What’s all the fuss about Gal Gadot?
Dozens of beautiful women have played the role of Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt on film, television and virtually every other media. As a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.
Yes, Cleo was a Greek; not an Arab and not even an Egyptian. Hardly surprising given that she died in 30 BCE, almost 700 years before the Arabs conquered the Roman colony and imposed their language and religion. Continue reading →