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Primary sourceSculpturec. 40-30 BCE

Portrait of Cleopatra (Berlin Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

A marble bust of Cleopatra VII made during her lifetime, showing her in a Greek royal hairstyle and diadem.

A lifetime portrait offering direct evidence of Cleopatra's royal image to a Greek/Roman audience.

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Photograph of a white marble bust of a woman's head and upper neck, turned to the viewer's right. Wavy hair is combed over the forehead, a smooth bun sits at the back, and the hair shows a pinkish-brown discoloration. Light gray wall behind.
Marble bust of Cleopatra VII, c. 40-30 BCE. Altes Museum, Berlin.

About this source

What it is

This marble bust shows the head and upper neck of a woman wearing a royal diadem band. It dates from around 40-30 BCE, close to the time of Cleopatra's visit to Rome, and was found in a villa along the Via Appia. It is now in the Altes Museum in Berlin.

Why it matters

The bust shows Cleopatra with a Hellenistic 'melon' hairstyle and a royal diadem, a Greek-style image rather than the Egyptian pharaoh style sometimes used in her propaganda. It gives historians a sense of how she was shown to a Roman or Greek audience during her own lifetime, challenging popular legends about her appearance.

Look closer

  • What details in the hairstyle and diadem tell us this is meant to show a Hellenistic queen?
  • Why might Cleopatra have wanted to be shown in a Greek style rather than an Egyptian one in this context?
  • What can't a sculpted portrait tell us about a real person's appearance or character?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cleopatra on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Close-up photo of a brownish papyrus sheet with dark ink lines of Greek handwriting in columns, torn edges, and a dark background showing through a split down the middle.Document

Primary source

Papyrus with Signature of Cleopatra VII

Ptolemaic scribe; possibly countersigned by Cleopatra VII · February 33 BCE

Hand-coloured aquatint titled Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria. A rocky coastal scene with a curved sandy inlet in the foreground, stone steps and a small arched doorway, a hill with ruined structures behind, and sailing boats on the sea. Figures in turbans and robes stand on the shore and sit in a rowboat.Painting

Secondary source

Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria

Luigi Mayer · 1802

Sepia-toned photograph of a white marble seated statue of Cleopatra by William Wetmore Story. She sits on a plinth engraved with the name CLEOPATRA, head resting on her raised hand, wearing a veil and draped robe, against a stone wall.Sculpture

Secondary source

Cleopatra

William Wetmore Story

Marble sculpture of a woman's head and upper neck, shown in three-quarter view on a black stand against a brick wall. The hair is pulled back under a band with a knot at the top and a braided bun at the back. The face is calm with straight brows, a long nose, and closed lips. The bust is cut off at the base.Sculpture

Primary source

Head-Portrait of Cleopatra VII (Vatican Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

Stone wall carving at an ancient Egyptian temple showing figures in traditional pharaonic poses and dress.Artifact

Primary source

Dendera Temple Relief of Cleopatra and Caesarion

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