The last Egyptian queen Cleopatra is considered one of the most beautiful, vicious and mysterious women in world history. Her controversial image, the documentary evidence of which is scarce and unreliable, has haunted the minds of scientists and creative people for many centuries. An insidious seductress and intriguer who easily seduced Roman emperors and military leaders, a mad vixen who doomed slaves to torture and death for the sake of entertainment, a wise and fair ruler who cared about the welfare of her subjects, a noble proud woman who preferred death to shame - who was she? really? Specialist in the history of world culture Lucy Hughes-Hallett undertakes a deep historical and cultural study of the issue, not only revealing the true appearance of the famous Egyptian queen, but also clearly demonstrating how her image changed in the consciousness of mankind over time, changing ideas about female beauty and the emergence of new types of art.