Orientalism and the Reception of Powerful Women from the Ancient World

Why is Cleopatra, a descendent of Alexander the Great, a Ptolemy from a Greek-Macedonian family, in popular imagination an Oriental woman? True, she assumed some aspects of pharaonic imagery in order to rule Egypt, but her Orientalism mostly derives from ancient (Roman) and modern stereotypes: both the Orient and the idea of a woman in power are signs, in the Western tradition, of 'otherness' - and in this sense they can easily overlap and interchange.

This volume investigates how ancient women, and particularly powerful women, such as queens and empresses, have been re-imagined in Western (and not only Western) arts; highlights how this re-imagination and re-visualization is, more often than not, the product of Orientalist stereotypes - even when dealing with women who had nothing to do with Eastern regions; and compares these images with examples of Eastern gaze on the same women. Through the chapters in this volume, readers will discover the similarities and differences in the ways in which women in power were and still are described and decried by their opponents.

Review: An illuminating and thought-provoking read. * Classics for All *
The editors have put together a collection of the highest academic standard ... A valuable overview of the history of scholarship on women in antiquity to both experts and newcomers to the field alike. It is a project admirable in both its ambition and execution, and one whose flexible and open-ended approach to different modes of reception deserves to set a precedent for future editions on reception studies. * The Classical Review *
In a world where the terms 'Western' and 'Eastern' are politically charged, this book could not be more timely. By examining the construction of Orientalism in the ancient world and how the past has been used to reinforce modern prejudices, it lays bare the motivations that underpin such thinking. -- Art Pomeroy, Professor of Classics, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Orient/Other: what a dangerous, and yet fascinating mix! A unique gallery of powerful and intriguing figures embodying Orient, and Other, across time and space, from ancient to modern medias (such as games, comics, fanfiction) in a new, fresh perspective. A must-have for everyone interested in Orientalism and gender studies. -- Martina Treu, Researcher in Greek Literature and Drama, IULM University, Italy