I.E.S.

Mariana Pineda. Geography and History

HISTORY VS. CLEOPATRA

Keywords: trial, defendant, prosecutor, judge, reign, debt, stability, prosperity, bureaucracy, priest,
throne, army, tax, amnesty, corruption, revolt, support, megalomania, emperor, rumor, stereotype

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the situation you see in the video.

2. How is Cleopatra described by her prosecutor and her defendant at the beginning of the video?

3. Why is Cleopatra considered a fascinating woman by her defendant?

4. Why is Cleopatra’s history made of rumors and stereotypes?

5. Explain and discuss with your classmates the meaning of this statement: Powerful women are only
defined by their sexuality.

Say if the sentences below are true or false. Remember that if they are false you should correct them.

a) We know how Cleopatra looked like because most of the art and descriptions of her came during her
lifetime. _____
b) Cleopatra VII was the last pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Macedonian Greek family. ______
c) Egypt was a Roman client state. Cleopatra’s father incurred large debts to the Republic. ______
d) Cleopatra ruled Egypt very well: she stabilized the economy, managed the vast bureaucracy and
curbed corruption. _____
e) Julius Caesar and Mark Antony led the two factions that fight for Roman power at the end of the
Republic. _____