Cleopatra is one of the most famous names from classical antiquity, in use for various individuals from the Bronze Age to late Roman times, and most notable as a Hellenistic dynastic name in both the Ptolemaic and the Seleukid kingdoms. L.-J. provides a detailed survey of the Ptolemaic queens bearing the name, from Cleopatra I to Cleopatra VII, the first work in 30 years on the topic, since J. Whithorne's Cleopatras (1994).
After a brief mention of the pre-Hellenistic Cleopatras, such as the sister of Alexander the Great, the book begins in earnest with Cleopatra I, the Seleukid daughter of King Antiochos III, born at the end of the third century bce and who was notable for her marriage to Ptolemy V of Egypt. The wedding at Raphia on the Ptolemaic-Levantine border was a major event of the early second century bce and brought the name Cleopatra into the Ptolemaic dynasty, where it would remain into the first century ce. From Cleopatra I, known as ‘Syra’ because of her Syrian origins, a solid line of Cleopatras descended, mother to daughter, until at least Cleopatra VI in the early first century bce. There were also a number of Cleopatras outside the ruling line; many of these are discussed by L.-J. The lineage of direct descent was probably broken between Cleopatra VI and VII (the famous one), but continued beyond her for another generation.
The daughter of Cleopatra I, Cleopatra II, married her brothers Ptolemy VI and VIII (perhaps an excessive example of royal incest, which was now a Ptolemaic tradition). Her daughter, Cleopatra III, married her uncle, Ptolemy VIII; the daughter of that couple, Cleopatra IV, eventually produced Cleopatra V, followed by her daughter, Cleopatra VI.
At this point, early in the first century bce, the line going back to Cleopatra I seems to have been broken. L.-J. assumes that the famous Cleopatra VII was the daughter of Cleopatra VI; her father (Ptolemy XII) is not in dispute, but oddly L.-J. seems to ignore the statements by Strabo (17.1.11) and Pausanias (1.9.3), which point out that Cleopatra VII was illegitimate. This would mean that, unlike her siblings, she was not the daughter of Cleopatra VI. Given the fact that the issue of the mother of Cleopatra VII has today become mired in controversy, it is strange to find it ignored.
L.-J. has chosen to end the book with the death of Cleopatra VII in August 30 bce and not to include the career of her daughter, Cleopatra Selene, queen of Mauretania, who saw herself as the legitimate ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and created an Alexandria-in-exile at her capital of Mauretanian Caesarea, importing Egyptian art and culture to her new city. One can certainly argue that Cleopatra Selene had no legal title to rule in Egypt, but she thought otherwise.
There are many virtues to the work. It is written in a smooth elegant style enjoyable to read, although much of the coloration, such as the details of the wedding of Cleopatra I or her progression through Alexandria, seem more novelistic than factual. L.-J. is to be commended for the skilful integration of the fortunes of the Ptolemaic and Seleukid dynasties; previous studies, such as E. Bevan's The House of Seleucus (1902) or G. Hölbl's Geschichte des Ptolemäerreiches (1994), have tended to focus on one dynasty at the expense of the other. This tends to be without full realisation that from the beginning of the second century bce to the end of the Seleukids in the 60s bce the two kingdoms were totally intertwined and the fortunes of one largely depended on those of the other.
Another strength of the book is the unusually clear genealogical charts. As is well known, visual depiction of the genealogies of the Hellenistic dynasties can be a tangle, but rather than relying on a single and largely incomprehensible Ptolemaic chart, each of the seven queens has her own; these interlock with one another in such a way as to be a model of clarity.
There are other features that make the book particularly useful. A clear outline of onomastic issues is provided, especially regarding the surnames and numbering of the various Cleopatras. There are several good maps and a nice selection of photographs, illustrating most of the women discussed in the volume. L.-J. well stresses the importance of numismatic imagery as having certain unique features illustrating the historical context, and makes thorough use of Egyptian sources. One perhaps misses footnotes, although there is a useful section (pp. 312–33) on sources, both ancient and modern. On the other hand a discussion of Constantine Cavafy and his writings about Cleopatra VII, which runs for several pages (pp. 303–6), seems disruptive to the trajectory of the book and would be best published elsewhere.
The Cleopatras is enjoyable and interesting, but it must be read with extreme caution, since there are a number of serious historical glitches disrupting the narrative. The Olympic games took place every four, not five years (p. 71); the author has fallen victim to the inclusive counting used in antiquity. There is confusion about the dates of the Thebaid rebellion of the early second century bce and its relationship to Cleopatra I (p. 72). The dying words of Charmian, the companion of Cleopatra VII, are misquoted: she did not refer to her as a queen but as a descendant of kings (Plutarch, Antonius 85), a striking comment about her status. But the most serious problem is the bizarre statement that Octavian took the title Augustus in remembrance of the month in which he had defeated Cleopatra (p. 301). In 30 bce the month was called Sextilis; it would not become Augustus for many years, and the title ‘Augustus’ was an old Republican honorific that had long existed.
In conclusion, this is a contradictory book. Much of it is interesting and useful, but at the same time there are problems that keep it from fulfilling its potential. The present reviewer enjoyed reading it, to be sure, but had to do so very carefully.
