Cleopatra & Mark Antony
Love, empire and a double suicide
The queen of Egypt and the Roman general whose romance fused love with imperial politics and ended in a double suicide that sealed the end of an era.
01Why it matters
It is the archetype of love that moves empires. Shakespeare made it tragedy, Hollywood made it spectacle, and Cleopatra remains the most depicted woman of the ancient world.
02The conflict
The war against Octavian (the future Augustus) and the collapse of their political-romantic alliance after the defeat at Actium.
03The iconic moment
Their deaths: Mark Antony falling on his sword and Cleopatra letting an asp bite her.
04What survived
Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra"; centuries of opera, painting and film (Elizabeth Taylor, 1963). Alexandria as myth.
05What to watch, read & listen
06Where to travel
07Frequently asked questions
Why is the story of Cleopatra & Mark Antony famous?
It is the archetype of love that moves empires. Shakespeare made it tragedy, Hollywood made it spectacle, and Cleopatra remains the most depicted woman of the ancient world.
How does the story of Cleopatra & Mark Antony end?
Their deaths: Mark Antony falling on his sword and Cleopatra letting an asp bite her. Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra"; centuries of opera, painting and film (Elizabeth Taylor, 1963). Alexandria as myth.
Where can you visit the story of Cleopatra & Mark Antony?
You can visit Alexandria, in Alejandría. The capital of her kingdom and her love.
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