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Coin Shows Cleopatra's Ugly Truth
BBC ^ | 2-14-2007

Posted on 02/14/2007 8:59:15 AM PST by blam

Coin shows Cleopatra's ugly truth

The images of Antony and Cleopatra are less than flattering

Antony and Cleopatra, one of history's most romantic couples, were not the great beauties that Hollywood would have us believe, academics have said. A study of a 2,000-year-old silver coin found the Egyptian queen, famously portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor, had a pointed chin, thin lips and sharp nose.

Her Roman lover, played by Richard Burton, had bulging eyes, thick neck and a hook nose.

The tiny coin was studied by experts at Newcastle University.

The size of a modern 5p piece (18mm or 0.7in), the artefact from 32BC was in a collection belonging to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, which is being researched in preparation for the opening of a 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.

"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 Hollywood couple may have perpetrated a Hollywood myth

"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".

The university hopes more forgotten treasures will come to light before the Great North Museum opens in 2009.

The Roman coin is on display in Newcastle University's Shefton Museum from 14 February.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ancientautopsies; anthiny; antony; antonyandcleopatra; cleopatra; cleopatravii; coin; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; truth
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To: blam

Are they suggesting that one of the two faces in the coin picture is of Cleopatra? Or are both of Anthony?


21 posted on 02/14/2007 9:16:22 AM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( New Update to Abortion Section of FRhomepage: it's now the Abortion/Euthanasia Section, for one.)
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To: Jedi Master Pikachu

Antony.


22 posted on 02/14/2007 9:17:59 AM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( New Update to Abortion Section of FRhomepage: it's now the Abortion/Euthanasia Section, for one.)
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To: SoCal Pubbie

Sounds like she had a really good phone voice, too...


23 posted on 02/14/2007 9:19:37 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (Causing global warming is so easy, even a caveman could do it...)
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To: blam

Antony looks like Joey Butafucco


24 posted on 02/14/2007 9:21:29 AM PST by stylin19a
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To: blam

Oh bushwa. Cleopatra was a babe, and Antony a stud. Anyone can dummy up a coin; this is probably the work of some disgruntled smith...


25 posted on 02/14/2007 9:22:44 AM PST by karnage
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To: blam

Of course Cleopatra was beautiful - she "had HUGE...tracts of land"... /grin


26 posted on 02/14/2007 9:23:08 AM PST by tarheelswamprat (So what if I'm not rich? So what if I'm not one of the beautiful people? At least I'm not smart...)
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To: blam
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

"Hey Antony - I've got a terrific gal for you, she's got a great personality!"
27 posted on 02/14/2007 9:23:18 AM PST by The Lumster (USA - where the innocent have nothing to fear!)
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To: Hegemony Cricket

During the scene in Cleopatra where she enters through the Arch of Hadrian (yes, I know) the 7th Fleet visibly lays at anchor in the background. - Roman Soldiers Don't Wear Wrist Watches


28 posted on 02/14/2007 9:24:07 AM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
Cleopatra's image is on the right--and her name can be read clearly on the coin.

Cleopatra's ancestry was Macedonian (descended from Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals), but one of her gradnmothers is unidentified, so some African American scholars have claimed Cleopatra as "black" on the assumption that the unknown grandparent was a native Egyptian (ergo "black"). This coin doesn't support the "Cleopatra was black" hypothesis.

29 posted on 02/14/2007 9:27:11 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: blam
I remember having to translate this from Plutarch's Lives...

For her actual beauty, it is said, was not in itself so remarkable that none could be compared with her, or that no one could see her without being struck by it, but the contact of her presence, if you lived with her, was irresistible; the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation, and the character that attended all she said or did, was something bewitching. It was a pleasure merely to hear the sound of her voice, with which, like an instrument of many strings, she could pass from one language to another...

30 posted on 02/14/2007 9:30:10 AM PST by wtc911 (You can't get there from here)
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To: Verginius Rufus

It would support the hypothesis that the unknown grandparent was butt ugly, however.


31 posted on 02/14/2007 9:32:05 AM PST by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: ikka
Please, no posting of the Helen Thomas pic!

Where's the fun in that?


32 posted on 02/14/2007 9:40:45 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Every time a jihadist dies, an angel gets its wings.)
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To: massgopguy

It was a wrist sundial! Haven't you seen the Flintstones?


33 posted on 02/14/2007 9:43:05 AM PST by GreenLanternCorps (Hi, I'm the DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS! (TM) Ask about franchise opportunities in your area!)
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To: Verginius Rufus

Given the history of Egypt it is probable that she had an ancestor or two from what's now Ethiopia or The Sudan, but I'm sure she thought of herself as Greek-Egyptian considering the history and importance of those two lands.


34 posted on 02/14/2007 9:50:08 AM PST by GreenLanternCorps (Hi, I'm the DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS! (TM) Ask about franchise opportunities in your area!)
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To: darkwing104
I believe the standards of beauty were quite different.

I believe that might be a huge understatement!

35 posted on 02/14/2007 9:54:58 AM PST by JaguarXKE
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To: blam

btt


36 posted on 02/14/2007 10:00:59 AM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: blam

Allegedly she had other talents. One of the historians of classical antiquity said her nick name was "Chiela" or "Thick Lips" and she was said to have fellated 100 Greek noblemen at a banquet once. Salacious gossip about the mighty always has a market tho', see Petronius' (?) "The Secret History", full of Byzantine dirt about who was sleeping with who and how and who was on the take and for how much.


37 posted on 02/14/2007 10:03:35 AM PST by skepsel
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To: blam

Clearly, the man who cut the die was a one trick pony when it came to faces. He was able to differentiate hair styles though.

I don't read much into these claims. There's a limit to what you can do with a hammer and chisel on a small coin die.


38 posted on 02/14/2007 10:04:46 AM PST by exit82 (Defend our defenders--get off the fence.)
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To: blam
Here's a face that would look much better on a coin. On this coin, Cleopatra reminds me a bit of Joey Buttafuoco.
39 posted on 02/14/2007 10:10:25 AM PST by Mila (i)
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To: blam

Which one is Antony, left or right?


40 posted on 02/14/2007 10:10:41 AM PST by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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