Publishers Weekly
03/25/2024
The seven Cleopatras who ruled Egypt in the final two centuries before its first-century BCE conquest by Rome wielded “supreme power,” according to this illuminating study. Historian Llewellyn-Jones (Persians) argues that, when taken out of the shadow of their last and most famous member and interpreted as a dynasty, the Cleopatras “set a new model for female power in antiquity,” redefining current understandings of women’s exercise of authority in the past. Most of them easily outmatched their many husbands (each Cleopatra was married multiple times, usually to different brothers or nephews), amassing power via intrigue and assassination, military command, and the canny development of religious rituals. Generally, the Cleopatras posed as dutiful wives and mothers—even when they plotted against their own kin—deploying femininity as yet another weapon in their arsenal. Cleopatra I Syra, a Syrian princess and wife to Ptolemy V, initiated the Cleopatra line. Over the following generations, many of the Cleopatras ruled alone or with precedence over male relatives. The royal line ended with Cleopatra VII, whose risky entanglement with Rome led to her defeat and suicide. Throughout, Llewellyn-Jones highlights the queens’ ruthless determination, framing them as women with a developed sense of gender dynamics and of patriarchy’s inequities, whose political project was often—and quite explicitly—to seize power from men. It’s an innovative take on an ancient dynasty. Illus. (May)
From the Publisher
Entertaining.”—Telegraph
“Highly readable.”—Globe and Mail
“Written in a light and engaging voice, [The Cleopatras] is an enjoyable read…does a commendable job of chronicling a dynasty of complicated women.”—Ancient History Magazine
“A fascinating look at myriad dynastic dramas that will appeal to readers who want to learn more about the ancient world. This lively recounting of an ancient Egyptian dynasty through a feminist lens is perfect for history students.”—Booklist
“Throughout, Llewellyn-Jones highlights the queens’ ruthless determination, framing them as women with a developed sense of gender dynamics and of patriarchy’s inequities, whose political project was often—and quite explicitly—to seize power from men. It’s an innovative take on an ancient dynasty.”—Publishers Weekly
“An authoritative portrait of the tempestuous but impressive Cleopatra dynasty.”—Kirkus
“A thrilling biography, filled with the imperial ambitions and merciless intrigues of one of world history's most brutal families, the Ptolemy dynasty of Egypt. Llewellyn-Jones’s book places female power at the center through its seven Queen Cleopatras, culminating in the gripping story of the last of the Cleopatras and her alliances with Caesar and Antony. A real treat for those who relish epic histories of family power.”—Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times-bestselling author of The World
“Admirably readable, written with verve and a fine feeling for the ancient context of these seven queen Cleopatras and their modern afterlives. The first six are seldom studied, but here, what we can know of them is cleverly related to the seventh, the famous Cleopatra.”—Robin Lane Fox, author of Homer and His Iliad
“We are all familiar with the sensationalized infamy of Cleopatra VII, Octavian’s propagandistic tale told and re-told for centuries in history books and on the stage and screen of a woman who imperiled her people. But there has always been far more to Cleopatra’s story. Llewellyn-Jones's The Cleopatras unlocks the fascinating history of the many queens of her era, taking the reader into the political intrigue, murderous violence, incest, and epic power struggles that marked their dynasty and examining the ways in which these queens somehow wielded power within a deeply patriarchal regime.”—Kara Cooney, author of When Women Ruled the World
“Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones has produced a vivid account of the history of Egypt under Greek rule. Without sensationalizing, he brings the Cleopatras and their dynasty, the Ptolemies, to life, in all their splendor, power, intrigue, incest, debauchery, and ultimate annihilation.”—Aidan Dodson, author of Nefertiti, Queen and Pharaoh of Egypt
“A fascinating and beautifully written look into the complex lives of not one but seven Cleopatras: the ruthless and determined queens who acted as the power brokers of Egypt's Ptolemaic dynasty.”—Joyce Tyldesley, author of Cleopatra
Kirkus Reviews
2024-02-02
A new look at the legendary queen and her equally legendary family.
The iconic female figure of the ancient world, Queen Cleopatra has caught the attention of luminaries from Plutarch to Shakespeare to Elizabeth Taylor, as well as a steady stream of biographers, but even history buffs may be surprised to learn that there were seven Egyptian queens with that name. Llewellyn-Jones, the chair in ancient history at Cardiff University and author of Persians, reminds readers that upon the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., his massive conquests broke up into three parts: Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire, and Egypt, each ruled by a former Alexandrine general. Ptolemy I Soter and his successors ruled Egypt. The author passes quickly over the first century of what is now known as the Hellenistic era until 192 B.C. when the Seleucid emperor sent his daughter to marry Ptolemy V of Egypt to seal a diplomatic agreement. She became Cleopatra I and gave birth to Cleopatra II, ancestor of the remaining Cleopatras, all of whom married Ptolemies. Llewellyn-Jones agrees that the last Cleopatra deserves her prominence, but her predecessors were no slouches. He adds that the 150 years after 192 was a golden age for royal women in Egypt, when queens transcended traditional gender roles. Readers seeking to learn about Hellenistic people and culture will have chosen the wrong book. This is traditional great-men-and-politics history, although one in which the great men’s wives were as powerful as—and often more competent than—their husbands. Generous with family trees, Llewellyn-Jones works hard and often successfully to distinguish between a plethora of Cleopatras and Ptolemies and a dizzying series of wars, intrigues, and deadly family quarrels that ended only when Rome, always a looming power, took over in 30 B.C.
An authoritative portrait of the tempestuous but impressive Cleopatra dynasty.
