Did Cleopatra really die from a snake bite?
Probably not, according to scientists…
Scientists have revealed that the Ancient Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, may NOT have died of a snake bite!
Cleopatra was the last female pharaoh of Egypt, and her legendary story has become one of the most hotly debated of all the Ancient Egyptian facts and secrets!
When the Roman Empire took control of Egypt in 44 BC, Cleopatra decided to take her own life rather than surrender it to the new Roman Emperor, Octavian.
As tradition has it, the queen smuggled a snake into her pre-built burial chamber, where she used its venom to kill herself and her two most faithful servants, Charmion and Eiras.
But new research has cast doubt on this story…
Clever snake experts and Egyptologists down at the University of Manchester have said that the suspected culprit – a cobra – couldn’t possibly have been small enough to be concealed in a small basket, as the story claims.
Cleopatra’s legendary last moments might all be a fib!
A cobra is typically 1.5m long, and experts say that it would have been difficult to sneak a snake of that size into Cleopatra’s tomb without raising a few eyebrows!
They believe that even if the snake had been smuggled in, it would have been “impossible” to use a snake bite to kill two or three people.
Andrew Gray, an expert on amphibians at Manchester Museum said, “Not only are cobras too big, but there’s just a 10% chance you would die from a snake bite: most bites are dry bites that don’t inject venom.”
Snakes save their venom for when they most need it – during hunting and for protection – so the scientists don’t believe that one snake would have delivered three fatal bites one after the other – yikes!
So how did Cleopatra die? Well, scientists are still deciding! Many believe she may instead have taken a cocktail of poison – but who knows if we’ll ever discover the last queen of Egypt’s dying secret?
Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Cleopatra primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!
More Like Egypt

Fascinating facts about hieroglyphics!

Tutankhamun facts!

Max in the Land of the Pharaohs!

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COMMENTS1
annie
wow
Amelia
Cool
Hamster 2.0
Wow! I wonder why........
Dylpro75
OMG thats awsome
Mching
Intriguing
bella
SUPER COOL! It might have been a cobra that was different then the one we know today. Like an unevolved one.
shane
cool
NGK FAN
What if it was a very venomous,small and un-discovered species of snake?
son
awesomenesssssssssssssss
Millie
isabella
i found that very interesting. i hope one day the scientists will find it out.
Kamil
My friend Comari is the king. because king is his last name!
Kamil
Love you!
Kamil
I love snakes! Snakes are my favorite animal in the wold they are awesome!
KATRINA4
Cleopatra killed herself because the Roman Empire wanted to attack Egypt and the only person in power was Cleo. So (as myth told) Cleopatra killed herself because she didnt want her in the hands of the Roman Empire
iloveguineapigs
serious?
Sam
Love this its school fun
Cook1234
Wow cool mystery
Sam
Awesome history
mac1
eyypt rocks
POPER
LOL!!!!!!!!!!
evan
i hate this
somarah
peace
somarah
lol
somarah
sup aja
somarah
hi
Grace96237
Thats interesting
Charlie-patra
SO COOL !
julia.
wow thats awsome
MUNCHYNESS
AWSOME NEVER HEARD INTRESTING NEWS!!!!!!!
Annie-is-8
awesome
vunu
i love it!
Jessica
Cool
Eboni
Why did cleopatrea kill hear seleff pleas write and explane
MINNIE
WOW
lol456
This is so cool
Idksojsutstop
How long ago was she found dead?
Person123456835764
I know all this..
Keralina
Wow! Then how did she die??!!
Sru
Awesome
Allison_23
Cool beans! :P
pengwen
hi
acool
awsome lol
BATGIRL
So how DID she die??????
puppygirl
I read in a book that it was a cocktail of poison, so thats what I think happened to her. I also read she was a wife of ceaser.
Lachlan10
Awesome fact
poppy-panda
Cant wait
josh12
unbelievable
SarahNoodle123
WOW! CANT WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
lepord
how could they be right its not like they have they have the body you never know but did you know acutely she was not that pretty.So you know what i mean please tell more
Gracetiger
Bit weird if cleopatra and her servants died from a snake bite
Jeisha_Hernandez
It was very Interesting to have read that!
noah77777777777777777777777777777777y77y7y7y77777
cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hannha105
Nice!!
est7uio
Great
Wiktor
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Gurjaap
Mohadesa
So cool
pooppoop
COOLL NOT
Ninevah
Super Research!
Katie
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Katie
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EMILEE
Cool
1234578901258910
that is what I call a weird thing
uainin11
great information
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR