Recreating the past through scent

Historically inspired perfumes have existed for almost as long as the modern perfume industry. Most notably, Jacques Guerlain released the classic perfume Shalimar in 1925, inspired by the Shalimar Gardens that Shah Jahan built for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. However, in recent years modern perfume techniques have been used to tell more complex narratives.

In modern perfumes, synthetic and natural chemicals are combined to produce scents, called notes, that emerge gradually over time as a fragrance is worn. Concept perfumes use scent composition to convey narratives based on a progression of notes. For example, the perfume house Toskovat produces perfumes based on memories like a car accident or a trip to the cinema, while Zoologist is known for producing perfumes based on wild animals.

In this interview, CEO Konrad Zablocki and perfumer Alan Balewski of Chronicles: Scents of History, discuss the inspirations behind the perfume “Cleopatra’s Power Play, 47 BC”. The perfume is based on Cleopatra and Julius Caesar’s first meeting in 48 BCE, a moment that set into motion their alliance in the Alexandrian War of 47 BCE. That particular scene has been romanticized in art, literature, and films like Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Cleopatra (1963).

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. (Editor’s note: Ancient World Magazine received no compensation in any form from the company involved for publishing this article.)

Where did the idea for Chronicles: Scents of History come from?

Konrad Zablocki (ZK): “Conceptual perfumery is still a relatively unexplored field. For instance, a Canadian brand [Zoologist] posed the question, ‘What scents might animals encounter in their natural habitats?’ and crafted remarkable perfumes inspired by those environments. Other brands have delved into evoking personal memories or spinning fictional tales through scent, as if authored by imagined storytellers.”

Alan Balewski: “These days, we have so many ways to dive into history – chronicles, academic studies, and even source documents that are more accessible than ever. At the same time, pop culture and popular science bring history to life through reenactments, concerts featuring music from bygone eras, or epic historical films. Scent has become another way for us to experience history, offering a deeper perspective on what our ancestors lived through. Equally important is the strong neurological connection between the sense of smell and memory formation; the idea that a scent could, in a sense, anchor historical moments in our own memories was incredibly inspiring to us.”

Over the past few years, there has been a surge of interest in historical perfumes. Most academic efforts have focused on recreation. In 2021, researchers recreated an ancient perfume associated with the Egyptian city Mendes. Though not directly linked with Cleopatra, it was nicknamed “Eau de Cleopatra” in their paper in the journal Near Eastern Archaeology. Their paper was subsequently picked up by pop history publications like Smithsonian Magazine. That same year, Egyptologist Dora Goldsmith, as reported by Freie Universität Berlin, was working on recreations of Egyptian perfume and the importance of perfume in Egyptian society.

In 2024, the Turkish Scent Culture and Tourism Association, in partnership with Sivas Cumhuriyet University, announced a project to recreate a fragrance based on the ancient fenugreek-based perfume “telinum”. The resulting perfume was sold in Turkey, France, and Italy. The name is an apparent reference to an iambic line attributed to Caesar “and we anoint our body with pleasant telinum” (Etym. 4.12.7). Though the recipe itself has no clear connection to Caesar, his name was used to anchor the fragrance to a well-known figure.

Concept perfumes take a slightly different approach to attempted reconstructions of historic perfumes. Instead of replicating ancient recipes, concept perfumes create olfactory experiences designed to evoke a particular narrative in the wearer’s mind. They represent a distinct form of classical reception, as antiquity is reinterpreted and expressed through the medium of scent.

Why choose that particular moment, Cleopatra’s meeting with Caesar, as a theme?

KZ: “Well, we wanted to do this primarily because the political backdrop of this meeting is virtually unknown to most people. While Cleopatra’s image in pop culture has evolved – she’s no longer seen as just a romanticized figure – the relationship between her and Caesar often gets reduced to clichés. We wanted to move beyond that and show this moment not just as a meeting of two towering figures, but as a high-stakes political maneuver.

“Our aim was to capture the weight of that power play, even in the title of the fragrance, making it clear this wasn’t about flirtation but a strategic game. Historical records of the meeting itself are sparse – Plutarch offers a vague account, while writers like Appian of Alexandria focus more on its political fallout. That broader context was what mattered most to us. That’s why we chose to date the fragrance a year later than the actual meeting; the meeting itself held little significance on its own without the events it sparked, forever altering the balance of power in the region.

“On top of that, the theme was incredibly inspiring from a perfumery perspective. We set out to craft a fragrance where traditionally feminine notes blend with masculine ones, creating a dynamic tension that resolves in a harmonious, structured way.”

Cleopatra specifically has a long association with cosmetics and fashion, often serving as a symbol of luxury and quality. Roman accounts of Cleopatra often associated her with heavy perfume and extravagant fashion. In antiquity, several works on cosmetics and pharmacology were attributed to her, although in many cases her authorship is unlikely.

This image was revived in the modern era by marketing campaigns like the Palmolive soap advertisements of the 1920s, which featured Cleopatra as a brand mascot. In the mid century, perfume brands like Goya capitalized on the success of the 1963 Mankiewicz film through ads featuring models dressed as Cleopatra.

What types of historical sources do you consult when developing fragrance concepts?

KZ: “The approach we take depends on the historical period we’re exploring. For our upcoming fragrance, “O Obrotach: Copernican Revolution,” set to launch in June 2025, we drew extensively on the research team from the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Toruń, Poland, his birthplace. Working with historians from cultural institutions helped us pinpoint the key elements of the story we wanted to tell. In this case, it’s a deeply reflective, almost melancholic look at a Renaissance scholar’s life and scientific legacy, seen through the lens of his final years.

“Telling the story of the Boston Tea Party was, in some ways, more straightforward, thanks to the wealth of historical sources available. The real challenge was figuring out details like the types of tea being shipped and, more crucially, how they were preserved and processed back then – drying, fermenting, pressing—all of which shaped the tea’s sensory profile. When it comes to antiquity, though, we often have to rely on abstract interpretation.”

What’s the process of choosing notes and designing a narrative-based olfactory experience around them?

AB: “It really comes down to the source material we’re working with – it shapes whether we can lean on solid historical data or need to get more creative. For our Copernicus fragrance, we crafted an abstract solar accord to capture the essence of his revolutionary ideas. With the Boston Tea Party, tea was the focal point, and we worked hard to recreate its distinctive aroma as faithfully as possible. But that wasn’t the whole story – we also researched how eighteenth-century ship decks were treated, incorporating a pine pitch note to subtly evoke that setting. For Cleopatra’s Power Play, we spent months hunting for a jasmine absolute that matched the variety likely found in Ptolemaic Egypt, while also studying the incense ingredients used in that era.”

Modern consumers are often interested in the authenticity of ingredients and preparation. Much of the value of historical perfumes lies in their connection to the past, and the promise that wearers can take part in a historical experience through their use. Invoking the name and narrative of historical figures, like Julius Caesar’s tenuous connection to telinum, is one aspect of this. Another is in the packaging, lore, and media attached to the perfume.

AB: “Beyond the fragrance itself, we put just as much thought into its presentation. The illustration, often the first thing someone notices, is just as vital. Our illustrator, Jakub Cichecki, creates visuals that not only tell the story but also reflect the spirit of the fragrance. By weaving together the scent, imagery, and narrative within the packaging, we aim to craft a fully immersive experience of these historical moments.”

KZ: “At its core, our work is about creating a multisensory experience. Naturally, the perfume itself – the fragrance composition – is the heart of what we do, but we’re just as meticulous about every other detail, from the packaging to the storytelling. I wouldn’t say we’re trying to educate in some grand sense; we simply want to honor the historical moments that inspire us with the care they deserve. […] We want the scent to harmonize with every other part of the experience – the event’s description, the illustration on our wooden packaging, or the chosen color palette – like a symphony where every note plays its part.”

The growth of the historical perfume industry shows no sign of slowing, with increasing interest in fragrances based on ancient, Medieval and early modern eras.