Cleopatra's Daughter: and Other Royal Women of the Augustan Era (Women in Antiquity)

This study examines a number of royal women who ruled in the Mediterranean world in the latter first century BC and into the following century, existing in a symbiotic relationship with the Roman government, which controlled most of the region. It is the first detailed examination of the role of royal women in the ever-changing world of the era of the emperor Augustus. Previous studies have centered on the kings of the era, and, as expected, less attention has been given to the women who ruled as their partners, or on their own. The most famous of these is Cleopatra Selene, the daughter of the famous Cleopatra VII of Egypt and her partner, the Roman magistrate Marcus Antonius. She ruled Mauretania (northwest Africa) in with her husband for over 20 years, and attempted to reconstitute her mother's legacy in this remote region and was a patron of the arts and scholarship. Other women of note included in this book are Pythodoris of Pontos, who ruled northern Asia Minor for over 40 years, and Salome of Judaea, the sister of Herod the Great, who was never queen but exercised major power in Judaea for nearly half a century. All these, and others, were contemporaries, and were part of the interrelated dynasties of the world of Augustus. Moreover, they had close relationships with the Roman elite and the prominent women of Rome, such as Livia and Octavia, the wife and sister of Augustus, and Antonia, the granddaughter of Antonius and mother of the emperor Claudius. Their values and attitudes toward rule directly affected the emergent Roman imperial system, and their legacy survived for hundreds of years through their descendants and the goals of the imperial women of Rome. The Roman emperor Augustus gave his name to the age he dominated, from the latter half of the first century BC until the second decade of the following century. Yet he shared the age with several royal women who ruled parts of the Mediterranean world, in a symbiotic relationship with Rome. This book is the first detailed portrait of these remarkable women. Previous accounts of the period have centered on Augustus or Rome's allied kings, with scant attention to the women who ruled as their partners or on their own. The most famous of these is Cleopatra Selene, the daughter of the great Cleopatra VII of Egypt and her partner, the Roman magistrate Marcus Antonius. Her very survival following Roman victory over her mother's forces is itself noteworthy but she went on to rule Mauretania (northwest Africa) with her husband for more than twenty years. She even attempted to reconstitute her mother's legacy in this remote region and, like her mother, was an ardent patron of the arts and scholarship. Other women of note included in this book are Pythodoris of Pontos, who ruled northern Asia Minor for forty years, and Salome of Judaea, the sister of Herod the Great, who, while never queen, exercised significant power for nearly half a century. These and others--Glaphyra of Cappadocia, Dynamis of Bosporos, Abe of Olbe, and Mousa of Parthia-were all part of the interrelated dynasties of the Augustan Age. Their values and attitudes toward rule directly affected the emergent Roman imperial system, and their legacy survived for centuries through their descendants and the goals of the royal women of Rome, such as Livia and Octavia, the wife and sister of Augustus. Assimilating all of the historical and archaeological evidence, Cleopatra's Daughter recovers these extraordinary women from the dim shadows of the ancient past. The Roman emperor Augustus gave his name to the age he dominated, from the latter half of the first century BC until the second decade of the following century. Yet he shared the age with several royal women who ruled parts of the Mediterranean world, in a symbiotic relationship with Rome. This book is the first detailed portrait of these remarkable women. Previous accounts of the period have centered on Augustus or Rome's allied kings, with scant attention to the women who ruled as their partners or on their own. The most famous of these is Cleopatra Selene, the daughter of the great Cleopatra VII of Egypt and her partner, the Roman magistrate Marcus Antonius.0They were all part of the interrelated dynasties of the Augustan Age. Their values and attitudes toward rule directly affected the emergent Roman imperial system, and their legacy survived for centuries through their descendants and the goals of the royal women of Rome, such as Livia and Octavia, the wife and sister of Augustus. Assimilating all of the historical and archaeological evidence, Cleopatra's Daughter recovers these extraordinary women from the dim shadows of the ancient past Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Cleopatra’s Daughter 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Preface 10 Genealogical Chart 14 Introduction 16 1 Queens and Royal Women 22 2 Cleopatra’s Daughter 42 3 Glaphyra of Cappadocia 64 4 Salome of Judaea 74 5 Dynamis of Bosporos 94 6 Pythodoris of Pontos 114 7 Aba of Olbe and Mousa of Parthia 136 8 Royal Women and Roman Women 144 Appendix 1. A Note on Flavius Josephus and Nikolaos of Damascus 162 Appendix 2. The Girl Who Danced for the Head of John the Baptist 164 Abbreviations 168 Notes 170 Bibliography 192 List of Passages Cited 202 Index 212 This Is The First Study Of The Royal Women Who Ruled In The Mediterranean In The Latter First Century Bc, In A Symbiotic Relationship With The Roman Government. Several Are Discussed, With The Most Prominent Cleopatra Selene (the Daughter Of The Famous Cleopatra Vii Of Egypt) And Salome, The Sister Of Herod The Great-- Queens And Royal Women -- Cleopatra's Daughter -- Glaphyra Of Cappadocia -- Salome Of Judaea -- Dynamis Of Bosporos -- Pythodoris Of Pontos -- Abe Of Olbe And Mousa Of Parthia -- Royal Women And Roman Women. Duane W. Roller. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This is the first study of the royal women who ruled in the Mediterranean in the latter first century BC, in a symbiotic relationship with the Roman government. Several are discussed, with the most prominent Cleopatra Selene (the daughter of the famous Cleopatra VII of Egypt) and Salome, the sister of Herod the Great"-- Provided by publisher