Cleopatra: A portrait of a killer (part1/6)

[MrJuijk]

why was it full of water? i thought it was sealed?

[Quickfire412]

It's kind of ironic that when a woman of power does something like kill someone to protect themselves they're called a killer, but when a man or power does it he's seen as a hero and isn't scrutinized for the decision

[blauwurm]

I like the accent ;)

[ToudaHell]

Members of her family. If she was a man, historians would have never made such a fuss about such a thing.

[ToudaHell]

She was a woman of power. There was no way she could have kept that power without rolling a few heads. Especially

[MissDitaDestruct]

Thanks for adding this! :)

[esanchezyn2]

they showed this one US TV a few months ago on the Green Planet Channel on Cable. But it was heavily edited, the Scottish guy is completely edited out and the narrattor is American.

[girrg6]

@esanchezyn2 his accent is annoying not to be rude but it is

[10HitsugayaToshiro]

Its not ruthless more like political strategy. She wanted Cleopatra's throne so Cleopatra saw the only solution to the problem was her sister's death. Not that I condone killing of siblings or anyone for that matter but you have to look at the times when you define a ruthless killer.

[BigBadassR]

Its the street announcer from the series Rome!!!

[AmusedChild]

King Lear before the legend of Lear - a divided kingdom!

[BRUTUALTRUTH]

Thaks for uploading - very reviting

[dawncoming]

What sort of accent is this...kinda Scottish kinda Irish to me.

[shockadellick]

God gives everyone a time to rule. But when he takes his hand off the ruling land, he never return. Egypt is just a reminder of what's to come of all great nations. America is great now, so enjoy for a time.

[XxAshxBabyxX]

I liike how the american version has a slightly diffrent version of this so you kinda get a little more information

[Josh4president]

A Scotsman talking about Cleopatra?

I can dig it

[heioshikun]

i dunno...the accent bothers me....kinda australian at the onset but...just isn't my music to ears...im afraid i'll have to watch it someplace else...

[BetsyfromFife]

Guy in question is Neil Oliver, Scottish historian, archaeologist, author and broadcaster, famous in Scotland for presenting tv programmes on Scottish history/archeology etc and for brilliant 'Coast', and was hilariously parodied (involving himself) a few years ago on a 'Comic Relief' sketch. Something of a hero of mine as you maybe can tell.

[lovejohnniebear24]

She killed her sister for power so what! its not like she was the last one or the first one. It wasnt uncommon in those days or in these days as well! :/

[1992VoodooChild]

I don't know why people are sticking up for her - she was evil.

[azulalover97]

She was a queen and had to do whatever she had to do to hold onto her power and to protect her children and their claim to the throne. Yes she was a ruthless killer when she needed to be but almost every great ruler that has held on to power has had to be at some point.

[MsMiMo18]

So far all I've heard is she had her sister killed, I wouldn't say shes a ruthless killer, isnt someone a ruthless killer when they've murdered more than like 10 people.

[dreamer777able]

Umm,Cleopatra's sister would've done the same to her if she had a chance, Cleopatra did what she had to survive. Some of the greatest rulers in History did questionable deeds, but Cleopatra was chased out of the city by her own family who tried to kill her first, I call that self defense. Some men just can't deal with independent women who won't be all sweet and sugary, so the women get branded as whores when they really were brilliant and smart. Get over it already!

[CaitlinSk]

@dreamer777able yes, but I do think it was wrong to violate sanctuary. Arsinoe had been spared by Caesar and she had claimed sanctuary in a temple.

[gezkah]

Cleopatra was'nt Egyption by blood, I don't know why this docu has her as one.

[bloodnokian]

Thank you for the upload :)

[Mr1958louief]

Interesting!

[Nekronaut321]

id let her poke me with her knifes huhuhuh ;)

[ZoeCEubanks]

Trpethera was eldest but killed and so was Betreaine

[ZoeCEubanks]

cleopatra only had three sisters Aresone Trypthera and Betreaite

[TenshiTamagoKidd15]

seh killed her sister and borther! shes evil!

[pinkgirl1224]

princess Arsinowai is a beautiful girl

[PhoenixzLife]

now who says that cleopatra snt egyption?? not ALL the ppl whoz name made thru history s from europe 8-)

[yummy128able]

ewww, the woman acts as Cleopatra was extremely ugly

[22poopoo]

@yummy128able But the actress did actually look similar to the only busts and coins of cleopatra

[Mauramia]

She was a direct decedent of one of Alexander the Great's generals, Ptolemy, and he was Macedonian\Greek, not Egyptian. Regardless of what she may have looked like, it was her brain power that captivated the 2 greatest men of that period: Gaius Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. In that period, people of Macedonian\Greek heritage were more fair skinned than they are today, as were the original Romans who were of Greek heritage. The Caesar family claimed lineage from the goddess Aeneas.

[SynthiaRose]

@Mauramia Your post is hilarious. Tell me, when people discuss your parents, do they always just mention your father? How can U mention Ptolemy only &conclude Cleopatra was entirely Greek. Here's news: She had a mother, whose identity has long been a mystery. Whitewashers of history suggest she was Ptolemy's Greek sister (Cleo V) but other historians know that was only speculation& she was likely a concubine. Her sister's remains now reveal they had an AFRICAN mother. So Cleopatra was Mixed.

[SynthiaRose]

Also, why the preoccupation about ancient Greeks being fair-skinned...you are certainly color struck. You can only know what historians have told you and skin color doesn't doesn't translate in history books. Ancient Greeks did not look European. Stop the madness.

[ginababyize]

She was the daughter of Ptolemey who was indeed Egyptian.

[kimokamal5]

They say that Cleo was ugly cuz she had a hooked nose!!!! But maybe back then a hooked nose was the ultimate sign of beauty. try to see the ancient world as the ancients saw it.

[TheBumbleBunny]

@kimokamal5 That is the truth. She had a big nose, and back in that time people that had big noses were beautiful. It shows how much we people have changed trough the time...

[CaitlinSk]

@kimokamal5 "Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed." B. Pascal

[kimokamal5]

I love the accent!

[kimokamal5]

she was a descendent of Ptolemey who is a general in Alexander's army. and ptolomey wanted to legitimize his rule as a Pharaoh and he did so by marrying a dotter of the last pharaoh of Egypt, so who is to say that Cleo doesnt have Egyptian blood!? that would be nonsense.

kimokamal5

[kimokamal5]

Cleo was originaly greek, but her greek people have been living in Egypt for over 300 years and that makes her fully fledged Egyptian, the same as someone Irish immigrate to america and his great grand childeren become fully fledged americans. the greeks came to egypt and saw a civilization far older and superior to their's so they aspired to be Egyptians and to adapt egyptian culture which is also superior to the greek one.

[flipflap95]

"we're in Egypt"

NO WAY.

[TheJuggaletteKasha]

actually it was found in recent study that she may have been only half greek and she was concitered a standard beauty for her time but as you said it was her intelligence that seduced more than her looks

[X33vince]

Was it dear Robby Coltrane ? ^^

[amyliz143ny]

I'm trying to pay attention to what this guy is saying, but all I'm thinking of is 'Trainspotting'.

[kimokamal5]

@amyliz143ny why?

[XoLiLRaVeRoX]

your thinking of gilligans island-thats ginger not cleopatra

[fiver5vervain]

chanelgirl1000

You can't forget that Cleopatra was a brutal woman, she would have done anything to cling to her power. I believe she would have had her sister killed, most people are right. Cleopatra was a Greek of Macedonian decent and had been raised in Egypt but she wasn't Egyptain she was likely not dark haired more likely fair in hair and skin.

[kimokamal5]

@fiver5vervain but most greek and macedonian people today have dark hair and they must have been even darker back then. but it doesnt really matter how she looked like we should focus more on her legacy even if it was so bloody but yet magical and mysterious.

[deojoandco]

Very nice video. How did you get video? I also need it for my project

[brianmoran1973]

I think most accounts of cleopatra describe her as unattractive

[BRUTUALTRUTH]

Even Arabs then you couldn't trust.

[chanelgirl1000]

This documentary attacks cleopatra's character and the only thing these moron commenters are concerned about is race.

[EraserKneaded]

@chanelgirl1000 I don't think anyone is talking about her race in a critical way, they just want to know the truth about Cleopatra. The movie industry has done it's usual job. They took a famous name, buried the original person and created a more mysterious fictional character. As a result, most people think she was a raven-haired Egyptian (Liz Taylor) when she was really a red-haired Greek. The truth is worth knowing.

[SynthiaRose]

@EraserKneaded Your continuing the spread of more fiction by suggesting she was full Greek. Continue watching the documentary and learn the truth.

[EraserKneaded]

@chanelgirl1000 As for attacking her character, you're right. Her behaviour was no better or worse than any powerful person's behaviour at her time in history. Survival was a nasty business. But the Discovery Channel would like us to think she was unusually horrible, so they hype it that way, drag a few "authors" and "historians" out of the bars and prop them up in front of the camera.....

[EraserKneaded]

@chanelgirl1000 If you want to learn from videos, look for work produced by organizations who have reputations worth protecting, and access to intellectual resources. The BBC is a good source. The Discovery Channel and various history channels are more about noise than knowledge.

[chanelgirl1000]

@EraserKneaded If I want information on cleopatra I no were to look for it thank you very much. I have to say you sound very condescending when you say cleopatra was a red head as if your opinion matters over others. Spare me this preaching on how cleopatra was greek when in fact her ancesters were macedonian and she was born in egypt that would make her north african.

[EraserKneaded]

@chanelgirl1000 Her mom was Macedonian. Her dad was Greek. She had flaming red hair on her head, her chest, and from her crotch to her knees. Born in Alexandria. She rode a Harley. She drank her bath water. Hated Egypt, nothing went with her hair. When the moon was full she left the curlers in and ate ice cream with a wooden spoon. She was misunderstood. She didn't care 'cuz she was the bloody Pharaoh.

[SynthiaRose]

@EraserKneaded Stop spreading lies & misinformation. You do NOT know that her mom was Macedonian. The identity of Cleopatra's mom has been a point of controversy for eons. The theory that she was Cleopatra V was never proven; it was only speculation. And it raises further questions of why her identity wasn't recorded in legitimate sources. You conveniently avoid theories that Cleopatra was born to Ptolemy & A CONCUBINE. Now U ignore Arisonoe's remains, which suggest an African maternal lineage.

[SynthiaRose]

@EraserKneaded The video cannot misrepresent actual unearthed remains. You recommend sources whose work was completed before Arsinoe's remains were found and analyzed. That is irrational. Recommend a source that legitimately addresses Arsinoe's remains.

[EraserKneaded]

Cleopatra was Greek, of the Ptolemy line. The Greeks had conquered Egypt long before she was born. I wouldn't doubt that she was red-haired. Many Greeks had a fair complexion. Alexander is an example. The ancient Egyptian line disappeared before Cleopatra. Egypt had been taken over by the Greeks and the Persians, I forget in which order.

[HistoryLover1550]

Omg Ian Mcneice, he played the news announcer in HBO's "Rome" and Batiatus in "Spartacus" 92004)!!!

[HistoryLover1550]

one of Cleopatra's ancestress was a Syrian princess.

[HistoryLover1550]

For anyone interested, read Stacy Schiff's new book "Cleopatra A Life" Angelina Jolie's suppose to play the title role it's said.

[HistoryLover1550]

The narrator's not the same one that was on the Discovery Science channel when this was on.

[Kodanikage]

What historians don't seem to understand is that any and every ruler has been a murderer of some shape or form. Calling Cleopatra a murderer is like saying she breathed, obvious and necessary to the enviroment that she existed in.

[EraserKneaded]

@Kodanikage

Historians are well aware of it. The Discovery channel is hyping it for ratings. It's aimed at people who never thought about it, people who learned their history from Hollywood screenwriters, and people who don't watch the news.

[Everlastingev]

I love ancient stories thank you for the uploads.

[sabciabednarska]

ugh!! what's with the indian chick playing cleopatra?? they may as well get a japanese girl to play marie antoinette!! this is annoying :(

[LaSerpentaCanta]

omg is that an Irish accent?? it's so awful.

[plutogirllovekj]

@LaSerpentaCanta I think it's scottish!! If you want to distinguish between a Scottish and Irish accent. Close your eyes and listen for a hint of a Jamaican accent, if you hear it , then the person speaking is Irish, if you don't then the person is Scottish! LOL, it's actually true!! Watch the movie, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and you'll know what I mean!

[himeizayoi]

Cleopatra vii had an older sister who while their father was away took the throne from him and tried may times to kill

Her competition( dad and two sisters), in the end dad had her killed. Cleopatra had another sister who was a bit more intelligent in ways to steal the throne and she died by her sister's hands and so when cleo's dad died he named his eldest son heir and Cleo ( his youngest daughter) as co-rulers but. Cleo's brother/ husban died in a battle and so she was now pharaoh.

[HistoryLover1550]

@himeizayoi berenice IV also had her husband strangled and beheaded Cleopatra's mother, in turn Ptolemy XII cut off her head when he and Cleo came back to Egypt.

[sparklingmichele]

How in God's Holy Name can anyone prove Cleopatra killed anyone? She was handed the reigns from her father, Ptolomy, the Pharoh. She was respected by her people because she not only learned their language, but adopted their religious beliefs and customs. Maybe this sister wanted to overthrow her though she has NO claim to the throne and Cleopatra's bodyguards, stopped her

[RSCII]

The Scottish accent is annoying and the introductory music OVER the top.

[OhhChasquido]

Dude, I was liking the accent until I saw what the guy looked like.

[lunargoddess2002]

@OhhChasquido Oh he is pretty ok looking. I guess. He doesn't have a third eye or anything. Accents do help though. :)

[kimokamal5]

@OhhChasquido wa u mean? u think he is ugly or wa?

[Exoixx]

I don't know why but around 3:10 when he says Who was she? what was she doing here? really made me lol

[YellowMangerCalling]

Why do people say "hun?" Is this a sarcasm?

[kairosnews]

I want to congratulate you for put this wonderful material here. I love documentary and I am happy to watch them. Congrats

[malevolentpulse]

Cleopatra came to rule after 300 years of Ptolemaic rule. If you think -any- bloodline is "pure" after 300 years you may want to rethink things.

[MegaWolfgang]

Name any ruler then or for many centuries later, male or female which did not commit murder to secure their position. Lets face it, if you weren't ruthless at times you wouldn't be on the throne for long.

[The3rdHiltonSister]

@MegaWolfgang

Britney Spears

[Themusicintheair]

I love egypology!

[FridayNightMovieZ]

Cleopatra had people killed?!?!? NO SHIT, it's a known fact she wasn't a woman too mess with.

[W4YY2G00D4U]

uh. anybdy who knows anything about cleopatra knows she had no egyptian blood and was white. with red hair and a hooked nose, and seduced men through intelligence not beauty. how did this documentary exclude that. still interesting and still watching though.

[carmenjones411]

@W4YY2G00D4U

BWAHHAHAHA!

Reaching much???

Cleo was a Sista, chile! Face it LOOOOOOOOOOL

[gokinsmen]

@W4YY2G00D4U

Did you watch this all the way through? The whole point is that they found new evidence (i.e. what was probably her sister's bones), and now scientists believe that she was not white -- she was mixed race (euro, north african, and other races). Also, I think they make it pretty clear that Cleopatra seduced through skill and charm rather than surface beauty.

[MegaWolfgang]

@gokinsmen She was Masidonian Greek,

[joel1923]

@MegaWolfgang Agreed-Macedonian Greek.

[EmilyGreene1984]

@W4YY2G00D4U Well Cleopatra and Arsinoe were half-sisters - so while Arsinoe certainly had the same Greek ancestry as Cleopatra did (via their father), Arsinoe's blood line was also part African or at least Egyptian.

[babylcw]

@EmilyGreene1984 Egyptian is African...hun.

[EmilyGreene1984]

@babylcw I appreciate your patronizing tone, but to correct you - those who were Egyptian at that time were not all strictly African. Some were of various nationalities, as was the case with Cleopatra's family. Despite what people may claim to the contrary, her father Ptolemy XII Auletes was a descendant of Ptolemy I Soter I, who was a Macedonian Greek general.

[irontoolbox]

@EmilyGreene1984 Who said that Cleopatra and Arsinoe were 'half-sisters'? Heavens, people would go to all lengths to prove that Cleopatra was anything else but mixed-black. Please quote your sources for the less informed of us.

[EmilyGreene1984]

@irontoolbox Well no one knows for certain who Cleopatra and Arsinoe's mother were, but what it is suggested that they were half-sisters, according to authors Sarah Fielding and Christopher D. Johnson.

[irontoolbox]

@EmilyGreene1984 I found some information about them being half sisters based on Sarah Fielding's writings and will read more to find out how the team who put together this documentary arrived at their conclusion. Thanks.

[SynthiaRose]

@EmilyGreene1984 Cleopatra and Arsinoe were full sisters. What evidence are you using to suggest they were only half sisters?

[XuanDi]

@W4YY2G00D4U we have no skeleton or finding of her, how can u say she wasnt part Egyptian and go on to assert that she had red hair?

[LucasHiltonVicious16]

@XuanDi Well I doubt she had red hair, but she was of greek and roman blood.

[LucasHiltonVicious16]

@W4YY2G00D4U Yea..she was greek and roman.

[dancingnancy09]

@W4YY2G00D4U thank you! for being the first person Ive come across to post a correct and historically accurate comment on youtube- bless you!

[CrazyPockyJunkie]

@W4YY2G00D4U actually with 300 years of her kind in egypt before her its pretty certain she had egyptian blood

[jolsteiner]

@W4YY2G00D4U She was a descendant of Alexander the great. Yes, she was actually greek.

[kimokamal5]

@jolsteiner she was not a descendent of Alexander mate, she was a descendent of Ptolemey who is a general in Alexander's army. and ptolomey wanted to legitimize his rule as a Pharaoh and he did so by marrying a dotter of the last pharaoh of Egypt, so who is to say that Cleo doesnt have Egyptian blood!? that would be nonsense.

[kimokamal5]

@W4YY2G00D4U ok she was originaly greek, but her greek people have been living in Egypt for over 300 years and that makes her fully fledged Egyptian, the same as someone Irish immigrate to america and his great grand childeren become fully fledged americans. the greeks came to egypt and saw a civilization far older and superior to their's so they aspired to be Egyptians and to adapt egyptian culture which is also superior to the greek one. she seduced men with strong egyptian drugs also (Lotus)

[kimokamal5]

@W4YY2G00D4U ok she was originaly greek, but her greek people have been living in Egypt for over 300 years and that makes her fully fledged Egyptian, the same as someone Irish immigrate to america and his great grand childeren become fully fledged americans. the greeks came to egypt and saw a civilization far older and superior to their's so they aspired to be Egyptians and to adapt egyptian culture which is also superior to the greek one. she seduced men with strong egyptian drugs also (Lotus)

[psychoeyez]

@kimokamal5 she wasnt greek she was of mixed race. It said it later on in this biography

[kimokamal5]

@W4YY2G00D4U she was a descendent of Ptolemey who is a general in Alexander's army. and ptolomey wanted to legitimize his rule as a Pharaoh and he did so by marrying a dotter of the last pharaoh of Egypt, so who is to say that Cleo doesnt have Egyptian blood!? that would be nonsense.

kimokamal5

[CherryBlossomBlyue]

@W4YY2G00D4U REALLY NOW? well maybe they though tthe hooked nose was beautiful. wait how was she white if she was Egyptian?

[thebackgroundartiste]

@CherryBlossomBlyue  GREEK !

[CherryBlossomBlyue]

@W4YY2G00D4U hey they all wore those wig things anyway, Personally I loved that she used her brain to seduce men.

[IceQueen975]

@W4YY2G00D4U Yes, Cleopatra was white, but she probably had black/brown hair since her line was from Romans who usually have black/brown hair.

[SynthiaRose]

@IceQueen975 Being Part African and Part Greek does not equal being white. Abandon attempts to whitewash history and embrace the truth. Cleopatra was mixed. Part Greek and part African, as this documentary finally attests. Stop acting like Cleopatra's mother's identity was never a point of confusion and speculation.

[SynthiaRose]

@W4YY2G00D4U Anybody who knows anything about Cleopatra knows her mother's identity was uncertain. There was speculation she was either Cleopatra V (her father's sister &Greek) or a local concubine. There was NEVER any record of Cleopatra's mother being involved in her life. Yet, she bore a blood sister, Arsinoe, years later -- so she was still alive but not recorded in history? Y? Cuz she was a concubine? These forensic remains say YES -- and one of African ancestry. Cleopatra was MIXED.

[jenniferdajak]

assinoue or whatever cleopatras sister should of been cleopatra in this show she's much prettier

[malevolentpulse]

@jenniferdajak

...It's well known that Arsinoe was much prettier than Cleopatra....they were trying to depict that methinks.

[gieankyle]

uuhhh... this looks good.

[mtmuller]

this is quite a good show. Thanks for posting.