Place of Birth: Thebes
Era: 1370-1330 BC
Profession: Egyptian Queen
Estimated Net Worth: $800 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

When it comes to Egyptian queens, Nefertiti comes in at the top. Both she and her husband Akhenaten were like the Kim and Kanye of Ancient Egypt. They reigned supreme at a time when the country was experiencing great prosperity. It’s even thought by some experts that Nefertiti ruled the kingdom solo for a spell after her husband passed away. 

Nefertiti @joshuagates/twitter.com

It’s always difficult to imagine what someone that lived in 1370 BC actually looked like, but thanks to drawings and reconstructions historians now have a good idea. According to them, Nefertiti was a beautiful woman, with chiseled cheekbones and full lips. 

Place of Birth: Rome
Era: 100-44 BC
Profession: Roman Emperor
Estimated Net Worth: $4.63 trillion* (Adjusted for inflation)

Julius Caesar was a force to be reckoned with in his era, using his power to crush anyone that opposed his Roman armies. While Caesar is a much-revered historical figure, it’s often difficult to get a good grasp of what he looked like. After all, he’s been played by numerous actors on the silver screen. 

Julius Caesar /commons.wikimedia.org

Thankfully, actual scientists stepped in to recreate the man himself using a 3D scan of a marble bust. The result was a balding man with salt and pepper hair, close-set eyes and a very determined jawline. He’s a little on the skinny side, too.

Place of Birth: Ajaccio, Corsica 
Era: 1769-1821
Profession: Military Leader
Estimated Net Worth: $1 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

There are some things we know about Napoleon Bonaparte’s physical form. The fact that he was slightly on the shorter side at 5’ 6” is often spoken about in negative terms. The phrase “Napoleon Complex” was coined to describe a short, man resentful of his height. It’s true that Bonaparte wasn’t the tallest, but he certainly made a fine military leader. 

Napoleon Bonaparte /commons.wikimedia.org

Portraits from the time depict him in a fair way, with artists seemingly painting an accurate representation of what he looked like at the time. A mold taken of his face gives us more detail and actually makes him look more handsome than he does in paintings. 

Place of Birth: Alexandria
Era: 69-30 BC
Profession: Egyptian Queen
Estimated Net Worth: $95 billion* (Adjusted for inflation)

To many of us, Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1963 movie influences how we picture the Egyptian queen. It’s no secret that the ruler was often described as strikingly beautiful with a way with men, but standards of beauty then were different from how they are today. 

Cleopatra @neoteo/Pinterest

Place of Birth: Popes Creek, Virginia 
Era: 1732-1799
Profession: President and Founding Father of the United States
Estimated Net Worth: $587 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Well-respected President of the United States George Washington had a fair few portraits painted in his time. Although he only lived to be 67 years old, the very first president of the country made sure he was well-documented. 

George Washington @anniefox/Instagram

Researchers were sure to compile a host of sources when they recreated a CGI image of Washington. They used many different paintings to come up with a realistic idea of what George saw in the mirror every day. The resulting image shows a distinguished-looking man with kind eyes and curly white powdered hair. 

Place of Birth: Egypt
Era: 1342-1325 BC
Profession: Pharaoh
Estimated Net Worth: $1 billion* (Adjusted for inflation)

King Tut is one of the most interesting figures in Ancient Egyptian history. His story is fascinating right from the beginning, not least because his mother and father were siblings. Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922. When his mummified remains were found, scientists were able to determine a lot of things about him. 

King Tut @pastfactory/Pinterest

Researchers discovered that Tut had a plethora of health conditions, including a club foot as a possible result of inbreeding. This explains why he is the only pharaoh to be depicted doing everything sat down. As for his facial features, Tut had a smooth, rounded nose, inset mouth, and large head.

Place of Birth: Ayrshire
Era: 1274-1329
Profession: King of Scotland
Estimated Net Worth: $1.5 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Say what you want about Robert the Bruce, but you can’t call him shy. Bruce reigned as King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329, spending a lot of his time on the throne waging war against England. Bruce would stop at nothing to declare his kingdom independent from England’s ruler Edward II. 

Robert The Bruce @bbc/twitter.com

Unlike his English counterparts, Robert wasn’t partial to a portrait. Few drawings of the King exist, making it difficult to pin down his features. University of Glasgow scholars did their best to get an image by using casts of Bruce’s skull. The resulting picture is of a man with hazel eyes, a wide nose, and red hair peppered with grey. 

Place of Birth: Linlithgow Palace, Scotland
Era: 1542-1587
Profession: Queen of Scotland
Estimated Net Worth: $500,000* (Adjusted for inflation)

Mary Queen of Scots is one of the most talked-about figures in history for a reason. The redheaded ruler was known to be fierce and confident, although she often came up against great adversity. As her father died immediately after her birth, Mary rose to the throne immediately but was sent away to France until she was old enough to rule. 

Mary, Queen of Scots @earlymodernengland/Instagram

Mary’s modern-day depiction isn’t too far away from the original portraits and paintings that were created when she was alive. Her long, shapely nose and deep-set eyes still remain the same. The only real difference is that she doesn’t look astonishingly pale. 

Place of Birth: Antium, Italy
Era: 37-68 AD
Profession: Emperor of Rome
Estimated Net Worth: $120 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Imagine rising up to a rule a nation as big and bold as Rome at just 17 years old. Emperor Nero did just that, although he wasn’t more than a child himself. His family life was difficult as he often clashed with his mother. This led to him ordering her murder five years into his rule. 

Emperor Nero @mashable/twitter.com

Nero was not a well-respected ruler in his time. Many thought that his love of poetry and performing made him a weak individual. Spanish artists took it upon themselves to bring Nero to life in 2019, but their depiction was slightly shocking. With wild red hair and freckled skin, Nero is the opposite of what a stereotypical Roman should look like.

Place of Birth: Arras, France
Era: 1758-1794
Profession: Member of the Constituent Assembly
Estimated Net Worth: $2 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Maximilien Robespierre had a name that commanded attention. His moniker was every bit as important as the man he was: a prominent lawyer and active politician. Robespierre was (and continues to be) a controversial figure. He was eventually executed along with 21 of his comrades.

Maximilien Robespierre @tuxboard/Pinterest

Paintings of Robespierre depict a handsome man with a rosy complexion and a kindly face. The reality may have been slightly different. Made by forensic pathologist Philippe Charlier, the 2013 reconstruction of the politician’s face shows a weathered gent with a pock-marked face and distinct wrinkles.

Place of Birth: Northamptonshire, England
Era: 1452-1485
Profession: King of England
Estimated Net Worth: $5 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Some kings are considered just and gentle rulers, doing their duty for their citizens no matter the cost. Richard III is not among them. Richard ruled from 1483-1485, but despite being on the throne for just two years he left an almightly impression. Largely considered a bad egg, Richard is depicted in portraits as a stern man with shoulder-length hair. 

Richard III ©Georgios Kollidas/stock.adobe.com

In 2012 Richard’s body was finally found, allowing scholars to get an accurate idea of what he looked like for the first time in history. A team from Dundee University discovered that the King likely had dark brown hair, a full, round face, and a heavy brow. 

Place of Birth: Lisbon, Portugal
Era: 1195-1231
Profession: Catholic priest and friar
Estimated Net Worth: $0* (Adjusted for inflation)

Saints often bring to mind old portraits with halos and robes, but they were just as real as the rest of us. Saint Anthony hailed from Lisbon and spent his days helping the poor and healing the sick. He didn’t have much in the way of money as a friar, but he was rich in spirit. 

Saint Anthony /commons.wikimedia.org

A 3D recreation of Saint Anthony shows a man with a short, stubbly beard, a round-tipped nose, and a partially bald head. There’s no denying that he also has a very soft, inviting face, but the jury is out on just how accurate this depiction is.

Place of Birth: Eisenach, Germany
Era: 1685-1750
Profession: Composer
Estimated Net Worth: $200,000* (Adjusted for inflation)

Johann Sebastian Bach certainly knew how to a piece a tune together. He might be known as one of the best composers the world has ever seen now, but when he was alive he wasn’t quite as prolific. While his contemporaries noted that he was an incredible musician, no one could’ve known how important his legacy would be. 

Johann Sebastian Bach @mentalfloss/Pinterest

When Bach’s remains were finally found, it allowed researchers to recreate what he looked like. Clearly, the composer had a taste for the finer things in life and didn’t go hungry. Bach had heavy jowls, a large nose, and often wore a wig, as was the fashion.

Place of Birth: Royal Prussia, Kingdom of Poland
Era: 1473-1543
Profession: Polymath
Estimated Net Worth: $10,000* (Adjusted for inflation)

Copernicus was way ahead of his time, letting people know that the Earth wasn’t the center of the universe. It’s far from it. At the time he created his model, Copernicus changed the entire way people thought of space. 

Nicolaus Copernicus @archeologia.ah.edu.pl/Instagram

Paintings portray Nicolaus in a way that’s flattering, displaying him with long dark hair and smooth skin. In reality, his features were large and unbecoming, with a crooked nose and thinning white hair. One thing remains unchanged: his serious and slightly miserable expression. Regardless of how he looked, Copernicus had one of the finest minds the world has ever been graced with.

Place of Birth: Greenwich, England
Era: 1533-1603
Profession: Queen of England
Estimated Net Worth: $400 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Queen Elizabeth I didn’t have an easy time when it comes to ascending to the throne. Although she was born as the legitimate daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn when their marriage was annulled she lost her rights to the throne and became illegitimate. Elizabeth eventually started ruling England in 1558. 

Queen Elizabeth I @pastfactory/twitter.com

Paintings depict her as having bright red hair and alabaster skin. The most famous work is the Armada Portrait, but the artist was likely quite flattering as Liz was actually 55 at the time. A more realistic animatronic mask was created that shows the historical figure with a long, prominent nose and thin lips.

Place of Birth: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Era: 1563-1616
Profession: Playwright
Estimated Net Worth: $100,000* (Adjusted for inflation)

As one of England’s most prized historical figures, there has been much discussion over what William Shakespeare really looked like. In drawings and portraits he is depicted with a semi-bald head and a slight beard, but how accurate is this? 

William Shakespeare @pastfactory/Pinterest

A doctor from the University of Dundee recreated Shakespeare’s face in 2010 using his death mask, but the result was a far cry from the pictures we’ve seen before. Carolin Wilkinson’s rendering of William shows him to be a relatively handsome older man with a gray mustache. The playwright was just 52 when he passed away, so we’ll never know what he could’ve looked like in retirement.

Place of Birth: Bethlehem
Era: 4 BC-30 AD
Profession: Jewish preacher
Estimated Net Worth: $10 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Thousands of paintings, drawings, and etchings exist of Jesus of Nazareth. As the most famous living person to have ever existed, he’s revered by many as the Son of God. Most images depict Jesus as a tall, lean man with shoulder-length brown hair and a kindly face.

Jesus Christ @cnn/twitter.com

As researchers have nothing to go on and no remains or description in the Bible, it’s difficult to say what Jesus really looked like. When a team of scientists took to the task, they used what little information was available to them and came up with a brown-eyed, olive-skinned, heavily bearded man with notably more masculine features than the stereotypical image.

Place of Birth: Windsor Castle, England
Era: 1421-1471
Profession: King of England
Estimated Net Worth: $500 million* (Adjusted for inflation)

Kings often have nicknames and Henry IV lucked out with his. Dubbed “Good King Henry”, he was largely loved by his people. In portraits and etchings, Henry looked like a handsome man with sharp features and well-groomed facial hair. 

King Henry IV @supercoolpics/Pinterest

The same team that recreated Robespierre took on the challenge of bringing Henry back to life again, and they did an incredible job. The finished result shows Henry the Great with a wrinkled face, a fluffy grey beard, and smiling eyes. He looks suspiciously like British actor Jim Broadbent. Despite being “good” Henry was offed by a Catholic in 1610. 

Place of Birth: Patara, Roman Empire
Era: 270-343
Profession: Christian bishop
Estimated Net Worth: $0* (Adjusted for inflation)

We have a lot to thank St. Nicholas for. Few people realize that the saint from yesteryear helped to create Christmas. Although we’ll never know for sure, it’s alleged that St. Nic used to leave gifts in children’s shoes for them to discover. Often described as bald-headed with a full white beard, the reality probably isn’t far off.

St. Nicholas @bbc/Instagram

Researchers believe that St. Nicholas had a kind expression, dark brown eyes, and a lot of facial hair. Put a red suit on him, give him a sack and he could just pass as Father Christmas himself. It’s not hard to see where Santa Claus has stemmed from. 

Place of Birth:&