Cleopatra's Palace:: In Search of a Legend

I found it very interesting to learn what she really looked like and her history. It was different than the movies depicted.

She is the most famous woman of antiquity and with the very mention of Ancient Egypt, one rapidly thinks of Cleopatra and her seductions of two powerful Roman leaders. Though the book does include some magnificent photographs of Cleopatra's palace,the book itself is very well written. Many have been interested with the myths of Cleopatra such as her "magnificent" beauty. Her "magnificent" beauty was showcased in the film "Cleopatra" with Elizabeth Taylor. Foreman tells the story wonderfully and pictures are just an added bonus. The story itself seduces the reader with the controvery regarding Cleopatra and her romances with two of the greatest military leaders of antiquity. But Foreman goes deeper than Cleopatra's romances. She goes back to Alexander the Great and his conquest in Egypt. And while you are reading the book, your imagination does go wild with the descriptions of palaces and romances and conquests and wars. However, it is difficult to put the whole story together as there are still many gaps missing and much of what is known of Cleopatra is found in fictional literature such as Shakespeare's for example. Though his plays do portray a beautiful Cleopatra, historians do argue her beauty was far from actual beauty. Historians say whatever she lacked in looks she made up in a fascinating personality and a dangerous intelligence only she possessed, but a personality and mind that Julius Caesar was seduced by and mostly in part that he was considered to be highly intelligent also. On part of Mark Antony, though he had great power, did not have the mind that Caesar did. Nonetheless, Cleopatra loved Antony. Though many by now know the story of Cleopatra, it still is a fascinating story to learn about. And what one does not know of the Egyptian queen, people can't help but wonder of her sexuality and her whole life in general.

I think this was a great book. I learned alot about Cleopatra and the pharoahs of her time. The roman pictures she appears in do not show her in as attractive a light as her Egyptian drawings do. But, I don't think anyone can say for sure what she really looked like. I am sure she must have been a beauty nonetheless. The text is quite easy to read, and the pictures are spectacular. Good Choice!

I loved this book. This is truly great reading. This book was so fascinating, I stayed up all night just to finish it. We are taken beyond mere history, and into the depths of the Roman rulers lives.The author does an excellent job of sweeping you into the vast Roman Empire that had reined supreme for many years. From Alexander the Great, to the his successors of Ptolemys', Cleopatras' and Berenices', we take a brief but intimate look into their lives. The morally corrupt family that they were, reining high for many generations over this strange and exotic land.Interesting as it is, Cleopatra was not actually Egyptian. Although depicted in many ancient drawings as a pharaoh, she was actually of Roman-Greek descent. Her rein to the throne was given to her through succession and birth. Facts do not always play a key role in this book, as information is not always on hand. The author tends to insert information from her own imagination when she sees fit to do so. I had no problem with this, as she makes it clear that those are her own suppositions. This book reads out like a good fiction novel. Towards the end of the book, we travel with the teams who made some of this research possible. There are many beautiful pictures throughout. This makes a great coffee table book. I think this is a great addition to any library, and for anyone to sit down and enjoy!

I loved the show on Discovery Channel and this book offers even more history on the life and legend of Cleopatra--as well as the amazing photos of finding her underwater ruins. This is great for the family and history buffs will love it.