Netflix has faced backlash after adding Cleopatra, the Greek Queen of Egypt, to its list of “blackwashed” historical figures. The streaming giant’s documentary, “Queen Cleopatra,” narrated and executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith, has been criticized for allegedly revising history by presenting Cleopatra as a Black queen.
The documentary supposedly explores the untold story of Cleopatra’s reign and her legacy, which has been overshadowed by her romantic involvement with Mark Antony.Cleopatra VII Philopator, commonly known as Cleopatra, was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty and a descendant of its founder Ptolemy I Soter, her native language was Koine Greek, and she was the only Ptolemaic ruler to learn the Egyptian language.
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Cleopatra’s legacy survives in ancient and modern works of art. Her depiction in visual arts includes Roman busts, paintings, sculptures, and reliefs. She has become an icon of Egyptomania in modern times, appearing in Hollywood films and brand images for commercial products.
Despite being a subject of admiration in modern times, Roman historiography and Latin poetry produced a critical view of Cleopatra that pervaded later Medieval and Renaissance literature.
Netflix’s portrayal of Cleopatra as a Black queen has been widely criticized for revising history. The documentary has been accused of “blackwashing” Cleopatra, a Greek queen who lived in Egypt.
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Many commentators argue that while it is essential to acknowledge historical figures of African descent, it is equally important to represent them accurately, and that distorting Cleopatra’s legacy to fit a modern narrative would not only be a slap in the face to the Greeks but also a show of disrespect to the history of various cultures.
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