Refine your search

The results of your search are listed below alongside the search terms you entered on the previous page. You can refine your search by amending any of the parameters in the form and resubmitting it.

Select all Deselect all Add selection to lightbox
Large Small
Thumbnails per page
Cleopatra VII (69—30 BCE) was the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt and last of the Ptolemaic dynasty.<br/><br/> Famed historically as a classic femme fatale, Cleopatra seduced Roman emperor Julius Caesar in order to secure her place on the Egyptian throne. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE, Rome became divided between his heir, Gaius Octavian (later known as Augustus), and his military commander Mark Anthony. Cleopatra aligned herself with Mark Anthony and used her powers of seduction upon him. He fell in love with her and stayed with her at the Egyptian court in Alexandria. The couple had two children. But after losing the Battle of Actium, both Mark Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide rather than be taken to Rome as prisoners. Cleopatra famously killed herself on 12th August, 30 BCE, by the bite of an asp.<br/><br/> In this scene from her court in Alexandria, Cleopatra has bet her lover Mark Anthony that she could there and then host a banquet for the princely sum of 10 million sestertia. After Mark Anthony accepted the wager, Cleopatra removed one of her pearl earrings, dissolved it in vinegar, then drank it. She is in the process of removing her second earring to do likewise, but is stopped by the disapproving former Roman senator Lucius Plancus.
This scene is taken from the Book of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible, or the Christian Old Testament.<br/><br/> King David of Israel looked out of his palace one evening and saw Bathsheba bathing, assisted by her two servants. He immediately fell in love with her. Although she was married—the wife of Uriah the Hittite—King David was smitten by her beauty and seduced her, making her pregnant. He took her to be his wife and she gave birth to Solomon.
The tale of Salome comes from the New Testament of the Christian Bible.<br/><br/> During the reign of Herod Antipas (4 BCE–49 CE)—the seventh son of Herod the Great, King of Judea—John the Baptist had been arrested and imprisoned for denouncing the king’s marriage to his sister-in-law, Herodias because both were divorcees. John’s life was spared due to his popularity in Judea.<br/><br/> However, at a royal banquet, Herodias’ daughter Salome performed an exotic sensual dance that so entranced Herod that he offered her anything from his kingdom that she wanted. She asked for the head of John the Baptist.
In the classic tale from the Hebrew Bible, or Christian Old Testament, Samson is an Israelite of great physical strength. He confides in his lover, Delilah, that the secret of his strength is his long hair, which has never been cut since the day he was born. Delilah—perhaps one of history’s first ‘femmes fatales’—betrays Samson by informing his enemies.<br/><br/> In this famous scene, Samson is asleep in the lap of his mistress who urges two accomplices to cut Samson’s hair with the scissors she wields.<br/><br/> His hair cut and strength diminished, Samson is overpowered and arrested by the soldiers at the door. But when he is taken in chains to a temple feast, Samson pushes over two great pillars causing the entire temple to fall down, killing everyone inside, including himself.
In the classic tale from the Hebrew Bible, or Christian Old Testament, Samson is an Israelite of great physical strength. He confides in his lover, Delilah, that the secret of his strength is his long hair, which has never been cut since the day he was born. Delilah betrays Samson by informing his enemies.<br/><br/> In this famous scene, Samson is asleep in the lap of his mistress who urges an accomplice to cut Samson’s hair with the scissors she wields. He is hesitant and afraid.<br/><br/> Eventually, the servant cuts Samson’s hair. Samson is overpowered and arrested. But when he is taken in chains to a temple feast, Samson pushes over two great pillars causing the entire temple to fall down, killing everyone inside, including himself.