meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The John Batchelor Show

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra seduced Mark Antony with a theatrical entrance as Aphrodite, securing a romantic and political partner. Antony relied on Egyptian wealth for his campaigns but suffered military setbacks, alienating Rome by adopting East

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

Books, Society & Culture, News, Arts

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2025

⏱️ 12 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra seduced Mark Antony with a theatrical entrance as Aphrodite, securing a romantic and political partner. Antony relied on Egyptian wealth for his campaigns but suffered military setbacks, alienating Rome by adopting Eastern customs. Their union produced children and challenged Octavian's authority, leading to inevitable conflict.

2900 SUEZ

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

My place in tech changes every day, but I don't fear the future,

0:05.0

because I'm with the leader, Pluralsight.

0:08.0

Their online learning platform has the hands-on, expert-led courses I need

0:13.0

to master new tech skills and create bigger impact,

0:17.0

so I can learn quickly and stay ahead.

0:20.0

With Pluralsight, I don't quickly and stay ahead.

0:23.3

With Pluralsight, I don't fear what's next.

0:24.9

I embrace it.

0:28.3

Tap in at Pluralsight.com and see for yourself.

0:36.8

This is CBSI in the world.

0:42.8

I'm John Batchel, continuing my conversation with Professor Toby Wilkinson, the Egyptologist.

0:48.0

His book is The Last Dynasty, Ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra.

1:12.9

It is 44 BC, 44 AD, 44 BC, and Caesar is dead, assassinated by a cabal. And the battle that will spill out with the triumvirate, the Troika of Octavian and including Octavian, who is the adopted heir of Caesar, Julius Caesar, who at that point when he died was dictator of Rome, the Roman Empire, and the master of the horse for Caesar's armies,

1:21.4

Mark Antony, and they are in pursuit of Caesar's killers.

1:32.1

However, once that battle is settled,

1:38.0

Mark Antony is assigned as a reward by Rome to supervise what was the Egyptian Empire

1:42.0

and is now understood by the Romans to be in their possession.

1:47.1

And he comes to Egypt to take control.

1:52.0

And now is seen that Shakespeare loves, everybody loves, and it turns out it was real.

1:57.3

Cleopatra heard that Mark Anthony was in Egypt, had arrived in Egypt,

2:04.1

and she puts together an opera that we put to music in the 21st century

2:11.3

of her first meeting with Mark Anthony, the master of the horse,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John Batchelor, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of John Batchelor and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.