Cleopatra's Sisters: A New Look at Egypt's Royal Women

Roman propaganda painted Cleopatra as a "fatal monster," a label that has persisted through history and often overshadowed her sisters, Berenike and Arsinoe. Jane Draycott's book, "Fatal Monsters," aims to re-examine these Ptolemaic queens through Greek and Egyptian perspectives, moving beyond the Roman accounts that frequently described them as "murderous tigresses."

The Ptolemaic dynasty, known for its internal power struggles and disregard for traditional family structures, regularly practiced incestuous marriages and saw violence as a means to consolidate power. This environment set the stage for three sister queens in a single generation—Berenike, Cleopatra, and Arsinoe—whose reigns, however tumultuous, placed Egypt on a collision course with Rome.

Berenike, Cleopatra's elder sister, is presented in Draycott's work as a significant, though often overlooked, figure. Placed on the throne while her father was in Rome, her rule was marked by two short-lived marriages, the first husband meeting a violent end and the second lasting only six months. Upon her father's return in 55 BC, Berenike was executed. While the method is not explicitly detailed, historical accounts suggest methods like being subjected to venomous snakes were employed in Alexandria.

Arsinoe, the youngest sister, displayed a bolder approach, taking command of the Egyptian army while Julius Caesar was besieged in the Alexandrian palace. However, her authority was challenged by soldiers unwilling to take orders from a woman. After her capture, Arsinoe was paraded through Rome in Caesar's triumph and later held at the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Her eventual fate involved assassins allegedly sent by Cleopatra at Antony's behest. Controversially, DNA testing on a skeleton previously believed to be Arsinoe's revealed it to be that of a boy.

Cleopatra, the middle sister, remains a central figure, but Draycott offers new interpretations. The famed carpet used to smuggle Cleopatra to Caesar is re-evaluated as a linen sack, and the circumstances of her death are explored as an ancient "locked-room mystery." Draycott also proposes a theory involving Cleopatra's snake-shaped bracelets, suggesting they might have been mistaken for the method of her suicide, contributing to the enduring legend of the asp.

Draycott acknowledges the challenges posed by limited primary sources for Berenike and Arsinoe, leading to necessary speculation. However, she argues that these queens were as ambitious as Cleopatra, seeking to navigate the complex political landscape of their time. The book also notes external factors influencing events, such as a volcanic eruption in Alaska in 43 BC that caused famine in Egypt, impacting Cleopatra's reign.

Ultimately, "Fatal Monsters" seeks to provide a more nuanced understanding of female power in the classical world. By examining the actions and ambitions of all three Ptolemaic sisters, Draycott challenges the enduring Roman narrative and offers a corrective to the simplistic, often biased, historical portrayals of these influential rulers. Despite their individual struggles and the overarching might of Rome, the Ptolemaic sisters left an indelible mark on ancient history.