Today we are going to look at a mystery involving Cleopatra and her sister Arsinoe. Neil Oliver investigates the story of the two sisters to answer the question did Cleopatra murder her sister? Oliver uncovers the dark history of Cleopatra. A tomb two thousand years old may hold the key to Cleopatra’s story. The run time for this documentary is 58:51.
The story begins in Ephesus. In 1920, archeologists have discovered a tomb. Inside the tomb, they have discovered human remains. The skeleton was small and of a slight frame. It appeared to be a young woman. However, the tradition held that people were buried outside. Only men of importance were buried in the city. So why was this young woman buried in the city? Who was she? The archeologists had no idea who they found so the sarcophagus was resealed. A modern-day archeologist Hilke Thur looked into the mystery of the tomb. This tomb was octantal shaped and was buried on the Street of the Heroes. She enters the tomb with Neil Oliver. What they find is a barrel-vaulted chamber. When the archeologists originally entered the chamber, they saw the bones of the individual. What was the story of this person? Hilke wanted to discover that story and to do so, she turned to the historical record. Hilke looked to the story of Arsinoe. Arsinoe was living in the Temple of Artemis when she was murdered on orders of Cleopatra. Was this a legend or was it the truth? Was the young woman in the tomb Arsinoe? If it was, then these would be the first remains discovered that were tied to Cleopatra. Niel then makes a trip to Egypt to learn more about Cleopatra and her family. Cleopatra’s father had four children and when he died Cleopatra was supposed to share the throne with her brother. According to Egyptian custom, Cleopatra married her brother. However, it was a family where tensions simmered behind the scenes. Egypt was going to come face to face with the Roman Empire. Roman troops were already in Egypt. The Dynasty had a choice: rebel against Rome or ally with Rome. Cleopatra wanted to ally with Rome. Cleopatra’s brother and Arsinoe wanted to rebel against Rome. The siblings fought against each other, and Cleopatra was driven from the palace. She was banished from Alexandria and was in exile. However, she was not finished and she wanted to get revenge on her brother. Cleopatra’s father was friends with Julius Caesar and he had written in his will that Julius Caesar should decide the succession in the Egyptian empire. Cleopatra would use Julius Caesar’s and Rome’s help to get back at her brother. Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria and would mediate the family feud. Cleopatra would use her beauty and charms to seduce Caesar into siding with her in the succession dispute. As Neil tells the story of the family feud, he talks with scientists who are examining the bones to see what the bones can tell the world. The bones indicate that she was a younger person and a woman from the period when Cleopatra lived. The bones are the right age and sex to be Arsinoe. With computer technology, the skull of the alleged Arsinoe is recreated and this would lead to a facial reconstruction of Arsinoe. Flashback to the succession dispute and Cleopatra has smuggled herself into the palace in a bedroll. She would have to meet Caesar in his bed and she was a woman who would do what it took to secure her place on the throne. When her brother discovered Cleopatra in Caesar’s bed the next day. The Egyptians would rise against Rome. Caesar would take Cleopatra’s brother hostage and so it fell to Arsinoe to lead the rebellion. Cleopatra and Caesar set fire to Alexandria and this drew the Egyptians away from the palace. Caesar and his bodyguard fled to the Alexandria Lighthouse for safety. However it was here that Arsinoe would lead her troops against Caesar and would claim victory over him. To continue to learn about Arsinoe’s and Cleopatra’s stories continue to watch the rest of this episode. I would show this documentary to a history classroom and science classroom. I also found Arsinoe’s stories fascinating and something that should be shared with a history classroom. Her story is a good break from the history of Cleopatra!
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