Author: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography
Publisher: Basic Books
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 353
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The definitive story of the seven Cleopatras, the powerful goddess-queens of ancient Egypt.
One of history’s most iconic figures, Cleopatra is rightly remembered as a clever and charismatic ruler. But few today realize that she was the last in a long line of Egyptian queens who bore that name.
In The Cleopatras, historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones tells the dramatic story of these seven incomparable women, vividly recapturing the lost world of Hellenistic Egypt and tracing the kingdom’s final centuries before its fall to Rome. The Cleopatras were Greek-speaking descendants of Ptolemy, the general who conquered Egypt alongside Alexander the Great. They were closely related as mothers, daughters, sisters, half-sisters, and nieces. Each wielded absolute power, easily overshadowing their husbands or sons, and all proved to be shrewd and capable leaders. Styling themselves as goddess-queens, the Cleopatras ruled through the canny deployment of arcane rituals, opulent spectacles, and unparalleled wealth. They navigated political turmoil and court intrigues, led armies into battle and commanded fleets of ships, and ruthlessly dispatched their dynastic rivals.
The Cleopatras is a fascinating and richly textured biography of seven extraordinary women, restoring these queens to their deserved place among history’s greatest rulers.
My Review: Cleopatra was the most famous queen in Egyptian history. However, she was the seventh Cleopatra to have that name. This book tells the story of the seven of the Cleopatras in Ptolemaic Egypt. Even though they were the last queens of Egypt, they were the most powerful. They were able to rule as kings and even led armies into battle. Cleopatra VII emulated her powerful female ancestors and used their stories to form her own queenship.
I have read many biographies of Queen Cleopatra VII. So, I knew the gist about the previous Ptolemaic Cleopatras. This biography goes further in depth. It begins with Cleopatra I. She was a Seleucid princess who married into the Ptolemaic dynasty. She would rule as regent for son, Ptolemy VI. Cleopatra II was one of my favorite Cleopatras. She ruled alongside her two brothers and briefly ruled as queen regnant. I also like her daughter, Cleopatra III. She was originally an obedient royal consort. When her husband died and her sons became kings, Cleopatra III ruled like an Egyptian king. I felt sorry for Cleopatra V Berenice III because she was queen regnant for a year, but was murdered by her nephew. Cleopatra VI was the mother of Cleopatra VII, but there is very little information on her. She briefly co-reigned with her daughter, Berenice IV. There was just a basic outline of Cleopatra VII because there has already been a lot of material on her. However, this book did dispel many myths that surrounded the famous Cleopatra.
Overall, this was a very comprehensive biography of the Cleopatra Ptolemies. I thought that the book was very readable and fascinating. There were times that the author went on random tangents that did not relate to the Cleopatras. There were also some parts of the biography that I thought were drawn out. I also liked how the biography also discussed how some Ptolemaic princesses married into the Seleucid dynasty and discussed their queenship in the dynasty. The Cleopatras is an engrossing read, especially if you are a fan of Cleopatra! I recommend this for fans of Kara Cooney, Jane Draycott, and Joyce A. Tyldesley!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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