Of all the figures in ancient history, few have continued to capture the imagination like Cleopatra. Two thousand years after she reigned as the last pharaoh of Egypt, she remains a character of intrigue and complexity.

Was Cleopatra the beautiful and scheming seductress of popular culture? Was she as ruthless as Ancient Roman writers described her? Or was she the highly erudite, skilled politician and popular leader who Arab scribes recorded?

Learn from well known Egyptian scholars, including Dr Zahi Hawass, and discover the truth about this extraordinary woman, a Greek queen from the Ptolemy dynasty, who embraced local Egyptian culture and drew on her education and ingenuity to advance her position in the face of the all-powerful Roman Empire.

This DVD is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated 24-page hardcover book. Watch and discover the secrets of cultures that thrived for centuries and then disappeared, and at the same time read the captivating book packed with intriguing facts, illustrations, photography and more.

Presented by Josh Bernstein
Produced by JWM Productions for A&E Television and the History Channel (2006).

For a preview of this documentary watch the video clip at the bottom of this page.

 To watch a pre-view of this DVD please visit YouTube or watch it at the bottom of this page