History Memes

I don't think I've ever read the word 'sexy' in my entire curriculum.

Mainly because it wasn't historically accurate*

It's also been the pop cultural understanding of her since Virgil.

Tbf also women that are more akin to tators are also very dreamy

That's suspected to be part of why she was seen as so sexy. Rather than just being some conventionally hot chick, she was incredibly smart, cunning, charismatic, fun, and powerful. Julius Caesar and Mark Antony both seemed to see her as a kindred spirit and found her power and intelligence attractive.

And I find that too to be quite interesting because Rome of this time was a time and place of fairly strong cultural misogyny when it came to women in power. And yet two of the most powerful men in Rome of the time clearly were more than fine with her being powerful.

Wait till you hear she was also hot

Historians: "No not like that"

She can be both. In fact, I think it makes her even sexier knowing she was such a singularly competent and effective head of state.

-Giggles in multiple languages-

Back then people had only seen like five women, so it was just a small sample size.

I would not say she was ugly at all, based on what I've seen.

Cleopatra artistic reconstruction utilizing various paraphernalia which may depict her.

Another using a similar technique

Maybe she was sexy in other ways?

Caesar was a notorious philanderer who more or less had his pick of women wherever he went. His affair with Cleopatra, however, was unusually enduring and powerful. I doubt she fucked better than every noblewoman and prostitute in Rome (which, considering Caesar's reputation, he may very well have all tried). More likely is the combination of circumstance and Cleopatra's own sophisticated and educated outlook.

Caesar was, famously, a great appreciator of the humanities, with even noted enemies like Cicero praising his genuine love of literature and intellectual pursuits, and he had a vast collection of art from across the world, even before he met Cleopatra. Roman society, especially during the Mid and Late Republic, could be a bit... ambivalent about artistic interests like that. On one hand, civilization - Romans very much appreciated the work of specialist skills and knowledge. On the other hand, shouldn't you be doing something PRACTICAL, senator?

But Cleopatra is not only Graeco-Egyptian (the Ptolemies were mostly Greek, but Cleopatra took great efforts to identify herself with the Egyptian people, including being the first Ptolemaic ruler to actually fucking speak Egyptian), which means she has a somewhat... broader-minded view of art, but also a queen. She is used to being able to enjoy and appreciate refined things. On top of that, she was quite famously cultured even by the standards of royalty, and intelligent.

Caesar was in his early 50s at the time, but had only just started going bald. Caesar, who was famously handsome and vain, did not take this well. So this guy who has spent most of his life surrounded by UTTER PHILISTINES, or at least men who largely do not appreciate art on the same level he does, meets a young, beautiful, powerful woman who is (apparently) deeply interested in him and shares his interests on a similar level, and at a time in his life when he's beginning to feel the weight of age. Maybe it should be no surprise that he took to her exceptionally well, but it's definitely more than just being good in the sack!

It's suggesting she has value beyond that

I don’t know… intelligent, powerful women are kinda sexy…

And what about herstorians? Did they die off in some accident?