“Her beauty, as we are told, was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her; but converse with her had an irresistible charm, and her presence, combined with the persuasiveness of her discourse and the character which was somehow diffused about her behaviour towards others, had something stimulating about it. There was sweetness also in the tones of her voice; and her tongue, like an instrument of many strings, she could readily turn to whatever language she pleased...” – Plutarch
He was one of the most unique and best known figures of antiquity, a man whose relationships with some of history’s giants ensured his own legacy. She was a legendary figure even to contemporary Romans and the ancient world, a controversial figure who was equally reviled and praised through the years, depicted as a benevolent ruler and an evil seductress, sometimes at the same time. Together they created one of history’s most famous and tragic love stories, all while shaping the fate of the ancient world.
A protégé of Julius Caesar’s, a sworn enemy of Cicero’s, and a foil for Octavian, Mark Antony has long been remembered for the role he played in others’ lives more than for his own accomplishments. While Antony’s relationships with Rome’s most famous leaders and history’s most famous woman were central components in his lives, the fact that his legacy has been intertwined with them belies the fact that he was a powerful man in his own right. Coming up as a capable and competent military man who Caesar trusted as his right hand, Antony parlayed that into governing Rome itself while Caesar fought Pompey. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C., Antony deftly navigated from tenuous footing as a declared enemy of the state to become one of Rome’s two most powerful leaders, arguably its most powerful, in just a matter of years, outmaneuvering and getting the best of enemies like Brutus and Cicero. At the same time, Antony was notorious in his own time for his voracious appetite for vice, and the branding of him as a boor has persisted for over 2,000 years.
Over 2,000 years after her death, everything about Cleopatra continues to fascinate people around the world, from her lineage as a Ptolemaic pharaoh, her physical features, the manner in which she seduced Caesar, her departure during the Battle of Actium, and her famous suicide. And despite being one of the most famous figures in history, there is still much mystery surrounding her, leading historians and archaeologists scouring Alexandria, Egypt for clues about her life and the whereabouts of her royal palace and tomb.
Of course, Antony & Cleopatra has become the stuff of legends, and one of history’s most famous love stories, but even that was a byproduct of the fact that Antony ruled the eastern third of the Roman Empire as triumvir. Had Octavian and fate not caught up with him at the Battle of Actium, one of the most famous naval battles ever, history might have been very different.
Antony & Cleopatra: History’s Most Famous Romance provides an entertaining and informative look at the facts and myths surrounding history’s most famous lovers and their tragic story. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Antony & Cleopatra like you never have before, in no time at all.