Cleopatra: Part 14

Was Cleopatra in Love with Mark Antony?

The popular image of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is one of history’s great love stories. The reality was probably far more practical. Their relationship appears to have been, above all else, an alliance of convenience that served both Egypt and Rome.

That does not mean there was no attraction or affection between them. There may well have been. Yet from the very beginning, both rulers entered the relationship seeking political and military advantage.

Cleopatra Sails to Tarsus

The nature of their partnership is evident from their first meeting.

In 41 BC, Cleopatra travelled to Tarsus aboard a magnificent thalamagos, an enormous pleasure barge. According to ancient accounts, she appeared as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.

Why Aphrodite rather than Venus, the Roman equivalent? The answer is simple. Tarsus was a Hellenistic city and Cleopatra herself was a Hellenistic ruler descended from Alexander the Great’s Macedonian successors. She understood her audience.

The spectacle was carefully calculated.

Why Antony Summoned Cleopatra

Mark Antony had summoned Cleopatra to answer various accusations. Strictly speaking, he had no authority to do so. Egypt was not a Roman province. Cleopatra ruled an independent kingdom allied to Rome, not subject to Roman command.

When news of Antony’s summons reached Alexandria, Cleopatra did not act rashly. Like other successful rulers, she relied on advisers and intelligence networks. She consulted experts before deciding how to respond.

She quickly realised what Antony really wanted.

Military support and grain.

What Cleopatra Wanted

Cleopatra wanted something as well.

Her younger sister, Arsinoe.

Arsinoe had once challenged Cleopatra for the throne during the Alexandrian War. After Caesar’s victory, she had been taken to Rome to appear in his triumph. Caesar intended to execute her, but public sympathy intervened. The Romans found Arsinoe young, beautiful and pitiable. Their outcry forced Caesar to spare her.

Instead, Arsinoe was exiled to the Artemision at Ephesus.

The sanctuary of Artemis was considered sacred ground. It was effectively neutral territory where no one was supposed to be harmed. For Cleopatra, however, Arsinoe remained a dangerous rival with a legitimate claim to the Egyptian throne.

A Calculated Performance

Cleopatra understood Antony’s weaknesses.

He was famously vain, a notorious womaniser and, like many Roman leaders, deeply attracted to Egypt’s wealth. Cleopatra, meanwhile, hoped to recover territories once controlled by the Ptolemies.

Her arrival in Tarsus was therefore a diplomatic masterpiece.

Ancient sources describe silver oars worked by serving women, sails dyed purple, the most expensive colour in the ancient world, and a vessel glittering with wealth. Cleopatra herself appeared as the goddess of love.

The message was unmistakable.

Egypt was rich. Egypt was powerful. And Egypt was willing to negotiate.

The Deal

When Antony boarded the vessel, he and his companions were treated to extraordinary feasts. Gifts were lavish. Gold plates, cups and even furniture were reportedly presented to Antony’s followers.

Behind the luxury, however, serious negotiations were taking place.

Cleopatra and Antony spent several days discussing politics, military support and mutual advantage. They became lovers, but they were also partners in a hard-headed political bargain.

Antony received grain and military assistance.

Cleopatra received something she wanted even more.

Not long afterwards, Arsinoe was murdered on the steps of the Artemision. The killing shocked many in the ancient world because it violated the sanctuary’s sacred status.

For Cleopatra, however, a dangerous rival had finally been removed.

So Much for Romance

This episode reveals a different Cleopatra from the romantic heroine of popular imagination.

When she met Antony in Tarsus, she did not arrive as a lovestruck queen. She arrived as a ruler pursuing Egypt’s interests. Her beauty, wealth and charisma were political tools deployed with remarkable skill.

Whether affection later developed between Cleopatra and Antony is a question historians continue to debate. What seems far less debatable is that their relationship began as a calculated alliance between two ambitious rulers who each wanted something from the other.

So much for Cleopatra the romantic. Cleopatra the strategist is arguably far more interesting.

Further Reading

Readers interested in learning more about Cleopatra VII, the Ptolemaic dynasty, and the Roman figures who shaped her world may find the following references useful.

Historical References

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mark-Antony
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt
• World History Encyclopedia: Cleopatra VII Philopator
• World History Encyclopedia: Mark Antony
• World History Encyclopedia: Arsinoe IV
• World History Encyclopedia: Cleopatra’s Meeting with Antony
• Livius: Cleopatra VII Philopator
• https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ptol/hd_ptol.htm

Recommended Non-Fiction

• Adrian Goldsworthy, Antony and Cleopatra
  A detailed dual biography examining both rulers and the political realities behind their famous relationship.
• Stacy Schiff, Cleopatra: A Life
  An engaging reassessment of Cleopatra that separates history from legend.
• Duane W. Roller, Cleopatra: A Biography
  A concise and scholarly account of Cleopatra’s life, reign and ambitions.
• Richard A. Billows, Before and After Cleopatra
  Excellent for understanding the wider Hellenistic world that shaped Cleopatra and Antony.
• Barry Strauss, The War That Made the Roman Empire
  Covers the struggle between Antony and Octavian and the end of the Roman Republic.

Recommended Fiction

• Margaret George, The Memoirs of Cleopatra
  A rich first-person recreation of Cleopatra’s life, including her relationships with Caesar and Antony.
• Colleen McCullough, Antony and Cleopatra
  The final novel in the acclaimed Masters of Rome series.
• Jack Lindsay, The Passionate Queen
  A classic historical novel portraying Cleopatra’s rise and fall.
• Michelle Moran, Cleopatra’s Daughter
  Follows the fate of Cleopatra’s children after the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra.
• William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra
  Not a novel, but the most influential fictional portrayal of the pair and the source of many modern assumptions about their romance.