Citation

Mebs D, Schäfer C. Klio 2008; 90(2): 347-359.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Ancient sources provide three different versions of Cleopatra's suicide. Posterity has chosen a snakebite as the most probable and appealing version, and this has become common belief. While a poisoned adhesive tape or a hollow needle as a means of self-poisoning must be excluded, it is after all reasonable to believe the traditional snakebite account. Nonetheless, an interdisciplinary analysis using the methods of ancient history, herpetology, and toxicology shows that a snakebite could not have caused Cleopatra's death. The most probable means of her suicide was an orally administered dose of vegetable poison.

Language: de