Cleopatra scientist

Cleopatra may not be as sexy as described by Greek and Roman scholars, but a brilliant scientist.

According to a new book, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra is a knowledgeable mathematician and a philosopher. Every week, she regularly meets other scientists. This book is titled Egyptology: The Lost Millennium, Ancient Egypt in medieval Arabic handwritten documents, will be released in January by the University of London Press (UCL). Accordingly, Okasha El Daly - the UCL Egyptologist - has found previously undiscovered Arabic manuscripts. He translated and analyzed the content of the text based on knowledge of early Egyptian history.

For a long time, Cleopatra has always been shown in iconography
sexy like this - (Photo: Granger Collection, New York)

According to El Daly, the first Arabic text about Cleopatra was recorded by Al-Masudi, who died in 956. In the book Muruj, Al-Masudi writes about Cleopatra as follows: 'She is a home the sage, philosopher, has elevated the status of scholars and delighted in their companionship. She also wrote books on medicine, talismans and cosmetics, besides many other books that are popular among practitioners. '

Medieval Arab writers such as Al-Bakri, Yaqut, Ibn Al-Ibri, Ibn Duqmaq and Al-Maqrizi also expressed their impression of the queen's construction projects. In fact, El Daly claimed that the first Arabic books mentioned Cleopatra and Egyptian history written by the bishop John of Nikiou (also Egyptian). In it was about the architecture of the queen in Alexandria, with many compliments. Another Arab historian, Ibn Ab Al-Hakam, said that Cleopatra was the person behind the Alexandria lighthouse, one of the greatest structures of the ancient world.

In an interview with Radio Netherlands, expert El Daly said that the sign of Alexandria was not only a sea lamp, but also a great telescope, with a giant lens used to burn boats. The enemy intended to attack Egypt. And other Arab sources indicate Cleopatra has created a formula for hair loss and even studies obstetrics (conducting experiments to monitor the stages of development of the fetus in the womb), not to mention the possibility. talent alchemy.

To explain the inconsistency of Cleopatra's image in historians, expert El Daly argues that previous information about the Egyptian queen came from enemies, who wanted to smear and turn her into a sub women are only good at seducing men. However, Professor Mary Lefkowitz of Wellesley University (USA) disagrees.'In fact, the Egyptians were in love with Cleopatra, even if they were afraid of her authority' , according to Lefkowitz. Other experts also support the new theory of a scientist Cleopatra.