Cleopatra: The Movie

[Northern Neil]

I watched an older documentary on Cleo the other night, and I thought I heard one of the historians say the Ptolemies had been in Egypt for 300yrs. by the time she came to the throne. Is that correct?

Yes. Ptolemy 1st was one of Alexander the Great's generals.

[Crispina]

I knew he was one of Alexander's generals, but just didn't realize it had been 300yrs. Thanks.

[Melvadius]

I watched an older documentary on Cleo the other night, and I thought I heard one of the historians say the Ptolemies had been in Egypt for 300yrs. by the time she came to the throne. Is that correct?

 

The original Ptolomy was one of Alexander the Great's generals who gained control of Egypt when Alexander's empire broke up at his death (in 323BC?) Alexander's various generals all carved out their own realms from the remnants of the lands he had conquered but in Ptolomey's case he possibley got the most fertile and by bringing Alexander's body to Egypt for burial probably gave himself a better claim to power.

 

So on that basis then yes the Ptolomies really did rule Egypt for around 3 centuries.

[Kosmo]

Now even Maureen Dowd mentions the book and Cleo: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/opinion/14dowd.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fopinion%2Findex.jsonp

[Kosmo]

And more: Stacy Schiff herself writes about Cleo in a NYT op-ed

Cleopatra