Cleopatra has been many things in the public imagination — temptress, queen, manipulator, goddess. But who was she really?

In this episode, we set aside the caricatures to explore the life of Egypt’s last pharaoh through the lens of three remarkable books. We begin with The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George, a sweeping work of historical fiction that lets Cleopatra speak in her own voice. This richly detailed novel invites us into her thoughts, her ambitions, and her heartbreaks — offering a portrait far more nuanced than the one history has passed down.

Next, we shift to Cleopatra: A Life by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff. This biography sifts through centuries of propaganda, sexism, and cultural projection to uncover the political genius and formidable intellect behind the legend. Schiff doesn’t romanticize Cleopatra — she reclaims her.

Finally, we turn to When Women Ruled the World by Egyptologist Kara Cooney, who places Cleopatra within a long lineage of female power in ancient Egypt. Through this broader historical context, we explore why women in power have so often been rewritten as cautionary tales — and what that tells us about the stories societies choose to preserve.

This episode isn’t just about Cleopatra. It’s about the shaping of memory, the rewriting of power, and the possibility of seeing a historical woman clearly — even through the distortions of time.