Stole From Alexander the Great
Cleopatra’s relentless pursuit of wealth and power led her to raid the tomb of the legendary conqueror, Alexander the Great. This audacious act may seem surprising, given the historical reverence for Alexander, but Cleopatra was undeterred by the tomb’s status as a tourist attraction. She saw it as an opportunity to bolster her own treasury and fund her campaigns against Rome.
Notably, she wasn’t the only member of her family to engage in such activities, highlighting the extent to which wealth acquisition was a collective endeavor among the Ptolemaic rulers. This episode illustrates Cleopatra’s resourcefulness and her willingness to seize opportunities, even if they involved controversial actions.
