Currency in the time of Cleopatra VII

CAIRO – 15 August 2022: Queen Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) is one of the brightest queens of the ancient times. Her antiquities are still preserved, including some coins, which had a different importance in the time of the last Ptolemaic queen who ruled Egypt.

The currencies in that period were varied, including silver and bronze coins. It is well known that the coins bear on the obverse the head of Queen Cleopatra and on the back the image of an eagle, and the phrase Queen Cleopatra in Greek.

Currency in the time of Cleopatra VII - social media

According to archaeologists, Cleopatra is the first queen to have her picture placed on the coin individually, despite the participation of a number of kings with her during her reign; this is of course along with her pictures with each of them.

However, the image of the queen on the coin is used as evidence against her beauty simply because it does not conform to the contemporary Western concept of the acceptable attractive form, as it shows the obvious masculine features of Cleopatra.

After the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony at the naval battle of Actum, coins bearing the image of a crocodile were minted representing Egypt in celebration of Octavian's victory.

The currency after the defeat - social media

In Gaul, a copy of these coins bore the shape of a crocodile tied to a palm tree, with a wreath of victory. This was the celebration of the Roman victory outside Egypt.