Cleopatra’s Daughter: From Roman Prisoner to African Queen

Cleopatra Selene was the only surviving daughter of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII and Roman Triumvir Marc Anthony. In Cleopatra’s Daughter, Jane Draycott examines her life and times by following her journey as a princess until the death of her mother and father. Afterwards, she traces her steps as a Roman prisoner where she lived under the tutelage of Octavia, the sister of Augustus Caesar, until she married another royal prisoner. Finally, with the well-placed marriage to King Juba II of Mauretania, she could reclaim some of her earlier power, privilege, and esteem by reigning as his queen as they represented Rome’s political and economic interests in North Africa.

Draycott provides insight into the Roman Empire and Egyptian life during the time of Cleopatra Selene, giving readers a full picture of what life must have been like for her. It’s well-researched and full of interesting facts and details that history buffs will find satisfying and exciting. And for those readers like myself who have often thought women haven’t received their rightful place in the history books, this one goes quite some way in recognizing that they have long played an interesting and influential role in the past.