The Cleopatras: The Forgotten Queens of Egypt -- Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Hardcover

The definitive story of the seven Cleopatras, the powerful goddess-queens of ancient Egypt

One of history's most iconic figures, Cleopatra is rightly remembered as a clever and charismatic ruler. But few today realize that she was the last in a long line of Egyptian queens who bore that name.  
  
In The Cleopatras, historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones tells the dramatic story of these seven incomparable women, vividly recapturing the lost world of Hellenistic Egypt and tracing the kingdom's final centuries before its fall to Rome. The Cleopatras were Greek-speaking descendants of Ptolemy, the general who conquered Egypt alongside Alexander the Great. They were closely related as mothers, daughters, sisters, half-sisters, and nieces. Each wielded absolute power, easily overshadowing their husbands or sons, and all proved to be shrewd and capable leaders. Styling themselves as goddess-queens, the Cleopatras ruled through the canny deployment of arcane rituals, opulent spectacles, and unparalleled wealth. They navigated political turmoil and court intrigues, led armies into battle and commanded fleets of ships, and ruthlessly dispatched their dynastic rivals.   
  
The Cleopatras is a fascinating and richly textured biography of seven extraordinary women, restoring these queens to their deserved place among history's greatest rulers.   

Author: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 05/21/2024
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.46h x 6.37w x 1.25d
ISBN: 9781541602922

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2024
Publishers Weekly 03/25/2024
Booklist 04/01/2024 pg. 13
Library Journal 05/10/2024 pg. 1

About the Author
Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones holds the chair in ancient history at Cardiff University. The author of Persians, he has published widely on ancient history and lives in Taff's Well, Wales.