The Cleopatras
1983•50m•2.3/10
Drama
Ratings
🎬TMDb
2.3/10(3)
The Cleopatras is a 1983 BBC Television historical drama serial created and written by Philip Mackie. Set in Ancient Egypt during the latter part of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, the eight-part series follows the lives of a series of queens belonging to the Ptolemaic Dynasty of ancient Egypt, culminating in its final active ruler Cleopatra VII. Intended to be the I, Claudius of the 1980s, The Cleopatras met with a decidedly negative critical reaction, and was regarded and portrayed as a gaudy farce. It also produced a number of complaints due to scenes of nudity.
Production
BBC
Language
EN
Status
Ended
First Aired
January 19, 1983
Last Aired
February 23, 1983
Networks
BBC Two
Created By
Philip Mackie
Where to Watch
Region US · Lang EN
US
No providers available for this region.
Seasons & Episodes
Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.
Season
E1
145 BC
Air date: 1983-01-19
Ptolemy VIII, known as Pot Belly, takes control. A vengeful mother has the support of the mob - and persuades Rome she can be just as good a friend as Potbelly. In revenge Pot Belly sends a very special present.
E2
128 BC
Air date: 1983-01-26
Greek Pharoah Pot Belly shows himself to be one of the few men to better the Cleopatras of his family.
E3
115 BC
Air date: 1983-02-02
On his deathbed, Pot Belly stages his greatest practical joke -leaving a will gleefully designed to cause mayhem. It works. Chickpea becomes king against Cleopatra's wishes. However, Cleopatra turns the mob against him, leaving her free to invite her favourite son, Alexander, to share the throne with her. She gets more than she bargained for.
E4
100 BC
Air date: 1983-02-09
Berenike plots to get rid of her drunken husband Alexander. Chickpea reclaims the throne and Berenike's ambition is realised when he makes her joint monarch. However, his death leaves a dangerous power vacuum - and Rome is now taking a more than friendly interest.
E5
80 BC
Air date: 1983-02-16
For all his eccentricity, Fluter sees clearly that Rome is the true source of all power, and he sets off on an extended royal visit, dispensing large sums of money to bribe both Caesar and the Senate to back him. The Egyptians, furious at this subservience, depose him in his absence and make his wife, Cleopatra Tryphaena, and his daughter, Berenike, joint monarchs. But the illegitimate Fluter has enough Ptolemy blood not to let go easily.
E6
51 BC
Air date: 1983-02-23
The youngest and most notorious of the Cleopatras, now 18, becomes joint ruler with her brother Ptolemy. Civil war breaks out. It is only the arrival of Julius Caesar that makes a solution possible. Cleopatra and Caesar become lovers. She believes she has found the man to help her realise her ambition to rule the world.
E7
46 BC
Air date: 1982-03-02
Cleopatra gives birth to Julius Caesar's son and takes him to republican Rome to persuade Caesar to declare himself King - with her son as heir.
E8
35 BC
Air date: 1982-03-09
Mark Anthony's insatiable passion for Cleopatra saps his military judgement.
Cast
Michelle Newell
Cleopatra
