A thesis from Sweden's University of Gothenburg says Queen Arsinoe II ruled ancient Egypt as a female pharaoh even before the famous Cleopatra was born.
Studying the queen's unique crown, Maria Nilsson questioned Egypt's traditional male-dominated royal line, rejecting some researchers' attempts to minimize Arsinoe's importance during her lifetime.
"My conclusion instead is that Arsinoe was a female pharaoh and high priestess who was equal to and ruled jointly with her brother and husband, and that she was deified during her actual lifetime," ScienceDaily quoted Nilsson as saying.
"It was this combination of religion and politics that was behind her long-lived influence."
Arsinoe's crown has not been found and is only depicted on Egyptian statues and reliefs. The piece is said to have been created by Egyptian priests as a symbol of the qualities of the queen.
The crown was not only used by Cleopatra, but also by her male descendants who used it as a template when creating a new crown.
It is generally agreed that Queen Arsinoe II was an important figure in ancient Egypt and was respected and honored when her better-known descendant Cleopatra ruled the country 200 years after her death.
The reasons behind Arsinoe's influence and significant status, however, have been interpreted in many different ways.
Nilsson's thesis focuses on different aspects of the queen's life including her unique crown, her outfits, the gods she was usually depicted with and the titles she was given.
