Cleopatra
- The background to Cleopatra, including the kingdoms of the Hellenistic world, the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt and the role of Ptolemaic women, the significance of Egypt within the Mediterranean world at the time, Egypt’s relationship with Rome, the significance of Egypt in Rome’s civil wars, and how Cleopatra rose to power
The nature of the sources most relevant to these interpretations and representations, for example Plutarch, Horace, Shakespeare, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, portraiture from different periods, and representations in film
The different interpretations and representations of Cleopatra (from the ancient past to the present), including how Cleopatra represented herself in monuments and inscriptions; her portrayals as the enemy of Rome, a femme fatale, the saviour of Egypt, and a victim; and modern feminist representations
The historical context of the interpretations and representations of Cleopatra and why these have changed, for example her Macedonian ancestry and her depiction using traditional Egyptian artistic conventions
The reliability and contestability of interpretations and representations of Cleopatra, including the significance of source selection, omission, emphasis and gaps in evidence