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Volume 12 issue 6 June 2012

ANCIENT EGYPT explores the WORLD WIDE WEB ...

THE PTOLEMIES (Part Two)

This month’s NETFISHING continues its look at the history of Egypt by seeing what the World Wide Web has to say about the Ptolemaic Kings and Queens of Egypt.

PTOLEMY VI Philometor (163-145 BC) was restored as ‘King of Egypt’ on Roman authority and he married his own sister, Cleopatra II. Their daughter, Cleopatra Thea, married Alexander Balas the King of Syria, but it was not a happy marriage and it dissolved into open hostilities. Ptolemy VI took an army into Syria to support his daughter (against her husband) but he was killed in the fighting, as was king Alexander Balas himself. Cleopatra Thea, with her husband now killed and overthrown, married his successor Demetrius II, the new King of Syria. The ‘Egyptian’ army of mercenaries led into Syria by Ptolemy VI found themselves without a leader and so join forces with the Syrian army of Demetrius II, leaving Egypt itself largely undefended. Refer:

Ptolemy VI Philometor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_VI_Philometor

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/ptolemy6.htm

http://virtualreligion.net/iho/ptolemy_6.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Africa/Egypt/_Texts/BEVHOP/9*.html

http://www.phouka.com/pharaoh/pharaoh/dynasties/dyn33/06pto6.html

Cleopatra Thea:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_Thea

PTOLEMY VII Neos Philopator (145 BC), the young son of Ptolemy VI, was now in a vulnerable position, for with his father dead and no army to protect him, his uncle Ptolemy Euergetes II returns to Egypt. Seeking to protect her son Cleopatra II agrees to marries Ptolemy Euergetes II and make him king, but she was deceived and the young Ptolemy VII was murdered. Some accounts say Ptolemy Euergetes II entered the wedding bed with the blood of Ptolemy VII still on his hands! Refer:

Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_VII_Neos_Philopator

http://virtualreligion.net/iho/ptolemy_7.html

http://www.youregypt.com/ehistory/history/greek/ptolemyvi/

http://www.phouka.com/pharaoh/pharaoh/dynasties/dyn33/07pto7.html

Ptolemy Euergetes II became king of Egypt at last, as PTOLEMY VIII Euergetes II (145-116 BC) but he was better know to his subjects as physcon (the bloated) because of his repulsive appearance. Despite being married to his own sister, Cleopatra II, he was besotted with his niece Cleopatra III (the daughter of Cleopatra II and Ptolemy VI) and so he married Cleopatra III and made her his joint Queen, the daughter ruling alongside her own mother. This was the final straw for the Alexandrians, and the mob forced him to flee to Cyprus, taking Cleopatra III and their children with him. Cleopatra II now rules in Alexandria, with public support, as Queen CLEOPATRA II Philometor Soteira. Refer: Cleopatra II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_II_of_Egypt

In revenge Ptolemy VIII murders his own son, Memphites – his son by Cleopatra II and sends the dismembered body of Memphites back to Cleopatra II, as her birthday gift! To show how poorly she has been treated, Cleopatra II then has the dismembered body of her son put on public display! Ptolemy VIII re-conquers Egypt in 129 BC and Cleopatra II is forced to flee to her daughter Cleopatra Thea in Syria. Ptolemy VIII rules Egypt until his death in 116BC, his will leaving the kingdom to his favoured niece/wife, Cleopatra III. Refer:

Memphites:

http://www.tyndalehouse.com/egypt/ptolemies/memphites.htm

Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_VIII_Physcon

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/ptolemyviii.htm

http://virtualreligion.net/iho/ptolemy_8.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Africa/Egypt/_Texts/BEVHOP/10*.html

http://www.phouka.com/pharaoh/pharaoh/dynasties/dyn33/08pto8.html

Cleopatra III:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_III

Cleopatra III rules as regent for her young sons PTOLEMY IX and PTOLEMY X in turn, but seeks to overthrow both of them – as will be seen in the next issue of AE.

Victor Blunden

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