The burial chambers of Antony and Cleopatra?
The famous lovers, the eminent Roman leader Mark Antony and Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII, have always fascinated students of history and the general public alike, so it is exciting news that archaeologists will be excavating a temple in Egypt in an attempt to find the final resting place of the real Antony and Cleopatra. The whereabouts of their graves has remained a mystery for these past 2039 years, with much speculation over the centuries.
The temple is near the northern coastal city of Alexandria and was built during the reign of King Ptolemy II. Queen Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty when she waged her defensive war against the Roman Empire led by Octavian (later to be known as Caesar Augustus) – a war which she, of course, lost.
After their defeat at Actium it was reported by Roman authorities that she and Mark Antony committed suicide – he by his sword, and she by use of a poisonous snake somewhat later.
Queen Cleopatra’s life story is full of political intrigue, family murders, and scheming too complex to summarise, however it is interesting to know that she had borne a son to Julius Caesar when he earlier came to conquer Egypt. She had dreamed of going to Rome to claim her rightful place by his side, intending their son Caesarion to rule over the Roman Empire and Egypt. However, Julius was assassinated before her plans could unfold, and the next ruler intended to both topple her and kill her child; which he succeeded in doing.
But first he sent Mark Antony to Egypt in a military capacity to oversee the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Rather than ruling the Queen he too, although married, fell under her spell and then stunningly turned against his own government by becoming her ally against Rome.
Archeological teams from Egypt and the Dominican Republic have already been excavating at various sites at this temple over the last three years and have found several deep shafts which may have been used for the burials.
Zahi Hawass, the General Secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained to the world media, “We did a survey by radar which showed three important anomalies. We hope that one of them could be the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Last year they found the alabaster head of a Cleopatra statue, over 20 coins with Cleopatra’s portrait and a mask believed to belong to Mark Antony. We believe that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were buried inside this temple, called Taposiris Magna. It is located 50 kilometres west of Alexandria and we think this is really a perfect place for Cleopatra and Mark Antony to be hidden. We know from Plutarch they were buried together.”
From the ancient author Plutarch we read the following: “Octavius Caesar was vexed at Cleopatra’s death, and yet he could not but admire the nobility of her spirit, and he gave orders that she should be buried with royal splendour and magnificence, and her body laid beside Antony’s. When Cleopatra died she was 39 years of age and had reigned as monarch for 22 of these.”
The world eagerly awaits the investigation’s conclusion, and to know whether or not this is indeed the final resting place of the illustrious Antony and Cleopatra.
