Best book about cleopatra

Written by Chris Thoms-Bauer on April 25, 2024Book Lists

The most famous woman from Greco-Roman antiquity? A feminist icon? Check out our curation of 10 of the best books on Cleopatra (VII).

Links to purchase or find a copy in your library are available for each book listing.

(Note: books are listed in reverse-chronological order).

For more Greek book lists, check out our book lists on and , or our .

Publisher Description

Few personalities from classical antiquity are more famous–yet more poorly understood–than Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt.

In this major biography, Duane Roller reveals that Cleopatra was in fact a learned and visionary leader whose overarching goal was always the preservation of her dynasty and kingdom.

Roller’s authoritative account is the first to be based solely on primary materials from the Greco-Roman period: literary sources, Egyptian documents (Cleopatra’s own writings), and representa