Cleopatra committed suicide with poisonous snakes: Is it true or just a legend?

Everyone is accustomed to the story of the last minute of Cleopatra's Queen. The distraught Queen due to the collapse of the kingdom and the death of her lover sneaked a poisonous snake into the locked room and committed suicide, next to the two women.

Find the truth about the death of Cleopatra

According to the Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley , the story seems fabulous. In his new book, Cleopatra: The last Queen of Egypt, recently published in Europe and preparing to release in the United States, Tyldesley has denied the legend of this "snake-bitten suicide ."

Photo: dribbble.com

Tyldesley, a lecturer at the University of Manchester, UK, told Discovery News that 'It seems to me that this poisonous snake is hard to stand on, because there are too many holes in the story.' She posed questions like: A snake has killed all three people, or has three snakes been brought in? How did the snake enter the room? Where did they escape then? Since not all snakes are poisonous, how do these people make sure they die?

'Basically, I think there are better and more certain ways if someone wants to kill themselves.' She adds part of the story may also be true. According to some historical documents, Cleopatra actually died in Alexandria around 30 BC, and there is no historical evidence that she has symptoms of illness. For Tyldesley the Queen's pre-death moments may be real, especially when Cleopatra chased away the slaves, except for the two women Charmian and Eiras.

She explained that 'The decision to die in front of the Queen's two sisters is practical, because according to ancient Egyptian beliefs, the dead also need a servant. One of the fears of a suicidal woman is that their bodies will be exposed somewhat in front of strangers. ' Therefore, the Queen protected her virtue while living as well as dying by retaining some female servants.

In the documents written by Greek historian Plutarch and Roman historian Cassius Dio, Cleopatra brought a snake into the room inside a jar of fig or water bottle, but both historians were skeptical of the story.'An adult cobra, or three children, may need a bottle of fig or an extra large bottle of water.'

She believes that instead, Cleopatra and the maidens died of a homemade poison , which can be snuck into the room or stored on the queen in a brooch or comb. One of Cleopatra's uncles committed suicide by swallowing poison; Suicide is a noble thing in the Greek tradition that her family follows.

'Cleopatra's Death' - Artwork 'Cleopatra's Queen' painting by Reginald Arthur in 1892. Cleopatra's suicide is often portrayed in artworks like what legends do. Folk retelling - with a poisonous snake.A new book doubts the authenticity of this story, suggesting that Cleopatra died of other causes, even assassination.(Photo: Reginald Arthur / Getty Images)

Cleopatra may have "chosen her own death rather than waiting for Octavian to kill or humiliate ." Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium and later became Roman Emperor Augustus . Some researchers also believe that Octavian murdered Cleopatra. American criminal planner Pat Brown took this case in 2004 and studied it the way she did with a case in the 21st century.

Brown also discovered holes in the snake bite story. With the help of Egyptologist Nicole Douek, University of London and lecturer David Warrrell, University of Oxford, she came to the conclusion that Octavian 'sent people on duty' and set it up as a suicide. .

Tyldesley agreed that Octavian had "wanted Cleopatra to die, although the assumption he wanted to eradicate the unconvincing Ptolemaic lineage when we considered him sparing three of Cleopatra's children, at the same time." allow Cleopatra's daughter to marry and give birth. '

As for the snake legend, Tyldesley thought that the Egyptians feared and worshiped the snakes . Cleopatra, therefore, wore a snake-shaped crown created by all artisans with all devotion. 'The following artists were enamored of the idea of ​​the Egyptian royal snake and developed it, the more confirms the speculation that the Queen died of snake bites. '

In August 2009, Greek archaeologists claimed to have found the skull and remains they believed of Cleopatra and Roman general Antonius. This is a ray of hope to know the secret of the death of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, who is a great inspiration for poetry, music, cinema, . and the seductive image of the last Egyptian queen. The same goes deep into people's hearts all over the world.