Katrina Rosales
Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt before the Romans took power, has been described as a beautiful and intelligent woman who used her attractiveness to her political advantage. She is said to have used perfume to seduce Mark Antony, and it is believed that she had her own perfume factory and created signature scents. In 2019, a team of researchers recreated a perfume they believed Cleopatra might have worn, based on residue found in ancient bottles and amphorae. The scent was described as the Chanel No. 5 of ancient Egypt, and it is said to have included ingredients such as myrrh, cinnamon, pine resin, and desert date oil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the fragrance | Mendesian |
| Base | Animal fat and vegetable oil |
| Other ingredients | Desert date oil, myrrh, cinnamon, pine resin, juniper berries, nut grass |
| Fragrance | Strong, spicy, musky, faintly musty, sweet, slightly bitter |
| Consistency | Thick |
| Fragrance cones | Used in rituals and worn in unguent cones |
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What You'll Learn
Cleopatra's perfume may have been recreated
Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt before the Romans took power, has been described as a beautiful and powerful woman in ancient histories. She is said to have used her attractiveness to her political advantage. One of the ways she did this was through her perfume. In 2012, archaeologists Robert Littman and Jay Silverstein from the University of Hawai'i uncovered a perfume factory outside of Mendes, a prosperous settlement in the Nile Delta, filled with perfume bottles and amphorae containing perfume residue. They asked Dora Goldsmith, a Berlin-based Egyptologist, and Sean Coughlin, a Prague-based professor of Greek and Roman philosophy, to recreate the perfume produced there. The team was able to create strong, spicy, faintly musky scents that lingered longer than modern fragrances.
The basis of the recreated scents was myrrh, a resin extracted from a thorny tree native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Other ingredients included cardamom, olive oil, cinnamon, desert date oil, and pine resin. These perfumes were much thicker and stickier than modern perfumes.
While it is unclear whether Cleopatra wore the same scent as the one recreated, it is believed that she had her own perfume factory and created signature scents. There is even a legend that she doused the sails of her royal ship in so much scent that Mark Antony could smell her coming from the shore.
The importance of smell in Cleopatra's life and the ancient world cannot be overstated. It is the sense most closely linked to emotions and memory, and it gives food its flavor. Recreating ancient scents can help us understand the past and the people who lived in it, such as Cleopatra and the elite in the ancient world who likely wore similar perfumes.
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She likely wore Mendesian, a popular fragrance
Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt before the Romans took power, has been described as a beautiful and intelligent woman who used her attractiveness to gain political advantage. She is said to have used perfume to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, with one legend claiming that she doused the sails of her royal ship in so much scent that Mark Antony could smell her coming from the shore.
While we may never know exactly what Cleopatra's favourite fragrance was, it is likely that she wore Mendesian, a popular fragrance of her time. In 2012, archaeologists Robert Littman and Jay Silverstein uncovered a perfume factory outside of Mendes, a prosperous settlement in the Nile Delta, filled with perfume bottles and amphorae containing perfume residue. They were able to recreate a strong, spicy, and musky scent, which may have been similar to what Cleopatra wore.
Mendesian was known as the "Chanel No. 5 of ancient Egypt" and was considered the finest fragrance of its time by the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder and the Greek physician Dioscorides. The perfume was made with ingredients such as myrrh, desert date oil, cinnamon, and pine resin, and was known for its long-lasting scent.
While there is no written evidence linking Cleopatra directly to Mendesian, it is clear from ancient texts that she loved fragrances and had access to the most popular scent of her time. The Greek physician Galen noted that Cleopatra wrote about the application of perfume for medical purposes, further suggesting her interest in and knowledge of fragrances.
Today, you can purchase a reconstruction of the Mendesian perfume, thanks to the work of Dora Goldsmith, a Berlin-based Egyptologist, and Dr Sean Coughlin, a Prague-based professor of Greek and Roman philosophy. Their collaboration resulted in a scent that brings Cleopatra to life, making her a more relatable and sensory figure.
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She used fragrance to seduce Marc Antony
Cleopatra was a bold and sensual woman, a commander of ships and hearts alike. She was known for her beauty and her use of fragrance to enhance her attractiveness, which she used for her political advantage.
One of the most famous instances of Cleopatra's use of fragrance was when she set out to seduce Marc Antony in 41 BC. Despite her limited finances and the famine sweeping through Egypt, Cleopatra led an ostentatiously equipped fleet, dressed as Isis-Aphrodite (the consort of Dionysius), with whom Marc Antony had recently declared himself the incarnation of. She was adorned with costly jewellery, beautifully made-up, and manicured to accentuate her beauty.
To captivate Marc Antony, Cleopatra ordered the sails of her ship to be drenched in perfume, so the divine scent would beguile the onlookers, including Marc Antony, who had lined the shore to witness her arrival. The scent of exotic flowers on the breeze bewitched Marc Antony even before he set eyes on the infamous queen. The fragrance was likely based on rose and neroli, with its aphrodisiac qualities, and the goddess Hathor, associated with myrrh and sandalwood, may also have inspired the scent.
The use of fragrance to seduce Marc Antony extended beyond the sails of her ship. Cleopatra's boudoir was strewn with roses, some say ankle-deep, leading a scented trail to her bed. The floors of the halls of her palace were said to be half a metre deep in rose petals, and she may have even made her perfume herself in a personal workshop.
The ancient Egyptians were famous for their perfumes, and Cleopatra's scent was likely sourced from Mendes, a prosperous settlement in the Nile Delta that played a crucial role in the spice trade from India, Africa, and Arabia. The unique fragrance would have been a powerful tool in Cleopatra's seduction of Marc Antony, contributing to the allure that caused him to forget everything he knew back in Rome and give up his power, family, and country for her.
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She may have made her own perfume
Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt, was known for her love of fragrances. While it is believed that she wore a perfume from Mendes, a prosperous settlement in the Nile Delta, some experts suggest that she may have made her own perfume.
In 2012, archaeologists Robert Littman and Jay Silverstein uncovered a perfume factory outside of Mendes, dating back to 300 BC. The factory contained tiny glass perfume jars and imported clay amphoras, indicating that it was a site of perfume production. While this discovery provided valuable insights into ancient perfumery, it did not reveal the specific scents or recipes used.
Perfumer Mandy Aftel supports the idea that Cleopatra may have created her own signature scents. She suggests that Cleopatra had a personal workshop where she crafted her unique fragrances. This theory is based on the understanding that Cleopatra was a sophisticated and powerful ruler who likely wanted to distinguish herself with a custom perfume.
While the exact ingredients of Cleopatra's potential homemade perfume remain a mystery, some experts have attempted to recreate ancient Egyptian fragrances. Dora Goldsmith, an Egyptologist, and Sean Coughlin, a professor of Greek and Roman philosophy, collaborated to recreate the Mendesian perfume, which was believed to be a popular fragrance in Cleopatra's time. Their recreation resulted in a strong, spicy, and faintly musky scent, with ingredients like desert date oil, myrrh, cinnamon, and pine resin.
Although it is uncertain if Cleopatra wore a store-bought perfume or crafted her own, the discovery of the ancient perfume factory and the recreation of ancient fragrances provide valuable insights into the world of ancient Egyptian perfumery and Cleopatra's potential scent preferences.
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She used perfume for medical purposes
Cleopatra, the last ruler of Egypt before the Romans took power, has been described as both beautiful and plain in ancient histories. While we may never know what she looked like, archaeologists have attempted to recreate her favourite perfume. A team led by Jacopo La Nasa, an analytical chemist from the University of Pisa in Italy, studied 46 vessels, jars, cups, and bits of organic material from the tomb of an ancient Egyptian architect and his wife. The analysis uncovered residues of oil, fat, and beeswax—all of which would have been scentless bases for perfumes with fragrant ingredients like juniper berries and nut grass.
In 2012, archaeologists Robert Littman and Jay Silverstein from the University of Hawai'i uncovered a perfume factory outside of Mendes filled with perfume bottles and amphorae containing perfume residue. They asked Dora Goldsmith, a Berlin-based Egyptologist, and Sean Coughlin, a Prague-based professor of Greek and Roman philosophy, to recreate the perfume produced there. The resulting scent was strong, spicy, faintly musty, and lingered longer than modern fragrances. The ingredients used included desert date oil, myrrh, cinnamon, and pine resin.
While there is no written evidence linking Cleopatra directly to the Mendesian perfume, it is clear from ancient texts that she was well-known for her love of fragrances. The Greek physician Galen informs us that Cleopatra wrote about the application of perfume for medical purposes. Thus, it is highly likely that she had access to the Mendesian, which was the most popular fragrance at the time.
The use of perfume for medical purposes was not unique to Cleopatra, as ancient Egyptians are known to have used fragrances for cultic and medicinal purposes. In addition, the Greek physician Dioscorides acknowledged Mendesian perfume as the finest of its kind. The unique fragrance that Cleopatra is believed to have worn came from Mendes, a prosperous settlement in the Nile Delta that played an integral part in the trade of spices from India, Africa, and Arabia.
Cleopatra also used perfume to enhance her attractiveness, which she leveraged for political advantage. The Roman historian Plutarch mentions perfume when detailing her seduction of Marc Antony. According to legend, she coated the sails of her royal ship in so much scent that Marc Antony could smell her coming from the shore.
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Frequently asked questions
Cleopatra is believed to have worn a perfume from Mendes, a settlement in the Nile Delta that played an integral part in the trade of spices from India, Africa, and Arabia.
The scent is described as strong, spicy, faintly musky, and warm, rich, sweet and slightly bitter. It is said to have lingered longer than modern fragrances.
Cleopatra used perfume to enhance her attractiveness, which she leveraged for political advantage. She is said to have seduced Marc Antony with her perfume, coating her barge's sails with so much scent that he could smell her coming from the shore.
Researchers have recreated a perfume they believe Cleopatra might have worn, based on residue found in ancient amphorae. The scent, called "Mendesian," is available for purchase as part of an "Ancient Egyptian Smell Kit" designed by Dora Goldsmith for educational purposes.
