The Mystery Of Cleopatra and Arsinoe | Portrait of A Killer | Timeline

"A ruthless Queen who would kill her own siblings for power" So.... like it's a normal day in the life of someone sitting on a throne?

I remember reading somewhere Cleopatra wasn't that beautiful that her allure was more about her personality and the fact she was so well read, out spoken, speaking many languages for a women of her time, it intrigued the men around her.

Also, I love how she has been labeled as a killer while if she didn't do so, some of her sibling would kill her to take the throne

A Scotsman reading a Roman source about Egyptian history - now I've seen everything

They fail to mention that Cleopatra's sister plotted to kill her years earlier

"Was Cleopatra One Of History's Biggest Killers?"... No. She just happened to be another ruler that killed. Just like her siblings. Just like many male rulers.

I just can't get enough of Neil Oliver's stories and documentaries- he brings the ancient past alive like no one else. Thank you Mr. Oliver.

Came for the learning, stayed for a Scotsman saying "murder" 🤣

Cleopatra was an Egyptian queen and like any other ruler she killed people and got her hands dirty. Is it really that surprising to hear?

Both of Cleopatra’s sisters were ruthless. Her oldest sister poisoned her mother, exiled her father and took over. They arranged a husband for her and she thought he was gross and had him strangled. Crazy was the norm in that family.

Funny how they tried to portray Arsinoe as a martyr and innocently murdered while she herself tried to exile her very own sister to get the throne for herself. So no, Arsinoe is not innocent and she just taste her own medicine.

Cleopatra is without a doubt one of the most well known, yet elusive historical figures!

Cleopatra wasn't described by contemporaries as being beautiful. Her appeal came from her intelligence and charisma and power, the idea that she must have been beautiful came later. We have enough contemporary images that are definitely of her to have an idea of what she looked like, even. It always bugs me when things now harp on about her beauty when there's little to no contemporary evidence that she was famous for it at the time. edit: 3 years later and I still see responses to this comment on the regular. The idea that maybe she wasn't just the gold standard of beauty really seems to ruffle some feathers. People commenting with something like "but she was beautiful, checkmate" seemingly with the intention of bothering me really haven't been getting the point I was trying to make, and maybe I didn't express it clearly enough at the time. I'll clarify. If she was beautiful? That's great. Honestly good for her either way. The fact that she might have been beautiful doesn't bother me. My point is that she was not famous in her own time for her appearance. She was famous, and so successful, because she was intelligent, charismatic, and powerful. And she has been turned into a symbol of ideal beauty and seduction and nothing else in the popular imagination. Cleopatra was remarkable regardless of what she looked like.

Arsinoe was not just a simple teenage girl but a constant threat who tried to kill Cleopatra years ago. She had to be eliminated if Cleopatra wanted to stay queen. It´s as simple as that.

Interesting... so you’re basically saying you have no idea who’s bones it is but let’s pin it on cleopatra anyway! Because, why not? Thin... very thin...

Cleopatra was a very intelligent woman, she spoke many languages, and knew how to get what she wanted. Be at peace Arsinoe. ✝

Cleopatra was a ruler. Of COURSE she was a killer. The fact that people seem to try and make women of history either a martyr or a bloody psychopath annoys me. Cleopatra would have HAD to kill, otherwise her rule could have been compromised.

Murder was part of the game with the pharaohs. It's hardly shocking

I, too, appreciate Neil Oliver's delivery and voice. He appears to be steeped in drama, and he delivers it when telling the tales of history.

I think Cleopatra killed her siblings because she was in fear for her own life. Her sister tried to have Cleo killed too I think. I also think her brother tried to kill her too. Many royals did this sort of stuff back then all in name in the power which is sad. 😔😢I still think Cleopatra was so beautiful and intelligent for a female back then. I love her story.🌹🌹 🌹💐💐😎😎