Ancient coin shows Cleopatra was no beauty

[Kristina]

Ancient coin shows Cleopatra was no beauty
POSTED: 11:35 a.m. EST, February 14, 2007




LONDON, England (CNN) -- Antony and Cleopatra -- one of history's most romantic couples -- were not the great beauties that Hollywood would have us believe, according to British academics.

A study of a 2,000-year-old silver coin found the Egyptian queen, famously portrayed by a sultry Elizabeth Taylor, had a shallow forehead, pointed chin, thin lips and sharp nose.

On the other side, her Roman lover, played in the 1963 movie by Richard Burton, Taylor's husband at the time, had bulging eyes, a hook nose and a thick neck.

History has depicted Cleopatra as a great beauty, befitting a woman who as Queen of Egypt seduced Julius Caesar, and then his rival Mark Antony.

But the coin, which goes on show on Wednesday at Newcastle University for Valentine's Day, after years lying in a bank, is much less flattering about both famous faces.

The 32BC artifact was in a collection belonging to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, which is being researched in preparation for the opening of the new Great North Museum.

Clare Pickersgill, the university's assistant director of archaeological museums, said: "The popular image we have of Cleopatra is that of a beautiful queen who was adored by Roman politicians and generals.

Relationship romanticized
"The relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra has long been romanticized by writers, artists and film-makers.

"Shakespeare wrote his tragedy Antony and Cleopatra in 1608, while the Orientalist artists of the 19th century and the modern Hollywood depictions, such as that of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1963 film, have added to the idea that Cleopatra was a great beauty.

"Recent research would seem to disagree with this portrayal, however."

The university's director of archaeological museums, Lindsay Allason-Jones, said: "The image on the coin is far from being that of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

"Roman writers tell us that Cleopatra was intelligent and charismatic, and that she had a seductive voice but, tellingly, they do not mention her beauty.

"The image of Cleopatra as a beautiful seductress is a more recent image."

The silver denarius coin would have been issued by the mint of Mark Antony.

On one side is the head of Mark Antony, bearing the caption "Antoni Armenia devicta" meaning "For Antony, Armenia having been vanquished."

Cleopatra appears on the reverse of the coin with the inscription "Cleopatra Reginae regum filiorumque regum," meaning "For Cleopatra, queen of kings and of the children of kings," or possibly "Queen of kings and of her children who are kings."

Experts say the coin, on display in Newcastle University's Shefton Museum, is not particularly rare but is very collectable. The collection has been owned by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne since the 1920s.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/14/cleopatra.coin/index.html

[Byron]

I'll say!

Gee, you don't suppose that Caesar and Antony got themselves killed to get away from her, do you?

[rockessence]

"For Cleopatra, queen of kings and of the children of kings," or possibly "Queen of kings and of her children who are kings."

The statement on the coin really tells the whole story, doesn't it?

A Queen who's main value is in her lineage, making her the important link who's greatest importance to Caesar was to produce a new royal line.

Helen was one who's importance as a royal lineage far outweighed her beauty.   She was the one who carried the royal line, not Menelaeas, nor his brother Agamemnon.

Paraphrasing from HOMER IN THE BALTIC:
"Agamemnon of the house of Atreus....Brother in law of Menelaeas. One interesting point discussed in HOMER IN THE BALTIC is the question of why, really, would the whole world go to war over the theft of a woman? Homer repeatedly insists that this is the sole reason for the war.
The fact that Menelaeas, the injured party, is really a relatively minor character in in the story, seems to reveal that this is a true history.

Helen and Clytemnestra are sisters, the daughters of powerful Tyndareus. The abduction of Helen could have been a private matter, or could it have jeopardized Menelaus' claim to the throne of Sparta, which had been vested in him as a result of his marriage to Helen, causing a "constitutional crisis" in his (or rather HER) kingdom. This is the real reason for the war: the Achaean kings intended to regain the beautiful queen, not for her beauty, but because she was a queen, in order to restore to Menelaus his rights to the throne of Sparta (and, above all, to preclude a dangerous precedent). In particular, it is clear why Agamemnon, Menelaus' brother invested so much in the success of the expedition: he had become king of Mycenae thanks to his marriage to Tyndareus' eldest daughter.

What they have (suffered is)the loss of is "geras", also possessed by Ulysses by virtue of his marriage to Penelope. "Geras" is status, privilege, and royal honors of sovereignty, and the right of bequeathing that sovereignty to ones descendants. This is what Paris stole along with the physical body of Helen. This is a huge public offence against a king, and a death blow to the status of his succeeding generations."

[BlueHue]

"For Cleopatra, queen of kings and of the children of kings," or possibly "Queen of kings and of her children who are kings."

Helen was one who's importance as a royal lineage far outweighed her beauty. 

DEAR  ROCK,

  The TROY-complot theory of  "Blue Hue" is much simpler  About 860-858( not the traditional 1183  or 1215 bc or whaT? in 853 bc,  the territory of Assyria broke away from their Overlords of Babylon(= Kassite dynasty.)The Culprit: Vassal KIng SALMANASSER-3 who concuerred "Atlantis" at KAR- KAR ( now Kar Khor at the KaraMoununds in South-Yemen(=Felix-Arabia.)where he also defeated an egyptian allied force of Palestine-petty kings, under ACHAB.)

This king Salmanasser imposed an Custom-Tax or Boycott, on all greek AND Egyptian products enterring the newly born Assyrian State, who's taxcollector in Asia Minor was the state -alliance of Troy!

To avoid diplomatic problems or even War, the Egyptians who suffered the most from this trade boycott incited the Greeks to act and King shrewd King Tyndareos saw as a cunning tradesman money dangling from the trees!  He specifically manoeuvred Hellen towards  prince what's his name? Paris/Alexander from Troy, so that he would be compelled to sail-off with her and the spartan State treasure as a decoy for intervening in a neighbouring state.
At this time in Egypt the reigning monarch was Amenhotep-3 with his co-regent Amenhotep-4( who soon were to steal beatifull Hellen from poor Paris and sent him home pennyless.)

The Plot failed party, because Paris was bound directly for Troy but delayed in Memphis, where queen Hellen was charmed by the Egyptian Harbourmaster Toonis and his wife to occupy the rewarding post of the living Goddess Hathor
which she served for 10 years. So she actually did not go to Troy nor arrived there to be picked up by the ambassadors from Greece:  Odysseus and Ethialtis. As was directed in the Plot, King Priam who was it the preparatories, was to refuse officcially to return Hellen and so to overdraw the ultimatum and be the cause of the starting of the War.

The glitch was that Hellen was indeed officially received in a foreign City as a celebrated refugy, but not in the intended commercial port City of Troy but in Thebes(Egypte) of all places where she was prepared to be married to Amenhotep-3! as Empress-consort!( oh, would not Rider Haggard have liked to have known this! or Rice Burroughs!)

As not to be implicated in the plot King Priam had to play'innocent'and report to the greek party that Hellen regrettably had not arrived in troy( as planned!) but sejourned in Egypt!   He even showed Odysseus the Mail-Pidgeon-Note.
To save the invasion Plot the Greeks( mainly Odysseus) dicided to play dumb and pretend that Hellen were in Troy anyway.

For that purpose a greek Maid resembling Hellen was trumped-up as a Phantom Hellen, who also sailed home with menelaus 10 years later because the true Hellen was not willing to give up her present Great Wife/empress title, nor to exchange the Position of future empress to her own stepson to that of Queen of an egyptian Vassal king in Sparta!
Recent research has vindicated that Hellen in Egypt was called: 'Kiya' and King Thut was her son by AchnAton, before Nefertete became powerfull.

This Greek Maid played for ten Years the role of Hellen, with Full knowledge and consent of her wouldbe husband King Menelaos!  Only when she got tired of Paris or Menelaus and married Deiphobos( with son Astyages.)The City was doomed.  Menelaos got to Egypt ( in the end) but whether he sgot stuck to the Phantom Hellen or got the real hellen back, is very doubtfull.    This preves that the Movie with Brat-Pitt was a Hoax where even the traditional record was trotten!  PHOEii Brat Pitt!

This would cause a diplomatic incidencent( worthy of the RobertWagner as detective-TV Series!) and a coverage for coveted war!  All to give the powerfull emperor/conquerrer Salmanasser-3 no cause to intervene in internal marriage strive.

The plan to lift the boycott failed and most participants were killed too when the Greeks set fire to the City of Troy, the boycott was not lifted it required another ( third.)troyan War where Terchander ( Son of  Eteocles of Thebes.)was said to have participated and died.

Than there is the question of the "NOSTOS" of the returning heroes.  Agamemnon terurned from Troy and arrived back in Athens as the First monarch.   Strange thing that  scholars( who were mostly cellabic.)overlooked was that Afgamemnon had been in a 10 Years Siege before Troy and had not entered the city secretly as Odysseus had done.

Yet, he had 2 non adoptive-eleven-years old sons from Cassandra with him that were spirited away one of them Orestes.)  This can only mean that the Siege, of the famous Troyan War lasted not TEN but only ONE year but the greek occupation of the Town  lasted those 10 years! and that before setting the city of Troy on fire fearing the approach of an assyrian relief Force of Susanians & Amazones the Greeks rather set fire to the City of Troy than to be besieged by the Assyrian host!

Likewise the 20 years long voyage of Odysseus ' Odyssee-Seavoyage to: Escheria/Javan/Seriphos./Hades-Charybdis.)
can be effectively reduced to only 5 Years counting that the 5 Years that he was to remain on Cyrce's island were only 5 Months!

Moreover Cyrce is said to have changed Odysseus few remaining men to "pigs".  This is a common oversight On Cyrce's Island there were Elephants regarded as"Punician-Bulls or large Pigs". The Changed men were propably smitten by the game as Elephant-riders as polo-players!

For Orestes, he avenged his dead father by killing his adopted brother Aegisthus,  and his nephew Electus or what was it? and his mother, for which he was pardonned.  He himself as future war-leader enlarging the lands of Athens, killed many more innocent others!
so much for learning from teached ancient Greek morals!   

Sincerely    "BlueHue"