Antony & Cleopatra by Adrian Goldsworthy
The story of Antony and Cleopatra is one of the most famous of all time, and through countless plays, books and films continues to fascinate. Antony was one of the three men in control of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra was the queen of Egypt, former lover of Julius Caesar.
Over the centuries, their story has been retold many times, with many inventions and embellishments obscuring the true facts. Now, Adrian Goldsworthy, a noted writer on Ancient Rome, has gone back to the original sources and archaeological evidence to try and uncover the real people behind the myths.
Given the patchiness of the ancient sources, there are going to be gaps and speculation, but Goldsworthy always points these out, never allowing supposition to be recorded as fact.
With Antony and Cleopatra, Adrian Goldsworthy has produced a well-written and accessible work, explaining the complex political machinations of the day, as well as allowing the two central characters to emerge as more rounded figures than before.
