Yeah I can’t remember the reasoning / evidence but I do remember reading that Cleopatra was unlikely to have been beautiful or “sexy”. IIRC it’s indeed because she was likely to have congenital deformities due to inbreeding - much like those of Tutankhamen.
She was extraordinary powerful, well educated, and had a terrifying intellect. Additionally she would have bathed daily which would have been alluring in that era.
That said, there’s no shortage of other powerful Egyptian babes, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut come to mind.
Edit: Plutarch the Roman historian said something diplomatic like physical beauty is not her most striking feature. Which, when talking about a ruler, is saying she’s ugly.
Yeah I can’t remember the reasoning / evidence but I do remember reading that Cleopatra was unlikely to have been beautiful or “sexy”. IIRC it’s indeed because she was likely to have congenital deformities due to inbreeding - much like those of Tutankhamen.
She was extraordinary powerful, well educated, and had a terrifying intellect. Additionally she would have bathed daily which would have been alluring in that era.
That said, there’s no shortage of other powerful Egyptian babes, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut come to mind.
Edit: Plutarch the Roman historian said something diplomatic like physical beauty is not her most striking feature. Which, when talking about a ruler, is saying she’s ugly.