2007-08-16 02:39:22 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Yes, Cleopatra was not that pretty from the coin I saw with her image of her on it.
However that does not mean much.
A DETRACTOR of Cleopatra's said (can't remember who but they are well known!) that the gods have 7 ways to flatter Cleopatra had 100's.
So even tho she wasn't beautiful she must have been very charming and intelligent. Obviously she had something. She captured the interest of the 2 most powerful men of her time.
2007-08-16 14:54:20 · answer #1 · answered by beth l 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ahmose reigned a century before Hatshepsut. Her consort was Thutmose II, but she reigned in her own right after he did. By the way, the reason Thutmose III destroyed her statues had nothing whatsoever to do with her lack of 'beauty.' It was a propaganda motive, to indicate she was a usurper. How incredibly shallow and silly it would be to destroy them based on whether she was pretty or not.
The argument that Cleopatra was more beautiful because of Caesar and Antonius loving her is inaccurate. It was not a result of her beauty (which as Plutarch and the other ancient texts tell us, was nothing special) but of her guile, charm, and powers of seduction. From contemporary images of her, her nose was exceptionally big.
As for Hatshepsut's beauty, nobody knows. Hatshepsut portrayed herself as a king in most of her statuary, often with masculine characteristics, including only a hint of female breasts, thus we really don't know how 'pretty' she was in actuality.
Shamrock, history does not say she was beautiful. That is a misconception. And where did you hear she spoke '8 languages,' that's not accurate. She knew Greek, Syriac, and Egyptian (the first Greek pharaoh to speak the native tongue), and possibly some Nubian, but the belief that she spoke Latin is mistaken. What other languages did you read or hear that she spoke?
2007-08-16 03:59:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Queen Hatshepsut
http://www.fotosearch.com/STK021/pcl13328/
Cleopatra
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/cleopatra/16.html
By the standards of today, neither lady would be gracing the covers of Cosmopolitan or other fashion magazines.
The eye of an artist though in 1500 BC was rather different in discerning beauty perhaps than an artist in 45 BC.
That said, looking at their reliefs I find Hatshesput rather prettier. Apparently Cleopatra was not some raving beauty but she had a highly intelligent mind, great at conversation and spoke several languages. It was more her mental charisma that attracted people to her.
Cheers,
Michael
2007-08-16 03:00:20 · answer #3 · answered by Michael Kelly 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think that's probably the case.
Images of each of them done at the time would seem to show Cleopatra as being rather ordinary, whereas Hatshepsut seems to be a bit of a babe.
2007-08-16 02:53:12 · answer #4 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cleopatra is prettier. Reasons:
1. Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony fought because of her.
2. Octavian(Augustus Caesar) had a war with mark anthony because of her.
3. Hatshepsut reigned during Ahmose, meaning all the things made are in favor of the queen. Nobody liked her. And after her reign, the next ruler ordered for all her statues, obelisk, and her posessions to be destroyed. If she's beautiful, the next ruler would have allowed her statue to remain like the other pharoahs.
2007-08-16 03:07:36 · answer #5 · answered by acid_heroine 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
hatshepsut was before cleopatra but she was stronger not prettier. all of her statues were were designed as a male pharoah. as for cleopatra she had 2 of the strongest men in the roman empire clamoring for her attention.according to history she was not only beautiful but also smart. she knew up to 8 languages! she knew what she had to do to gain control of egypt.
2007-08-16 04:32:03 · answer #6 · answered by shamrockgal 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no proof unfortunately. Any way it doesn't matter as looks don't boil the pot. How they ruled is what counts.
I believe Hapshepsut was the better ruler but is sadly put in Cleopatra's shadow.
2017-02-09 11:15:03 · answer #7 · answered by ? 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually some historians say Cleopatra wasn't actually pretty- it was just propaganda.
2007-08-16 02:56:02 · answer #8 · answered by artist9120 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i do not know...do you ever see how cleopatra look ?
the only thing you can trace her beauty is two great men fall in love with her...
the recent kenndy's wife is famous, is she pretty? i saw her picture, she is common....but she married two big and famous men in history...
so i think to describe women link to history and great men .....
call them beauty may be incorrect......
pretty girl to me....must make me say "WOW", that is call real beauty!!!!!
2007-08-16 02:51:00 · answer #9 · answered by harijanti 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't tell she used to wear a false beard
2007-08-16 05:24:02 · answer #10 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋