How Much Of Cleopatra’s Handwriting Has Survived The Centuries?

Queen Cleopatra has stay one of the most high - profile figures in story . Often remember for her cunning and romantic love life affair with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony , this poof of Egypt was an realized ruler in her own rightfulness , and one of the few distaff rulers of her age . It is perhaps fitting then that the only confirmed piece of handwriting we have for this legendary fair sex should symbolize her power in a single word .

" Ginesthoi " ( γίνεσθοιin ancient Greek ) , have in mind “ make it happen ” or “ do as I control ” , appears on an ancient royal decree that was create in 33 BCE . The Good Book was allegedly written in Cleopatra ’s hand and seem as a addendum to the decree itself .

The decree concede taxation freedom to a Romanic official think to be the famous full general and consul , Publius Canidius Crassus , who was closely associated with Mark Antony ( though there is somedisagreementthere ) . Canidius commanded Antony ’s realm armies against Octavian , the future emperorAugustus , at theBattle of Actiumin 31 BC and was later accomplish in Egypt on Octavian ’s edict .

But before this , Canidius was permitted to export 10,000 bags of wheat and import 5,000 amphorae of wine-coloured a twelvemonth , without taxation .

“ Wehave grant to Publius Canidius and his heirs the annual exportation of 10,000 artabas [ 300 tons ] of straw and the yearly importing of 5,000 Coan amphora [ around 34,500 congius ] of vino without anyone exact anything in taxes from him or any other expense whatsoever . ”

He was also grant taxation granting immunity for all the terra firma he hold in Egypt , an exemption that was extended to his renter too .

According to Professor Peter van Minnen , who has admit the document in several published articles since 2000 , the document was think of to be an internal note from Cleopatra to “ a high - rank official ” that ended up being recycled as papyrus wrapping for a mummy . This was not an unusual practice in Ancient Egypt – unwantedpapyrus was regularly reused for mummies and remains a valuable source for document that would have otherwise been lost to story .

ⓘ IFLScience is not responsible for for content divvy up from external sites .

give the document ’s nature , Minnen maintains , the only mortal who could provide such authority was the world-beater herself . So while we do not have a name or signature to confirm this , such a introduction could have only come from Cleopatra herself , and her handwriting would have been recognized by her administrator .

It is important to take down that this interpreting is not universally corroborate by historiographer , as there is no path to affirm that it really did come from Cleopatra , but it remains a strong possible action . If it is her script , the message adds to our agreement that Cleopatra took her responsibilities seriously and did not just reign , but also rule .