by Stephanie Dray | Mar 13, 2014 | Cleopatra Selene, Daughters of the Nile, For Readers, Lily of the Nile, My Works, Song of the Nile
Cleopatra Selene is primarily remembered for being the daughter of Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman Triumvir, Marcus Antonius. But as the Queen of Mauretania, Cleopatra Selene should be remembered for more than this if only because she was the last Ptolemaic...
by Stephanie Dray | Mar 3, 2014 | Cleopatra Selene, Daughters of the Nile, FAQ, FAQ for SONG OF THE NILE, Lily of the Nile, My Works, Song of the Nile
One of the criticisms sometimes leveled at my Nile series is that because the Ptolemaic Dynasty considered itself Macedonian, the emphasis I place on Egyptian culture–and Cleopatra Selene’s awareness of it–is somehow historically inaccurate or...
by Stephanie Dray | Jan 19, 2012 | Cleopatra Selene, FAQ for SONG OF THE NILE
I’ve spent the past few years writing about Cleopatra’s daughter–a fascinating young woman that most people don’t even know existed. Today I want to talk about the next generation, the children that the infamous Queen of the Nile may have bounced on her...
by Stephanie Dray | Jan 12, 2012 | Cleopatra Selene, My Works
There are a whole slew of fantastically good reasons why incest is illegal and taboo, including the lasting psychological damage it does, and the dysfunctional family dynamics it creates. That said, there’s a good chance that the Ptolemaic Dynasty would have been...
by Stephanie Dray | Nov 15, 2011 | Cleopatra Selene, Daughters of the Nile, Lily of the Nile, Research, Song of the Nile
The ancient kingdom of Mauretania, once ruled by Juba II and Cleopatra Selene, is lost to the sands of time. But there are the ruins. I’ve posted photos of the area near Selene’s capital city, Iol-Caesaria, modern-day Cherchell Algeria. Now, thanks to...
by Stephanie Dray | Nov 2, 2011 | Articles, Cleopatra Selene, Daughters of the Nile, For Readers, Heroines, Lily of the Nile, Miscellany, Research, Song of the Nile
For much of its history, Rome depended upon Egypt for grain. While the Romans considered themselves an agricultural nation, and paid great homage to farming in literature, poetry, and art, the simple truth was that they couldn’t feed themselves. By the time Cleopatra...
