![]() ![]() Egyptians were known for lining their eyes with black makeup. Scholars have also attributed books on toxicology and cosmetics to Cleopatra. Shen then mixed in the last ingredient, honey, to create a salve to rub on the afflicted area until hair began to grow. ![]() She combined those components with bear’s grease, deer marrow, and reed bark. Her invention to cure baldness was made with equal parts of burnt mice, rags, and horse’s teeth. Cleopatra Created CuresĪlthough Cleopatra spent significant time researching the easiest way to die, she also experimented with cures for various ailments. The first account of her death didn’t occur until decades later. Others say she probably drank a lethal mixture of hemlock and opium. Some historians say Cleopatra likely bit herself to create a wound and then applied the cobra venom topically. The Romans considered her valuable for maintaining order in Egypt, and it’s unlikely they would have allowed a servant to whisk an angry cobra into her room. At the time of her death, Roman occupiers held Cleopatra under house arrest, and they intended to keep her alive. Her own death has been attributed to cobra venom, but scholars are not in agreement. She then experimented with venomous snakes. Some prisoners experienced seizures or nausea, and she wanted to find the perfect poison that would allow her to die quickly and peacefully. Using tinctures, which were mixtures of plant extracts dissolved in alcohol, Cleopatra would note how long it took the prisoner to die and which side effects resulted. She used condemned prisoners to experiment on with lethal concoctions. Cleopatra Played with PoisonsĬleopatra was anticipating Roman forces to destroy her dynasty and tested which poisons would offer her the fastest, least painful death. The cocktail, however, would likely have a fishy taste that was not enjoyable. And that 5 percent acetic acid solution would take three minutes to react fully with powdered calcium carbonate. Roman Senator Lucius Plancus declared her the winner of the bet.Īlthough some scholars say vinegar is not acidic enough to dissolve a pearl, others contendthe calcium carbonate in a pearl would indeed react with the acetic acid. After the pearl dissolved, she drank the vinegar, thus consuming more than 10 million sesterces in a single sitting. With Marc Antony watching, she removed one of her priceless pearl earrings and dropped it in the vile. He also doubted she reached the agreed upon price tag.įor the second course, Cleopatra arranged for a servant to place a vile of vinegar in front of her. The next day, she hosted a beautiful banquet that Marc Antony was said to have enjoyed. Using her chemistry knowledge, Cleopatra won a famous bet against Marc Antony.Īccording to the legend, Cleopatra and Marc Antony were enjoying a feast when she bet she could spend 10 million sesterces on a single banquet. ![]() In her time, she was an expert in gynecology, pharmacology and aesthetics. ![]() She researched, conducted experiments (albeit cruel and unethical ones) and wrote about her findings. She spoke at least seven languages and was interested in science and medicine. They failed to note that Cleopatra was a serious scholar. The Romans weren’t ready for a powerful woman, and biographers and historians smeared her legacy. Marc Antony) became one of three Roman Republic rulers, and Cleopatra’s next ally and love interest. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C., Marcus Antonius (a.k.a. Her lavish tastes and promiscuous lures corrupted the highest rungs of Roman leadership.Ĭleopatra first paired off with Roman Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar, who helped her return from exile and ascend to the throne. If the Romans had their way, we would remember Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt as a depraved and power-hungry woman. ![]()
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