Check out the awesome snake neck-lace courtesy of my novel editorin New York. The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University hosted a program for kids this past Sunday based on my book. We started off with a short reading and discussion. Even though there was a great age range (3rd to 9th grade!), I was impressed by the kids' … [Read more...] about Kids, Crowns and Cleopatra
Cleopatra & Her Daughter
The Dirt on Cleopatra’s Makeup
The Roman poet Lucan is like the Perez Hilton* of the ancient world: snarky, gossipy and full of dirt on the glitterati. Take, for example, his description of Cleopatra as a “fatal beauty,” “thick” with cosmetics. Oh snap! The ability to complement and insult someone in the same breath was obviously a fine art way before Hollywood even had hills. Later in the … [Read more...] about The Dirt on Cleopatra’s Makeup
Wait. Cleopatra’s Neighbors used Antibiotics?
[Addendum: A couple of friends have reminded me that concoctions with antibacterial and antibiotic properties existed in numerous ancient cultures (though I really could have done without that Roquefort reference, PhDiva! *shudders*). What I found particularly exciting about this report was that it involved Nubian culture and we know relatively little about the … [Read more...] about Wait. Cleopatra’s Neighbors used Antibiotics?
Did Cleopatra Wear a Wig?
Cleopatra was Greek, so no surpriseher busts depicted her in theHellenistic fashion of the day. According to busts carved during her lifetime, Cleopatra wore her hair in the Greek fashion—long hair wound up in a bun in the back. She was, of course, the last in her dynasty of Greek rulers, so it’s not surprising she preferred to emphasize her Greek … [Read more...] about Did Cleopatra Wear a Wig?
Did She Or Didn’t She?
One of the more fascinating legends about Cleopatra involves a very big pearl and a swig of wine. According to Pliny, Cleopatra bet Mark Antony that she could outspend him on a party. Game on! Antony went all-out for his shin-ding. When it was her turn, the queen held an ordinary banquet. Thinking he’d won, Mark Antony began to gloat. Until Cleopatra took off an oversized … [Read more...] about Did She Or Didn’t She?
