Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Vol.4, No.6, pp.19-27, June 2016 ___Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) 19 ISSN: 2052-6350(Print) ISSN: 2052-6369(Online) POLITICS AND POWER IN THE COURTS OF TWO QUEENS: CLEOPATRA OF EGYPT AND IDIA OF THE OLD BENIN KINGDOM Monica O. Aneni Department of Classics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to examine the character, personality, intrigues involved in the power and politics of two different female principalities who existed and reigned in two distinct epochs. Queen Cleopatra of Egypt exhibited skills which surpassed those of her predecessors and secured her position as Pharaoh in Egypt. Queen Idia of the old Benin Kingdom was a powerful political figure who, during her incumbency, sustained her son, Oba Esigie on the throne. The paper contends that both female leaders believed in their capacity to rule, therefore, they exuded strong political strategies for the greater good of their interest. This paper discovers that both queens who were indeed brave utilized what they possessed to achieve what they desired. Consequently, Queen Cleopatra won the support and love of Julius Caesar first and then Mark Anthony. The title of Iyioba, (King’s mother) was bestowed on Queen Idia by her son the Oba (king) of Benin. Studies that may interrogate political strategies of some leaders in both ancient Rome and Benin Empire are recommended. Keyword: Queen, Cleopatra, Idia, ancient Egypt, Benin INTRODUCTION Leaders of polities tended to dedicate their lives, make and implement strategies and policies for the betterment of their state. The means of achieving these vary from one leader to another. The end result is a powerful, secure and self sufficient state. History presents us with a plethora of such political leaders, men and women who dedicated their lives for their nation such as Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Queen Idia of the Old Benin kingdom. Leaders possess traits that distinguish them from the others. Such traits include the fact that they are more intelligent than the average of their group, more studious, more dependable, more active and sociable and from a higher social and economic class. Leaders also had unusual persistence and initiative, ensured that things were done, were co-operative, and possessed self-confidence, insight, popularity, adaptability, and verbal facility (Alfred de Grazia retrieved from http://www.grazian-archive.com/politics/PolBehavior/C_03.html). McConaughy did a study of eighteen members of the South Carolina Assembly. He discovered that the leaders were more decidely less neurotic than the other general male population; they were more self-sufficient more extroverted and slightly more dominant. Leaders are more self-confident than the average person and have fewer feelings of inferiority; and . . they are less irritable and tense than the average person (ibid). In order to exercise their authority as effective as they desired they utilized instruments of authority which includes education and propaganda, force and violence, economic measures and economic manipulation, depending upon whether or not acts are considered legitimate (ibid). Leaders in antiquity even in the old Benin Empire demonstrated some, if not all of these qualities that placed them above others. In both societies, leaders were men but on rare occasions, women emerged as kings or queens of a predominantly male-leader society, where