# The Death of Queen Cleopatra

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/queens-kings-and-dastardly-things-6677838/the-death-of-queen-cleopatra
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/queens-kings-and-dastardly-things-6677838/the-death-of-queen-cleopatra.md
Podcast: [Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things](https://stenobird.com/podcast/queens-kings-and-dastardly-things-6677838)
Published: 2026-06-07T23:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/queens-kings-and-dastardly-things/episodes/the-death-of-queen-cleopatra
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6846a16db5ac093b0ca993ec/e/6a2432896263fbced6393800/media.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/queens-kings-and-dastardly-things-6677838/episodes/the-death-of-queen-cleopatra
Duration seconds: 1609

## Resource

Love and death: Queen Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and the truth about that asp. In this second episode on Cleopatra, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams follow the Egyptian queen through the final and most famous chapter of her life. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra found herself navigating a dangerous new world of Roman power struggles. Her alliance with Mark Antony would become one of history's most celebrated love stories, but was it really a great romance, or a brilliant political partnership designed to protect Egypt's independence? We explore Antony and Cleopatra's extraordinary relationship, from their first meeting aboard her spectacular royal barge to the growing conflict with Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus. As Rome descended into civil war, the fate of Egypt hung in the balance. The story culminates in the dramatic events surrounding the Battle of Actium, the fall of Alexandria, and Cleopatra's death. Did she really take her own life using a deadly asp, as legend claims? Or has one of history's most enduring stories obscured a more complicated truth? Along the way, Robert and Kate separate fact from fiction, exploring the real Cleopatra behind the myths of beauty, seduction, and snakes. Hosts: Robert Hardman and Kate Williams Series Producer: Ben Devlin Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Bella Soames Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Series Producer: Ben Devlin Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini  Content Editor: Joseph Palmer Executive Producer: Bella Soames A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Sign up to Palace Confidential, the FREE royals newsletter from the Mail's top experts. Delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday, it's the smartest way to stay in the ro…

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