Classical Studies 2900 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Uraeus, Qift, Ptolemy Xii Auletes

• School: Western University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: Classical Studies 2900
• Professor: Kelly Olson

Document Summary

Cleopatra"s father was ptolemy xii auletes which means the flute player. Cleopatra v was either ptolemy xii"s full sister or half-sister. Cleopatra"s ethnical background is not sure because her paternal grandmother was most likely a concubine of. Also, her mother"s identify is unsure (i. e. we are not sure if her mother was cleopatra v, but we will assume so). With these factors combined, cleopatra herself may be of mixed egyptian or african and ptolemaic origin, making her not fully egyptian or ptolemaic. Although unsure of cleopatra"s true ethnic origins, it was known that she was a macedonian aristocrat who was highly educated all about greek culture and literature such as homer, language, poetry, public speaking, etc. Cleopatra knew many languages and had a rich, mesmerizing speaking voice. According to plutarch, she knew 9 languages: greek, egyptian, troglodye, hebrew, syrian, arabic, mede, ethiopian, and parthian. Cleopatra was the second eldest daughter of ptolemy xii.