Arrestingly beautiful and fiercely intelligent, Cleopatra VII of Egypt was barely more than a teenager when she inherited the richest empire in the world. Imperilled at every turn by court conspiracies and Roman treachery, Cleopatra brazenly sought a partnership with the only man who could secure Egypt’s safety: Julius Caesar, a wily politician and battle-hardened general with a weakness for women. The result was a passionate love affair that scandalised Rome and thrust Cleopatra into the glittering but deadly world of imperial intrigue and warfare uaa world that she mesmerised and manipulated even after Caesar was gone. Colin Falconer’s bold, sensuous prose creates a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman who thrived and triumphed in a world ruled by men. This is the story of a legendary woman’s most glorious time, a story that blazes through thousands of years of history to capture the imagination of readers today.