mark Antony: romance or political alliance?
Cleopatra and the Egyptian goddess Isis
Ancient Egypt, Alexandria and the Ptolemaic dynasty
How Cleopatra used religion and public image
Women, power and vulnerability in antiquity
Cleopatra's children and motherhood
Plutarch and the ancient historical sources
The Library of Alexandria
Reimagining ancient history through fiction
Cleopatra's death and lasting legacy
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Who was the real Cleopatra?
00:21 Introducing Natasha Solomons
01:31 Shakespeare's Cleopatra
03:53 Researching ancient history
07:17 Cleopatra: history vs. myth
09:14 Cleopatra's legendary charm
10:57 Roman propaganda and Augustus
12:25 Cleopatra and the goddess Isis
14:21 Can we know the real Cleopatra?
17:10 Cleopatra and her children
19:13 Women and power in antiquity
23:35 Everyday life in ancient Egypt
25:23 Secrets of ancient Alexandria
27:30 Cleopatra between Egypt and Rome
30:01 Julius Caesar and Cleopatra
34:07 Mark Antony: love or politics?
39:01 Alexandria's lost history
43:00 Cleopatra's death and legacy
What makes Cleopatra's story so compelling is that she was not merely a character in someone else's history. She was a ruler who actively shaped her own image, even as her enemies and later storytellers reshaped it for their own purposes.
Was Cleopatra primarily a brilliant politician, a romantic heroine, or something far more complicated?
And do you think historical fiction can bring us closer to understanding the ancient world?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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👉 Buy Natasha Solomons' book 'I Am Cleopatra': https://www.amazon.com/Am-Cleopatra-Novel-Natasha-Solomons/dp/0063449757
About Natasha Solomons
Natasha Solomons is an international bestselling novelist and the author of I Am Cleopatra, a historical novel that reimagines the life of Egypt's legendary queen.
In this conversation, she discusses her research, her approach to historical fiction, and her fascination with the women whose stories have so often been told through the perspectives of powerful men.