CLEOPATRA
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 1/2 hours
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday May 11 at 9.00am EST/ NZ
This program chronicles the main events of the reign of Cleopatra V11 and her
engagement with the Roman Empire. The approach is relatively balanced between the
salacious and the historical traditions.
The program is both entertaining and informative. There is a doco-drama running
throughout interspersed with commentary from various well-qualified “talking heads”.
The program cuts some corners and condenses some history but would serve as an
excellent introduction to the study of the Second Triumvirate or Cleopatra because of
the issues that it raises and because of its production “values”.
Dr Denis Mootz
Previewing recommended:
Images of nudity, and explicit sexual references throughout.
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the terms in which Cassius Dio describes Cleopatra.
What were her intentions? Result?
Why did the Romans “hate” Cleopatra? Result?
Act 1.
Who ousted Cleopatra in a “coup” when she was 22 years old?
Why had she “fallen out” with her young brother Ptolemy X111? Implications? Result?
Note details of the civil war between Caesar and Pompeius. Result?
Why did Pompeius come to Egypt? Result?
Why did Ptolemy X111 need to “bribe” Rome?
Note the relationship of Egypt to Rome. Implications? Result?
Where did Caesar take up residence?
How did Cleopatra gain access to Caesar? Result?
Note Plutarch’s description of the “trick”.
Note Robert Bianchi’s description of Cleopatra. Implications?
What was the result of this encounter with Caesar?
What was Caesar’s reputation?
What was the result of this “encounter” between Caesar and Cleopatra?
What happened to Ptolemy X111? Implications?
Note the comments on Plutarch’s “biography” of Cleopatra.
Why does Christopher Pelling think Plutarch is probably “accurate”?
What is Cleopatra’s reputation? Result?
Note the Roman propaganda about Cleopatra.
What was Plutarch’s description? Implications?
Note John Ray’s comments on her education? Result?
Note details of Cleopatra’s Greek background.
What was the situation in Ptolemaic Egypt? Result?
What was the origin of the Ptolemaic practice of “incest”? Implications?
Why did Cleopatra marry her brother Ptolemy X1V? Result?
Note the comment on incest in Egypt.
What other tradition did the Ptolemy family practice? Result?
Note John Ray’s comments on “general mayhem”.
What was the fate of Ptolemy X1V? Result?
How would Cleopatra pay for Rome’s protection?
Why didn’t the Romans take formal control of Egypt? Result?
Why did Cleopatra take Caesar on a “tour” of Egypt? Result?
Note the description of Cleopatra’s barge.
Why did Cleopatra follow Caesar to Rome?
Act 2.
How was Cleopatra received in Rome?
Where did she stay while in Rome?
Why had she brought “dynamite” with her? Result?
What was Caesar’s aim? Implications for Cleopatra? Result?
Why was the Republican system “cracking”? Result?
Note Keith Hopkins’ comments on the Republic.
Why did Caesar threaten the Republic? Implications? Result?
How did Cleopatra attempt to win over important Romans? Result?
Why did Cicero find Cleopatra unbearable?
In what sense did Caesar’s “autocratic ambitions become increasingly blatant”? Result?
How did Cleopatra react to Caesar’s murder?
What followed in Rome? Result?
Note the description of Antonius. Implications?
Note the description of Octavian. Implications?
What advantages did Antonius have in this rivalry? Result?
What advantages did Octavian have in this rivalry? Result?
Note how the Empire was divided.
Who seemed to have the upper hand in this partnership? Result?
Note details of Parthia.
Why did Antonius want to invade Parthia? Result?
Where would Antonius find the resources he needed for his ambitions?
Why did Antonius summon Cleopatra to Tarsus? Result?
Who is our main source?
Note Keith Hopkins’ comments on Cleopatra’s ambitions? Implications? Result?
Act 3.
Why did Antonius accompany Cleopatra to Egypt?
What is it suggested that he should have been doing? Implications? Result?
Note John Ray’s comments on Antonius’s fascination with Cleopatra. Implications?
Why did Egyptian men “admire’ Antonius? Evidence?
Note Robert Bianchi’s comment on their sexual enjoyment. Implications?
What did Cleopatra see as the possible result of her relationship with Antonius? Result?
In what sense was a new “dynasty” in the making?
Why was Antonius compelled to return to Rome? Result?
Note details of Octavia. Implications?
Note Simon Goldhill’s comments on Roman political marriages.
In what sense did this marriage “thrive”? Result?
Why did Antonius move to Athens?
What had happened to Cleopatra?
Why do we know little of her in this period?
Why did Antonius eventually summon Cleopatra to Antioch? Result?
Why was Cleopatra “insulted”? Implications? Result?
How had the relationship changed? Implications?
How did they publicly display their relationship?
How did Cleopatra have herself portrayed on coins?
How did Octavian portray Antonius’s relationship? Result?
Note the description of Octavian’s political “savvy”.
Note the result of Antonius’s invasion of Parthia. Result?
How did Octavian respond to Antonius’s failure? Result?
Note the description of Roman attitudes to romantic love.
Act 4.
Note the result Antonius’s campaign in Armenia.
Note how this success was celebrated.
Note details of the “Donations of Alexandria”.
Implications Cleopatra and Antonius?
Implications for Rome?
Note Keith Hopkins’s comments on Antonius’s intentions? Implications?
How did Octavian exploit this situation? Result?
Note Goldhill’s comments on “spin”. Result?
How did Antonius respond to this attack? Implications?
Why was Antonius at a disadvantage? Result?
What was the impact of making Antonius’s will public? Result?
In what sense did Octavian present himself as Rome’s saviour? Result?
Note the resources available to Antonius and Cleopatra. Result?
What was at stake in this war?
Act 5.
How did Octavian overcome the advantages of Antonius and Cleopatra?
How did Marcus Agrippa operate against the Egyptians? Result?
Why did Antonius lose the battle at Actium?
Note the traditional account of the battle. Implications?
Note the modern account. Implications?
Note the results of this defeat?
Why did Antonius “despair” at this defeat? Result?
Note details of the “diner’s” and the “partners in death” clubs. Implications?
When did Octavian attack Alexandria? Result?
How did Cleopatra react to the defeat at Alexandria?
Why did Antonius attempt suicide? Result?
How did Cleopatra react to Antonius’s imminent death?
What did Octavian intend for Cleopatra?
How did Cleopatra die?
How has her death been “mythologized”?
Why does this image reverberate still?
Where was Cleopatra buried?
What happened to Ptolemy XV Caesarion? Result?
How did Octavian exploit the wealth of Egypt? Result?
Note the various modern images shown. Implications?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Ptolemaic Egypt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_dynasty
http://www.houseofptolemy.org/housecle.htm
http://www.livius.org/ps-pz/ptolemies/ptolemies.htm
Ptolemy X11 Auletes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_XII_Auletes
Ptolemy X111: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_XIII_Theos_Philopator
Ptolemy X1V: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_XIV
Berenice 1V: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berenice_IV_of_Egypt
Arsinoe 1V: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsinoe_IV_of_Egypt
Cleopatra V11 Philopator: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_VII
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/cleopatra/cleopatra.html
http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/cleopatra/cleopatra00.html
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/cleopatra/
http://octavianchronicles.com/?page_id=611
Ptolemy XV Caesarion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarion
http://www.livius.org/ps-pz/ptolemies/ptolemy_xv_caesarion.html
Ancient Sources: Search using “EDIT…FIND” or “Control + F” and key word “Cleopatra”
Plutarch: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html
Dio Cassius: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/51*.html
Strabo: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/17A2*.html
Velleius Paterculus: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2C*.html
Appian: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Appian/Civil_Wars/5*.html
Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompey
http://www.unrv.com/roman-republic/pompey-the-great.php
Caius Julius Caesar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar
http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar00.html
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/thayer/e/roman/texts/suetonius/12caesars/julius*.html
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/thayer/e/roman/texts/plutarch/lives/caesar*.html
http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/caesar-dictator.php
http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&q=Caesar%27s+dictatorship&start=10&sa=N&fp=721300824eaa645
Second Triumvirate: http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/second-triumvirate.php
Marcus Antonius ( Mark Antony): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony
http://www.biography.com/people/mark-antony-20667285
http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/marcus-antonius.php
http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/antony.1b.txt
Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian; later Augustus): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus
http://www.livius.org/au-az/augustus/augustus.html
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/thayer/e/roman/texts/suetonius/12caesars/augustus*.html
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Vipsanius_Agrippa
http://www.livius.org/vi-vr/vipsanius/agrippa.html
Battle of Actium: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Actium
http://www.livius.org/aa-ac/actium/actium.html
http://luna.cas.usf.edu/~murray/actium/brochure.html
http://www.ehistory.com/world/articles/ArticleView.cfm?AID=16
http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/actium.php
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the interaction of Rome and the rulers of Ptolemaic Egypt.
3. Note details of the life and career of Cleopatra V11.
4. Note details of Julius Caesar’s involvement with Egypt and Cleopatra V11.
5. Note details of Marcus Antonius’s involvement with Egypt and Cleopatra V11.
6. Note details of Octavian’s involvement with Egypt and Cleopatra V11.
7. Note details of the relationship and conflict between Antonius and Octavian.
8. Note details of the ambitions of Antonius.
9. Note details of the ambitions of Octavian.
10. Note details of the ambitions of Cleopatra.
11. Note the means by which Octavian gained the advantage in his ‘conflict’ with Antonius.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. By what means did Cleopatra “seduce” Caesar and Antonius?
2. Why were the Romans so ‘interested’ in Egypt?
3. What gave Octavian the advantage in his ‘conflict’ with Antonius?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. Was Cleopatra a pleasure seeking “exhibitionist”?
2. What means did Cleopatra have available to save her country from the Roman Empire?
3. Why is our modern view of Cleopatra so conflicted?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the “Donations of Alexandria”.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
Cleopatra was both seductress and master politician.
3. What caused the breakdown of the partnership between Octavian and Antonius?