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Discover the Top 14 Fun Facts About Cleopatra: Unveiling the Mysteries of Egypt's Last Pharaoh

illustration of cleopatra
Dive into the intriguing world of the legendary Egyptian queen as we unravel fascinating fun facts about Cleopatra that might just make history class a whole lot more interesting!

1. Snakes as Pets

Snakes on a throne: the original queen of slither, Cleopatra, didn't just enjoy snake accessories and drama — she actually believed she was the incarnation of the goddess Isis and kept royal pythons in her palace as pets, possibly even naming them after herself, proving both her appreciation for fabulous reptile fashion and her fierce maternal instincts.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

2. Carpet Seduction Myth

Rumor has it that Cleopatra rolled into Julius Caesar's life like a tightly wrapped burrito of seduction, but don't let this ancient game of "hide and go sweep" fool you: There's absolutely no historical evidence to support the idea that she smuggled herself into Caesar's presence wrapped in a carpet. While Cleopatra indeed used her charms and smarts to woo the Roman leader, this Netflix-worthy scene is simply a myth, with primary sources like Plutarch's Life of Antony remaining mum on this juicy nugget of gossip.
Source => simple.wikipedia.org

3. Cleopatra's Hair Hacks

Talk about a mane event! Cleopatra was whipping up ancient hair hacks better than any modern-day DIY guru you'd find on YouTube: Queen Cleopatra VII was not only a scholar, but also an authority in cosmetics, as she innovated the formulation of a hair-restoring cream that would later pique the interest of renowned physician Galen. Regrettably, her works on cosmetics vanished with the Library of Alexandria in widespread flames.
Source => egypttoday.com

4. Poisonous Death Theory

While Cleopatra may have been the queen of denial, she certainly didn't take the hiss-terical route towards her final destiny: In fact, historians now posit that she may have died from poisoning, likely by ingesting a lethal concoction or applying toxic substances to her skin, rather than the infamous asp bite she's been widely credited with.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Poisoning Prisoners

5. Poisoning Prisoners

When Cleopatra wasn't crushing the hearts of powerful men, she spent her time crushing the spirits of convicted prisoners like a mad scientist at a lab party: Cleopatra would test various poisons on condemned prisoners to find the most effective and painless one she could keep for a possible suicide, a morbid hobby immortalized in Cabanel's painting "Cleopatra testing poison on condemned prisoners" and still capturing the fascination of artists and filmmakers today.
Source => arthive.com

6. Pearl Salad Dressing

Cleopatra's idea of fancy salad dressing? Just dip a pearl in your vinegar, darling: Turns out that the infamous story of Cleopatra dissolving a pearl in vinegar to win a bet with Antony may hold some truth, as the acetic acid concentration in wine vinegar was potentially ideal for consumption, and Cleopatra believed that vinegar would help maintain her youthful complexion.
Source => jstor.org

7. Toddler Pharaoh Airways

Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a journey aboard "Toddler Pharaoh Airways": At just three years old, Cleopatra's son Caesarion was named co-ruler without any real power but was eventually declared a god, "King of Kings," and set on a path which led to his execution by Augustus.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Sibling Throne Drama

When sibling rivalry took a royal spin: Cleopatra, in a charismatic display of sisterly-brotherly love, partnered with her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII – until things went sour, leading her to call for backup from her buddy Julius Caesar to kick her brother off the throne and reclaim her power in Egypt.
Source => medium.com

9. Goddess Cleopatra Cult

Cleopatra - part goddess, part vixen, and definitely not interested in sharing her toothbrush with any commoners: She was believed to be a goddess from birth, often identified with Isis, and even had a cult formed in her honor, venerating her as a goddess queen for over five centuries after her death.
Source => femminaclassica.com

The Asp or Love Triangle?

10. The Asp or Love Triangle?

Did Cleopatra hatch an "asp-irational" exit strategy or just get caught in a venomous love triangle? The truth bites: Popular belief attributes her death to the bite of an asp, but ancient accounts and modern scholars have multiple theories—from toxic ointment or sharp objects to her political rival Octavian forcing her to choose her own suicidal fate.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Cleopatra V's Mystery

Who's your daddy? Cleopatra V's lineage is as mysterious as a soap opera plot twist: This enigmatic Ptolemaic queen might have been the daughter of Ptolemy IX or Ptolemy X, and although some think she could be Cleopatra VII's mama, it's still up for debate.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Multilingual Cleopatra

While Cleopatra dazzled ancient folks with her version of "I'm not just a pretty face": She was a bona fide language whiz, mastering a whopping 12 tongues including Egyptian, Greek, and Latin, and showcasing serious smarts in subjects like science, mathematics, philosophy, and arts, though she didn't have a floating palace, despite the juicy myths.
Source => ultimatesuccesspuzzle.com

13. Sugar Paste Hair Removal

Before the Kardashians ever set foot in a waxing salon, Cleopatra was rocking the smoothest legs in ancient Egypt: Her secret sugar paste concoction, made of sugar, aloe vera gel, and calendula flower, gently removed hairs as short as 2mm from the roots, and is now an award-winning organic, cruelty-free, and Halal-certified formula known as INTIMATE-EPIL Sugar Paste.
Source => sallybeauty.com

14. Bilingual Party Queen

Who needs Rosetta Stone when you have Cleopatra: the ultimate bilingual queen and party-starter of Ancient Egypt? As the last pharaoh and the only one who spoke Egyptian, Cleopatra embraced her inner Egyptian goddess vibes, adopting the title of "New Isis" and ruling motherhood and fertility like a boss.
Source => theconversation.com

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