Classical Studies 2902A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Cleopatra I Syra, Arsine, Ptolemy Viii Physcon
3 Oct 2017
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Cleopatra vii: sources: traditional greek and roman writers. Biographers and historians that give us info about cleopatra. Problematic because romans declared war on cleopatra so roman sources could be biased. Greek and roman authors are elite man and also could be biased and are not sympathetic to powerful women. Because of cleopatra"s presence in roman and greek history she isn"t viewed as an egyptian monarch and rather a european monarch: egyptian and african writers. Are all roman citizens so they bring the bias associated with roman authors. Slight differences between the both: early christian and moslem egyptian historians. Portray cleopatra as a different person- queens main feature is her wisdom. Cleopatra appears as a scholar rather than as a lover. She is also physician, a scientist and great politician and portrayed as a learned man and smartest one of all. Praise her rather than denigrate like the traditional writers: alternative sources: visual. Statues of cleo, reliefs, architecture, writing on stones.
