During gameplay, Egyptian troops are shown in a linen kilt (white or stripped), and they either have black hair or their hair is covered with a headpiece similar to a nemes. Combat units include archers, charioteers in Egyptian-style chariots, and Anubis warriors, who have jackal heads (see screenshot). Egyptian settlements are comprised of buildings with Egyptian motifs, like sphinxes, lotus columns, carvings of Egyptian gods (including Horus and Anubis), and hieroglyphic-esque decorations (see game play screenshot). Each civilization’s combat units have a unique, special skill. For the Egyptian civilization, their special skill is Survival, which means they have extra endurance, perhaps a reference to the longevity of the Egyptian civilization. The capital city for the Egyptian civilization in the game is Alexandria, because both of the Egyptian scenarios that players can undertake are set during the Ptolemaic period. In “Egypt in Arms” (set in the year 58 BCE), players conduct an uprising against Rome, due to rising anger over Ptolemy XII’s taxation policies and his acceptance of Roman support. And in “Augustus at the Nile” (set in 31 BCE), players recreate the Battle of Actium.

Kleopatra VII is the representative hero and avatar of the Egyptian civilization. She is also featured on the cover of the game, and she is shown as a bust, with a bob hairstyle and bikini top that places emphasis on her bosom (see screenshot). Above her bust, a generic Roman soldier clashes with an Egyptian warrior wielding a kepesh. He wears a white linen kilt and striped nemes headdress, much like the combat units in gameplay (see third screenshot).

As previously noted, one of the playable scenarios recreates the Battle of Actium in which Octavian is presented as the protagonist, working for the glory of Rome, with Kleopatra and Antony characterized as acting for their own aggrandizement. So, the story’s narrative is taken directly from Roman propaganda, which characterized Egypt and Kleopatra as exotic, superabundant, and Oriental.

Author: Tara Sewell-Lasater