Name: Cleopatra VII Philopator, portrayed here by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 film (who is herself deserving of her own Icon post entirely), born sometime late 69 BC and died August 12th, 30 BC
Known For: Popularizing black eyeliner, seducing men of power in order to solidify her position as Queen of Egypt, and as an easy go-to costume for Halloween. 
I was inspired to write this last night whilst watching an episode of Ancients Behaving Badly on BBC Canada. It reminded me that this is really where concepts such as Girl Power and makeup ultimately have their beginnings, something that automatically earns itself an Icon Wednesday post. 
Cleopatra, this program contended, was a master of sexual manipulation and public relations. She was not the Great Beauty as she has been depicted in a variety of media, from wall etchings to statues to Hollywood films, for over two thousand years after her death. Her 'beauty' came more from her intellect, her wit, and her raw sexuality. She was the first woman documented in history as using sex - quite literally - as a weapon. And although things did not end well for her - suicide by snakebite so as to escape Roman persecution - we can feel her effect on modern society to this day. She was the original master of creating her own destiny, much like the many other charismatic and powerful women who came after her. I mean, who among us hasn't painted on a thick cat eye line around our eyes
and thought of Cleopatra?
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