An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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WHO WAS SHE? SEVEN ACTRESSES, including Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor, played Cleopatra in movies begin- ning in 1917. And in 2013, Angelina Jolie is sched- uled to be the eighth. But exactly who was the woman known as Cleopatra VII, whose life and death have fascinated the world for 2,000 years? Canopus and Heracleion, which until 10 years ago had been lost beneath the sea after a series of earth- quakes and tidal waves nearly 2,000 years ago. On land, Hawass and a team of archaeologists are searching for the tomb of the ill-fated lovers, Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Artifacts referencing Cleopatra were recently excavated by Hawass' team at the Temple of Taposiris Magna, about 30 miles west of Alexandria, and are included in the exhibition. Cleopatra lived from 69-30 B.C. Her tenure was marked by political intrigue and challenges to her rule. Historians and filmmakers have shown how she captivated two of the most powerful men of her day, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. "Cleopatra is one of the most enigmatic figures in his- tory, and this exhibition does a wonderful job of exploring who she really was and depicting the politi- cal upheaval that shaped her life," said Jay Williams, president and CEO of the museum at 800 W. Wells St. "We're very pleased to be working with such a stellar team in bringing this exhibit to Milwaukee." Tickets to the Cleopatra exhibit currently are on sale by calling 414-223-4676 or 888-700-9069 and online at www.mpm.edu. The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday- Sunday when the museum's other exhibit floors will close at 5:30 p.m. Exhibition tickets will be sold on a timed-entry basis and will include admission to the museum the day of the visit. • She was last of the Ptolemy dynasty that ruled Egypt for about 275 years, beginning in 305 B.C. The first Ptolemy was a Macedonian/Greek gen- eral who served under Alexander the Great. • Born in 69 B.C., she inherited the Egyptian throne around the age of 18 from her father. The Ptolemies established Alexandria as a center of culture and commerce in the ancient world. • Ancient texts point to her charm, intelligence, carriage and scholarly achievement. Fluent in at least seven languages, she wrote a number of books and was the first pharaoh of her Greek line to learn the Egyptian language. • She followed Egyptian religious practices and presented herself as the incarnate of Isis, the goddess of wisdom. • She captivated and bore children with two of the most powerful Romans of her time – Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After Caesar's assassi- nation in 44 B.C., she aligned with Antony, who eventually opposed Caesar's heir, Octavian. • Following a crushing defeat of her navy by Octavian, Mark Antony took his own life, as did Cleopatra. Some believe that Cleopatra and Mark Antony are buried together, but the grave has never been found.