In religious matters, there were still many who looked to Egypt as the source of real knowledge and wisdom. Goudchaux argues the case for a sort of religious quid pro quo between Cleopatra and Caesar, in which his relationship with the Egyptian queen fired his aspirations to public divinity, already fuelled by the Julian family belief that their house descended from Venus. Cleopatra herself, during her stay in Rome, received recognition for this in the placing of her statue within a newly dedicated temple to the goddess. Then came the debacle of the presenting of a diadem to Caesar and the rest, as they say, is history. When Aphrodite met Dionysos, as Plutarch might have recalled, was the universal interpretation of the event.
Role playing to suit the hour seems to have come naturally to Egypt's last queen.
The different style and imagery can help to identify and date the royal portrait, but certain images, including those considered to be of Cleopatra VII, are still often the subject of discussion. Ashton's research has focussed on the unusual and innovatory triple uraeus and its assistance in identifying Cleopatra, and the details of this as set out in the essay are worthy of investigation. Cleopatra's brief stay in Rome was not without influence. Roman gardens took on an Egyptian appearance, with miniature flowing Niles. And then, as now, ushabtis, scarabs and the like were enthusiastically incorporated into designs or worn as part of dress.