Cleopatra’s bloody rise to power

Islam Issa charts Cleopatra's bloody rise to the top, and the personal qualities she drew up on to navigate her brutal world

Promotional thumbnail for "Cleopatra: Episode Two" featuring a close-up of an ancient Egyptian statue of a female figure in profile, wearing an elaborate vulture headdress with a cobra (uraeus) at the front and a layered wig. The image is tinted in warm amber and orange tones against a solid orange background. Bold white text reading "CLEOPATRA" appears at the top, and "EPISODE TWO" is displayed in dark bold text in the lower left corner (Photo via Getty)

Published: May 24, 2026 at 7:44 AM

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From formidable overseas leaders to vicious internecine conflict, Cleopatra’s rise to the top was bloody and brutal. So what personal qualities did she draw upon to navigate these shifting sands? And should her success mean we see her in a new light? In the second episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the ancient queen’s life and world, Islam Issa – professor of public humanities at Birmingham City University – tells Matt Elton about the truth behind the myth.

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Go Beyond the Podcast

Captivated by Cleopatra? Matt Elton has curated a collection of essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra vaults to help bring the ancient queen to life.

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And don’t miss our HistoryExtra Academy Royal Women, with Professor Kate Williams, for more on some of the past’s most powerful female leaders – from Cleopatra to Elizabeth II.

Authors

Matt EltonPodcast editor

Matt Elton is the podcast editor at HistoryExtra

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