Cleopatra: A Life

Cleopatra (circa 69 BC-30 BC) belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, and is famous as its last independent ruler before Egypt’s official annexation as a province of the Roman Empire. In Cleopatra, Schiff argues that Cleopatra has been a largely misunderstood historical figure and offers a new interpretation of the Egyptian queen.

Schiff makes frequent references to the biases of the historical record, as most surviving primary accounts of Cleopatra were written by her Roman enemies. In doing so, she frequently spotlights The Construction and Deconstruction of Historical Myths in discussing how Cleopatra was perceived both during her lifetime and posthumously. Most famously, Octavian used her to justify his aggression toward Mark Antony, going so far as to declare war on her, with Cleopatra often presented as a sorceress or a scheming seductress in Roman propaganda. Schiff asserts that this derogatory portrait has continued to shape conceptions of Cleopatra ever since.  

Schiff, in contrast, presents Cleopatra in a more serious light. The popular image of Cleopatra assumes that she was a beautiful and stereotypical femme fatale, but Schiff instead emphasizes her erudition, deep rhetorical talents, her charisma, and her capabilities as a leader.