Mahmoud Salem

Was Cleopatra a Black African Queen?

This historical reality is what makes Egypt's nationalist anger over the Black Cleopatra TV series so intriguing. Cleopatra governed Egypt, yet she was not Egyptian; rather, she was the last descendant of Greek colonizers. So, historical accuracy and accusations of racism and colorism aside, Egyptian nationalists' protectiveness over the representation of a Greek conquering tyrant is somewhat ironic.