29. Cleopatra
Growing up, you’ve probably heard that Cleopatra was supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, and that she was a master manipulator who captured the hearts of both Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. Her character has been portrayed in several movies titled Antony and Cleopatra, as well as the TV series Rome.
The first thing most of these films get wrong is the fact that she was Greek, not Egyptian. Her family was a part of the Ptolemaic line that ruled Egypt since 305 BC. Cleopatra was also so much more than a pretty face. She was actually very intelligent, and known for her skills in diplomacy. At one point, her brother staged a coup, and she gathered an army to fight him back for her throne in 49 BC.
