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Intaglio with a portrait of Cleopatra VII 1st century BC
Length: 1.300 cm
GR 1923.4-1.676 (Gem 3085)
Greece and Rome
A Queens Tour
Cleopatra VII
This glass gem shows Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Egypt. She had love affairs and children with two Roman generals, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Unfortunately Caesar was murdered. Cleopatra tried to build up Egypt's empire with Antony's help, but they were beaten in battle and they both killed themselves. It is said that Cleopatra did this by holding a poisonous snake to her breast.
For parents
Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemaic dynasty, the Greek line of rulers of Egypt. Initially she followed tradition by marrying her brother, Ptolemy XIII, when she was only 18 and her brother 10 years old. However, power struggles meant that they fought each other almost constantly. On this gem Cleopatra is dressed in the usual Greek style with a broad band of cloth (diadem) that signified royalty, and three Egyptian royal cobras above her head.