Cleopatra: Portrait of a Killer
6.67
Ratings: 6.67/10 from 67
users.
Cleopatra - the most famous woman in history. We know her as a great queen, a beautiful lover and a political schemer. For 2,000 years almost all evidence of her has disappeared - until now.
In one of the world's most exciting finds, archaeologists believe they have discovered the skeleton of her sister, murdered by Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
From Egypt to Turkey, Neil Oliver investigates the story of a ruthless queen who would kill her own siblings for power. This is the portrait of a killer.
What is the actress who played Cleopatra?
Can anyone tell me the actresses in this documentary?
It's interesting that a documentary that MIGHT explain what happened to Cleopatra's sister turned into a religious debate and then a racial one. I have had too many question the original cover of my book, "The Early Scrolls" when I had an obviously pale-skinned Egyptian figure on the cover (a character of my own who was half Egyptian). I was tired of explaining to people "read the book, it is all in there, and she is even compared to the "darker skinned desert people." The ancient Egyptians, in reality, were darker skinned, but NOT what we term as "blacks" today. Some were, but most had a distinct brown color to their skin darker than whites but lighter than full Africans. In Cleopatra's time, so much Greek/Roman/Egyptian mix came into play, that colors varied widely.
This documentary like so many others is more about theatrics than the facts. I also have serious doubts that the young pharaoh's cause of death was drowning due to him wearing too much gold. That sounds too much like roman propaganda passed off unquestionably as fact.
Also the stories of her legendary beauty weren't even started until the Victorians and later Hollywood got a hold of the story. (artistic licence)
I've watched a few documentaries about how plain (ugly) she was; that it
was just a marriage of political convenience for both sides. Of course
though ancient females weren't celebrated for their cunning or
intelligence so she became "beautiful". Her skull told a different
story. This guy narrating isn't even a historian. He is just an
archeologist and apparently real historians quit his other documentary
about Scotland over historical inaccuracies.
the actor who plays the Roman narrator played a similar role in the TV series Rome :o)
This is so full of rubbish! What about the fact that Cleopatra was a skilled diplomat, talented linguists, as well as an able ruler who was loved by her people? They have completely glossed over the fact that Arsinoe and her brother would totally have Cleopatra killed if they weren't killed first! What a single sided portrayal of Cleopatra! I only watched the first 20 mins and I can't bare to finish this!
She was the last pharaoh of Egypt and of greek nationality, actually. After alexander the great's conquest and death, land was split up into 3 rulers. She was the descendant of one of them. This was after the ancient egyptians were taken over by Greeks, nobody is trying to remove blacks from history. Its a pretty accurate movie, and it's good if you're interested in it, though it's pretty long.
Exactly, I don't know why they have a white woman on the picture. I don't mean this in a rude way towards white ppl at all, but that very thing makes me not even want to watch it because I know it's gonna be a crock of bull just from the falsehood of the picture. I've seen real life mummies and they had "dread locks" in their hair just like the ones I wear,cleary black ppl, no if's ands or buts about it, no excuses or denials. Yet they still try to remove Egypt from Africa and represent the ppl as if they were anything other than black..uh uh, no thankx not even going to bother watching, it already looks like a lie. I agree with you. I also appreciate those ppl who can admit the truth that-Ancient- Egyptians were black just like the Nubians whom they worked with as well.
Don't get discouraged, if the subject interests you, watch it =) You can always turn it off if it's not what you expected.
Sooo I only read the comments to see if I should watch this documentary and all I got was an insight into feminism, religious back-talk and commentary from someone who is clearly not intelligent enough to use proper English instead of profanity. Great. Thanks people! lol
sigh....just read all the comments and clearly I'm shallow. My main reason for watching is that gorgeous Scots presenter, Neil Oliver
And to L0LAW0NKA, feminism means that you believe in gender equality, so if you believe in equal rights for people of different genders then you are a feminist. It's unfortunate that people still buy into the racist and mysogynistic myth of the "feminazi."
I agree with the last comment. While learning about some of the history of Cleopatra it's obvious that this film ignored anything that Cleopatra did that required intelligence instead of her looks. The focus on her looks just delegitimizes that she was worth much more than that. I agree that this film was offensive in regards to the way it treats women who dare to break oppressive gender binaries.
I got to admit I found that program quite offensive and simplistic in its portrayal of Cleopatra. It makes no mention of the 22 years of prosperity Cleopatra brought her people neither does it mention that murdering siblings within that royal family practically amounted to a family tradition! I'm not saying that made her actions right but this programme seems to pre-suppose that her siblings wouldn't have done the same given the chance! Theres no mention of her exceptional education and little of her intelligence except in a shady light and it just exasperates me that in our 'enlightened' times we still have to see powerful, smart women making the same decisions as men made castigated as whores.
Furthermore her children which would have carried on her bloodline are completely ignored. As was the fact that Marc Antony was involved in a power struggle separate of Cleopatra as the agreement he had made with the other Roman leaders was rapidly disintegrating this gave her little choice but to join him as the fall of Marc Antony would have meant the fall of Cleopatra which in the end of course it did.
she was no different than the other woman devils today but i still love them
When it was thought that Cleopatra was a white women - she was lauded as a great leader and queen. Now that evidence provesotherwise - she is branded as a ugly, tawdry, killer.
"Portrait of a Killer"?? Oh right. So it's okay for male pharoes to kill for power, but it's not okay when a WOMAN does it. This stupid world ruled by men. Women have as much right to kill as men do. In fact, women have proven to be better rulers than men. I'm not a feminist, but I still advocate for equal rights. If men can kill power without being judged, then women should be able to do the same.
This double-standard is encouraging me to become a notorious female serial killer or a ruthless politican. Tsk.
:(
This was amazing. It dispells the myth that cleopatra was all white and it brings to life the reality of cleopatra as a killer of her family.
The reconstruction of the skull to show what Cleopatra's sister actually looked like was extremely interesting to me; but I was also offended slightly by the title of this doc. And how do we really know that it was Cleopatra's idea and not Marc Antony's to have the sister put to death??
Why does every comment on here NO MATTER what the doc was about end up being about bloody religion - I just want to know if this doc is worth watching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cleopatra was not beautiful. She used her sexual prowess and fun making ability well. - Hunting, intelligence, and being a good sport. Women of today would do well to take heed.
"Portrait of a Killer"? A woman in power is always criticized, hated and insulted. What about ALL of the men in power who killed off everyone who stood in their way? Why are they not "killers"? Not even Hitler was referred as a killer. No, they were harsh, brutal Leaders, not killers. Fair should be fair; and if they can't be fair, then they should die.