The Appeal of Cleopatra

Many famous actresses such as Sarah Bernhart, Theta Bara, Claudette Colbert, and Elizabeth Taylor have played the role of Cleopatra. Though research it was discovered that Cleopatra was not considered attractive, even during her lifetime. Coins from her life period show her to have a prominent nose and chin. There are no record of the color of her skin, hair, and eyes.  

  "For her actually beauty, it is said, was not in itself so remarkable that none could be compared with her, or that no one could see her without being struck by it, but the contact of her presence, if you lived with her, was irresistible; the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation, and the character that attended all she said or did, was something bewitching. It was a pleasure merely to hear the sound of her voice, with which, like an instrument of many strings, she could pass from one language to another; so that there were few of the barbarian nations that she answered by interpreter; to most of them she spoke herself, as to the Ethiopians, Troglodytes, Hebrews, Arabians, Syrians, Medes, Parthians, and many others who language she had learnt; which was all the more surprising, because most of the kings her predecessors scarcely gave themselves the trouble to acquire the Egyptian tongue, and several of them quite abandoned the Macedonian."

Plutarch "Antony"

 Cleopatra may have not been beautiful but she was incredibly fascinating. She had intelligence, grace, wit, and ambition. These traits attracted both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She was also loved by many of her people. She took an interest in her subjects and their welfare. She was the first in her dynasty to learn to speak Egyptian. This also helped to win the affection of her subjects.