Center Stage
Cleopatra VII, the Myth of the Asp, and the Politics of a Peaceful Succession
Tuesday, November 17th, 2026 | 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cleopatra VII, the Myth of the Asp, and the Politics of a Peaceful SuccessionCleopatra’s defeat by Octavian – the future Roman emperor Augustus – marked the end of her reign and a dramatic transfer of power. Ancient historians such as Horace, Vergil, Cassius Dio, and Plutarch report to us that she took her own life using a venomous snake, an Egyptian Cobra, an animal with deep significance in Egyptian mythology.
This lecture examines the possibility that Cleopatra’s famed suicide, the religious symbolism she embraced in life, and the method of her death were deliberately connected to the myth of Ra, Isis and the first cobra. By doing this, Octavian’s succession was portrayed not simply as conquest, but as an orderly and fated transfer of power.
This event will be livestreamed through Zoom. Agenda6:30 pm - 6:50 pm: Mingling6:50 pm - 7:35 pm: Lecture 7:35 pm - 8:05 pm: Q&A 8:05 pm - 8:30 pm: Mingling Meet the SpeakerBella RaeAnne, M.A. (they/she) is a first-generation scholar of ancient history, university graduate, and human rights activist. Their advocacy and experience of the past 15 years has centered on the peoples from the headwaters to the delta of the Nile river. Learn more at bellaofthenile.com.About Center StageCenter Stage is William & Mary's newest event series at the W&M Washington Center, created to carry scholarship and bold ideas into the heart of the nation's capital. Each installment gives faculty and researchers a platform through panels, discussions, or research showcases to connect their work with a broader D.C. audience and spark conversation between academia and practice. Questions? Email dcevents@wm.edu