The last Pharaoh of Egypt; a living goddess, a promiscuous lover, and one of the first female leaders in human history. At least this is the story of Cleopatra that existing literature writes. However, much of Cleopatra’s identity remains shrouded in mystery and educated speculation, and will remain that way until her tomb is located. Only then can her remains and the tomb’s contents be carefully studied. Most of the information we know about Cleopatra currently is derived from secondary ancient Greek and Roman literary sources written after her death. With ongoing searches hundreds of years later, the discovery of Cleopatra’s remains has the potential to overturn the field of archeology, history, anthropology, and politics – redefining human history.
Recent news from an ongoing search for Cleopatra’s body led by head archaeologist Kathleen Martinez yielded major clues to the Egyptian queen’s resting place. In a recent lecture titled ‘Dominican Archaeological Mission in Egypt: Cleopatra; search and findings’, Dr. Martinez revealed that she and her team had discovered a tunnel in the Mediterranean Sea which may potentially lead to Cleopatra’s tomb. The general consensus amongst Egyptologists is that all fourteen Ptolemy Pharaohs are buried in the ancient city of Alexandria, now submerged in the Mediterranean Sea. Dr. Martinez and her team, however, have narrowed down options for where Cleopatra’s tomb may be located, believing it to be most likely in the Taposiris Magna temples which translates to the ‘great tomb of Osiris.’
There is a stone-sized tablet which archaeologists have termed a ‘foundation plate’, which is believed to possess key information regarding when and why the Taposiris Magna temple was built. The temple was believed to be dedicated to the goddess Isis whom Cleopatra proclaimed herself to be the reincarnation of. While the search for the foundation plate has been underway since the 1800s, Dr. Martinez has recently decided to excavate the entire temple to locate the plate. Remarkably within the temple, Martinez and her team discovered the plate which read: ‘The King of high and low Egypt Ptolemy V lives forever beloved by Isis, son of Ptolemy IV King of high and low Egypt, and his wife, Arsenoe III, both benevolent Gods, consecrated this temple to the mother Isis.’ The writing provides solid evidence that the temple was built for the goddess and that it may be her resting place.
It is a story, journalist Nina Dragicevic notes, ‘of one remarkable woman searching for another, separated by thousands of years.’ Ever since she was a child, Dr. Martinez has dreamt of being face-to-face with the Egyptian queen. She has now dedicated almost two decades of her life to finding Cleopatra. – but why is her legacy still important today?
According to the ancient Greek writer Plutarch who wrote extensively on the Roman general Mark Antony, Cleopatra’s second husband, both Antony and Cleopatra were buried inside Cleopatra’s mausoleum. Of all existing Roman literature, Plutarch provides the most extensive account of Cleopatra’s last reigning days. Plutarch writes that on the day that Augustus and his Roman forces invaded Egypt and captured Alexandria, Antony fell onto his sword and passed away in Cleopatra’s arms. Two weeks later, Cleopatra went to the mausoleum where her husband was buried and took her own life in an unknown manner. She is then rumoured to have been buried in that same mausoleum.
Most of what we know about Cleopatra is submerged in idealistic depictions in popular culture and modern media. Cleopatra’s fascinating mythology has since captured the imaginations of everyone from Shakespeare to Hollywood. Like many of history’s most influential women, her story is deeply ingrained in male-dominated narratives where her physical needs are portrayed to dictate her political decisions. Her historical account has been buried and framed to suit modern-day depictions and consistencies with what categorizes a ‘leading woman’ in history. Accounts of Cleopatra depict her reign as intrinsically linked to her female body, stereotyping her in typically chauvinistic female roles such as a seductress or sorceress. According to many, she possessed ‘female powers’ which allowed her to rule the numerous men she was involved with throughout her life.
Furthermore, a quick Google search into the Egyptian queen’s legacy yields results not pertaining to her academic and political accomplishments, but to the degree to which she was ‘beautiful.’ While being accounted for in numerous bibliographies, testaments, and history books, it becomes unfortunately evident that a woman’s superficial traits will much too often come before their intellect, even after death. Astoundingly, Roman historian Ronald Syme wrote that ‘Cleopatra was of no moment whatsoever in the policy of Caesar the Dictator, but merely a brief chapter in his amours.’ Syme downplays Cleopatra’s role by characterizing her merely as a fleeting romantic interest of Caesar rather than a significant political figure in her own right. Unfortunately, despite being one of the most famous women from classical antiquity, her literary accounts remain sparse due to the tendency of past historians to leave women out of the historical landscape.
Above all, Cleopatra was a powerful woman who idolized other powerful women and conducted her political affairs separate from any sexual ones. Rather than being remembered for seductress powers or as an icon of beauty, it is not an overstatement to note that her accomplishments during her reign have led to much of the knowledge we have now. Cleopatra was an accomplished diplomat, naval commander, administrator, linguist, and author who, as Duane Roller writes: ‘skillfully managed her kingdom in the face of a deteriorating political situation and increasing Roman involvement.’ As Dr. Martinez notes, ‘every time we see a professional woman – such as a doctor, a scientist or a philosopher – we should think of her.’ Cleopatra was the only woman in all of classical antiquity to rule independently and by her own will; not merely as a successor to a dead husband.
Cleopatra was a spectacle in her life and continues to be one after her death. With recent groundbreaking discoveries regarding her burial place, it is natural to ponder the ethical dimensions that surround her search. As an individual whose remains have proven for hundreds of years to be impossible to find, it may be important to consider the fact that she may never have wanted to be found. It is crucial, especially now, that archaeologists carefully navigate the fine line between discovery for academia and discovery for sensationalism. Perhaps her death should have signified an everlasting privacy that she never received during her reign.
Unsurprisingly, many remarkable women go down in history as mere confidants, mistresses, counterparts, or supporting figures. Their legacies are shaped by their relationships with men and their unpredictably emotional natures. While noble efforts have been made to correct these inconsistencies, their effects remain widespread in modern society. Now, as historians and contemporary writers traverse the diverse field of the history of the past and history being made, it is crucial that individual characters are defined through an objective, unbiased, and fair lens.
Humanity’s past often seeps into aspects of life today. Therefore, the precedent that archeologists, historians, and human beings broadly set today, has the power to influence the ways in which individuals are treated thousands of years later. Kathleen Martinez and her team may be a long way from finding Cleopatra’s remains, but they are also a long-way from giving up. The physical evidence gained from Cleopatra’s tomb has the potential not only to revolutionize the field of archaeology but also to serve as a means for the Queen to regain an identity that has been lost to a history of sexism. In the end, it seems most fitting that Cleopatra’s body be discovered by a woman.
Edited by Lucy de Cartier
Megan Tan is in her third year at McGill University, currently pursuing a BA&Sc in Cognitive Science with a minor in Philosophy. As a Staff Writer at Catalyst Publications, Megan aims to bridge her background in Behavioural Science with International Development as her writing is mainly focused on the Health and Technological dimensions of global political issues. Having grown up in Singapore, Qatar, and Canada, Megan strives to use her diverse upbringing to offer a multifaceted lens through which she examines the interplay of technology, health, and cognitive science.