Cleopatra's daughter From Roman prisoner to African queen

While Cleopatra VII is well known for her rule of Ancient Egypt and her relationships with the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, her daughter Cleopatra Selene is much less known, although in her day she was a powerful ruler in her own right. Born in 40 BCE to Cleopatra and Antony, Cleopatra Selene spent her first decade of life in her mother's care, until Antony was defeated by the troops of his political rival, Octavian. Cleopatra committed suicide after Antony's demise, and Octavian opted to bring her children to Rome to be raised by his sister (who also happened to be Antony's ex-wife). Cleopatra Selene was the only one to survive childhood, and at 15 she was wed to Juba II, a fellow North African royal. Together, the two were dispatched to the kingdom of Mauretania, where they ruled jointly for two decades until Cleopatra Selene likely died in childbirth. Archaeologist Draycott uses primary sources as well as art and historical artifacts to construct an engaging portrait of Cleopatra Selene and her turbulent times.

Draycott, a lecturer in ancient history at the University of Glasgow, debuts with a lush biography of Cleopatra Selene, the only daughter of Cleopatra VII of Egypt and her lover Mark Antony. Born alongside her twin brother, Alexander Helios, in 40 BCE and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra Selene was rigorously educated in preparation for becoming queen of Egypt. Following her parents' suicides after their defeat at the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra Selene was placed by Roman emperor Octavian in the home of Antony's former wife, Octavia. Though a captive, Cleopatra Selene's pedigree made her an attractive match for a ruler of one of Rome's allied kingdoms, and in 25 BCE she was married to Gaius Julius Juba, son of the deceased king of Numidia. Installed as rulers of the newly created North African kingdom of Mauretania, Cleopatra Selene spent her 20-year reign overseeing the daily business of Mauretania while Juba toured the frontier areas, keeping them secure for the empire. Archaeological discoveries--including the "strikingly innovative" coinage Cleopatra Selene designed and issued during her reign--testify to how she "succeeded quietly" as a ruler. Among other topics, Draycott sheds intriguing light on race and ethnicity in the Roman empire and the opportunities women had to wield power and influence. This peek into the ancient past enthralls. Illus. (Apr.)

An engaging scholarly study of one of the few children of Cleopatra and Antony to thrive after their deaths. In this deep work of historical excavation, Draycott, an archaeologist and professor of ancient history at the University of Glasgow, re-creates with keen contextual evidence the life and turbulent times of Cleopatra's surviving daughter, Cleopatra Selene (circa 40 B.C.E.-circa 5 B.C.E.), who was young when her parents died during Octavian's invasion of Egypt. Unlike her two older half siblings, whom Octavian murdered immediately, Cleopatra Selene; her fraternal twin, Alexander Helios; and her younger brother, Ptolemy Philadelphos, survived the politically fraught transition. When she was sent to Rome (her brothers died shortly thereafter), she became thoroughly Romanized in Octavian's household. As the daughter of the conquered and reviled queen of Egypt, she was subjected to the defilement of her ancient Egyptian culture. At the same time, writes the author, she "used her time in Rome wisely, learning exactly which aspects of Egypt and Egyptian culture the Romans found the most appealing." Deemed to be a valuable pawn but somewhat dangerous, she was maneuvered into marriage in 25 B.C.E. to Gaius Julius Juba of Numidia, another North African member of royalty in exile in Rome, and installed as queen in that North African client kingdom. The two monarchs modeled their own multicultural capital on Alexandria, and Cleopatra Selene's 20-year reign allowed her to regain her status, "effectively reconstituting the Ptolemaic dynasty," which would have been immensely satisfying to her mother. Though Draycott's subject "will undoubtedly never reach the heights of fame, or infamy," of her mother, the author presents a useful portrait by which she can "be judged on her own merits as an individual rather than as an idea or an archetype." The book includes a few helpful maps and family trees. A vivid portrayal of the difficult journey of an overlooked African queen. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.