A thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden found that Cleopatra was not ancient Egypt's only female pharaoh, in fact, she wasn't even the first female pharaoh. It has been discovered that her crown belonged to Queen Arsinoë II (316-270 B.C), who ruled as pharaoh and high priestess with her brother/husband (a normal practice withing this particular family), 200 years before Cleopatra. Queen Arsinoë is said to have been a very important figure in Egypt. She was was a political and religious force and was praised at the same esteem as goddesses Hathor and Isis. In addition, Maria Nilsson from the University of Gothenburg adds, "She was no ordinary woman. She fought in battles, and even participated in the Olympics, where she won three events for harnessed horses." 200 years after her death, she was still honored by the people of Egypt. There was the Arsinoëion which was a shrine built in her honor in Alexandria and the Arsinoëia which was a festival created for her. It was not a surprise that Cleopatra chose to wear her same crown.
With a bit of a dramatic life, she married at the age of 16 to Lysimachus of Thrace, a 60-year-old general of Ptolemy I, where she gained much wealth and honors in Greece. 18 years later when Lysimachus died, she married her half-brother, Ptolemy Keraunus. The marriage ended when Keraunus killed two of Arsinoë's three sons. Arsinoë returned to Egypt and married her brother King Ptolemy II.
With a bit of a dramatic life, she married at the age of 16 to Lysimachus of Thrace, a 60-year-old general of Ptolemy I, where she gained much wealth and honors in Greece. 18 years later when Lysimachus died, she married her half-brother, Ptolemy Keraunus. The marriage ended when Keraunus killed two of Arsinoë's three sons. Arsinoë returned to Egypt and married her brother King Ptolemy II.
While the crown was never found, it was sculpted on 158 Egyptian relief scenes with dates spanning of about 400 years. The symbols are said to represent the qualities of the queen. The crown was also used as a model for a crown that was made for the goddess Hathor in return for her protection of Egyptians during the civil war.
The study also found that this crown was particularly special, since it differed from the usual Egyptian headdress:
-The red crown symbolizes the rule of Lower Egypt
-The ram horns and the feather plume symbolize Amon, the ram god of Egypt.
-The cow horns and solar disc symbolize the goddess Hathor and the harmony between male and female
Click here to read Rossella Lorenzi's article Did female Egyptian pharaoh rule before Cleopatra?
Click here to read Rossella Lorenzi's article Did female Egyptian pharaoh rule before Cleopatra?
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