Berenike II.

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Portrait of Queen Berenike II, Munich Glyptothek
Berenike II on a coin Ptolemy III.

Queen Berenike II. (* Around 267/66 BC; † 221 BC ) was the only daughter of King Magas of Cyrene (and thus the granddaughter of Berenike I from her first marriage) and the Seleucid princess Apama . She was the wife and co-regent of Ptolemy III. Euergetes , the third king of Egypt from the Ptolemaic dynasty . The wedding took place in the year he took office (246 BC).

Life

Early life

When Magas, the father of Berenike II., Shortly before his death in 250 BC After death with his half-brother, the Egyptian king Ptolemaios II reconciled Philadelphos , he betrothed Berenike to his son and presumptive heir to the throne Ptolemaios (III) to confirm the agreement. According to the account of the ancient historian Iustinus , however, Berenike's mother Apama wanted to prevent the reunification of Kyrenes with Egypt and soon after Magas' death - in the absence of suitable Seleucid marriage candidates - called Demetrios the Fair , a brother of the Macedonian king Antigonus II Gonatas , to accompany him To marry Berenike. Demetrios accepted the offer, but also started a liaison with Apama. Thereupon Berenike, who was very energetic despite her youth, took the lead in an uprising movement and had Demetrios around 249/48 BC. Murdered in her mother's bedroom, but Apama himself left alive.

Now the Egyptian prince again had the right to Berenike's hand in accordance with the provisions of the maga. In the opinion of the Egyptologist Günther Hölbl , however, Berenike could not take power in Cyrene immediately after Demetrios' killing. With reference to brief references to the ancient historians Polybius and Plutarch , Hölbl takes the position that two Arcadian legal reformers, Ekdemos of Megalopolis and Demophanes , took over the government in Cyrene at the invitation of republican-minded Cyreneans and established a just order there and preserved the independence of Cyrene. The sources do not provide further details about this episode. The Ptolemaic state probably shortly before the death of Ptolemy II in 246 BC. BC put an end to the regime of Ekdemos and Demophanes and took control of Cyrene.

The ancient historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, however, assumes that Ptolemy (III) came to Cyrene immediately after Demetrius' removal to convert this land into an Egyptian protectorate, and lived there for almost five years until his father's imminent death. During this time Berenike had coins struck in Cyrene with the inscription "Queen Berenike and King Ptolemy". In any case, the dynastic marriage of Ptolemy III. and Berenike probably at the beginning of 246 BC BC, shortly before or when Ptolemy came to power in Egypt, where Berenike brought her rights to Cyrene into the Lagid dynasty .

The story of Berenike's hair

As Ptolemy III. shortly after taking office in autumn 246 BC Went into the so-called Laodike War against the Seleucids ( Third Syrian War 246–241 BC), Berenike II stayed in Egypt. It is uncertain whether she acted as his official deputy with her own mint right during her husband's absence.

When her husband left for the Laodike War, Berenike vowed to consecrate a lock of her hair to the gods if Ptolemy III. come back safe and sound. After the Egyptian king had indeed returned home healthy, she fulfilled her vow and had her hair tufts housed in the Arsinoë temple of her mother-in-law, which had been established as a place of worship at Cape Zephyrion . The curl disappeared in an unknown way the next day, but the court astronomer Konon of Samos declared that it had been moved by the gods under the stars, where it could be seen as a new group of stars. This asterism was given the name Coma Berenices or Haar der Berenike , which is still common today (although Tycho Brahe made it an independent constellation ). Callimachus extolled the Verstirnung the hair of the queen in the poem Locke Berenice , he probably v autumn 245th And which formed the conclusion of the fourth book of his work Aítia . Only a few lines of this elegy have survived in the original (fragment 110), but Catullus's translation into Latin is complete. Also Hyginus mentioned the story in embellished form.

With her action, Berenike was in the Greek tradition, but from an Egyptian perspective she took the goddess Isis as an example, who, according to a legend told by Plutarch, had consecrated a lock of hair to her husband in Koptos out of sorrow for Osiris . Isis' tuft of hair was a sign of rebirth. After the conclusion of the Laodike War, Berenike's head was depicted on Greek-style seals with his hair cut off and fertility attributes of the Demeter -Isis.

In dynastic fiction, Berenike was considered immediately after her marriage to Ptolemy III. just like this as the daughter of Ptolemy II and Arsinoë II, the "sibling gods" (Greek Theoí Adelphoí ). By advocating this mother-daughter relationship created by Ptolemy II and showing her devotion to an important temple of Arsinoe II, Berenike made ties in the problematic situation of 246/45 BC. Close to her dynastic predecessor Arsinoë II. With this she wanted to emphasize the legitimacy of her position, and furthermore she was already in 245 BC through the hair loss. Moved into divine spheres. In official documents she appeared as adelphé (sister) and gyné (wife) of the king according to the constructed relationship .

Berenike's role as queen; progeny

The news about Berenike II as the Egyptian queen is sparse. According Athenaios the ointment industries have flourished in their time in Alexandria and Cyrene due Berenice interest. It is not known what political influence she exercised. After all, she was the first Ptolemaic queen to be dubbed with the Egyptian royal title consisting of Horus and birth names during her lifetime . Furthermore, she stands equally with her husband in temple reliefs, worships the gods at his side and even appears in the depiction of the conferment of power by the god Thoth next to Ptolemy III. In the dating of various demotic documents she is referred to as "Pharaon Berenike".

Berenike's imperial coins are among the best Hellenistic coin portraits. On the front of a gold octadrachmon, which shortly after the accession of Ptolemy III. was embossed, appears a bust of her very individual facial features showing head with veil and diadem. On the reverse of the same coin, which shows the cornucopia with a tied royal diadem, she is titled “Queen Berenike”.

It is believed that all six royal children of Ptolemy III listed in the exedra of Thermos . come from Berenike. In any case, one of her children was Ptolemy IV , who ascended the throne after the death of his father and shortly after taking office his own sister Arsinoë III. got married. Polybios also expressly confirms that Berenike was the mother of Ptolemy IV, Arsinoë III. and a second son named Magas . Another daughter of hers, who was also called Berenike , died early in February 238 BC. A synod of Egyptian priests taking place at this time stipulated in the Canopus decree that the princess should be buried at great expense and that a separate cult should be established for her. The wives of the priests required were given bread as maintenance, which was stamped with a certain stamp and called "Berenike bread".

Cultic worship

Berenike II. And Ptolemy III. were already during his lifetime from 243/242 BC. Worshiped as benefactor gods (Greek Theoí Euergétaí ) and the title of Alexander priest was supplemented by the cult title of the new pair of gods. The dynastic cult had been introduced by the Ptolemies a few decades earlier. 239/238 BC An extension of the Egyptian cult honors for the royal couple took place.

When creating new cults for Ptolemy III. outside of Egypt, Berenike was often accepted into the cult of her husband. Itanos in Crete decided to dedicate a Temenos to the Egyptian king and his wife . In Athens , Ptolemy III. was very connected, was 224/223 BC. A new Phyle Ptolemais founded and called a demos Berenikidai therein .

Berenike was also worshiped independently of her husband. After the successful Third Syrian War, seals show her head with her hair cut off and the symbols of Demeter-Isis (see above). Also in Callimachus' Epinicion Victory of Berenike , which formed the beginning of the third book of Aitia , the queen is brought ritually close to Isis. Callimachus wrote this poem on the occasion of Berenike's team victory at the Nemean Games (probably those of 245, 243 or 241 BC). The veneration of a deified Berenike - who is probably Berenike II every time - is from the time of Ptolemy III. detected in the oasis of Fayum . One time she bears the cult name Aphrodite , another time Isis, mother of the gods . Berenike also identified with the goddess Hathor . Representations of the Queen on Ptolemy III. The most important free-standing structure, the Euergetes Gate in Karnak , shows aspects of fertility by Hathor in the sacrifice of lotus garlands for Chons and Het Heret.

In 2010 a temple was found in Kom al-Dikka in Alexandria , which was probably dedicated to Berenike II. Some of the 600 bronze and limestone statues and animal figures recovered there were in excellent condition. Many of the cat representations found there embody the goddess Bastet .

Death; posthumous cult history

After the death of her husband (222 BC), Berenike probably claimed a share in the rule and may have ruled with Ptolemy IV for a few months. Apparently, however, she preferred her younger son Magas and gained him a strong following in the troops. Magas was already 223/222 BC Become general governor of Asia Minor . According to the ancient sources that have been preserved, Ptolemaois IV soon left his mother - still in 221 BC. - murdered by his accomplice Sosibios , because he feared that Magas would gain too powerful a position in the army through her influence. Magas and Berenike's brother-in-law Lysimachus were also eliminated at the instigation of Ptolemy IV.

The posthumous cult history of Berenike II - both as a "benevolent goddess" and as "Isis, savior in distress " - belongs to the time from Ptolemy IV. On the occasion of the Ptolemies of 211/210 BC. The establishment of a new eponymous priesthood of Alexandria took place; an annually changing Athlophore (probably synonymous with "battle prize winner ") was now the priestess of the deified Berenike. This Athlophore was inserted in the preamble of the documents before the Kanephore of Arsinoë II, so that Berenike's state cult now enjoyed priority over that of Arsinoës II.

Others

The cities of Berenike on the Red Sea and Berenike in Epirus , on the other hand, were named after Berenike I, her grandmother. Another bearer of the name, Berenike the Younger , was her sister-in-law as Ptolemy's sister. Their repudiation by the Seleucids Antiochus had 246 BC. BC triggered the aforementioned war between Egypt and Asia Minor .

The asteroid 653 , which was discovered in 1907, is named after Berenice II..

literature

General

About the name

Questions of detail

  • Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, London 2004, ISBN 977-424-878-3 , pp. 264-281.

reception

  • Johanna Sprondel, Berenike Schröder: Berenike. In: Peter von Möllendorff , Annette Simonis, Linda Simonis (ed.): Historical figures of antiquity. Reception in literature, art and music (= Der Neue Pauly . Supplements. Volume 8). Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2013, ISBN 978-3-476-02468-8 , Sp. 175-186.

Web links

Commons : Berenike II.  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christopher Bennett: Berenice II , note 3
  2. ↑ Justinus , Epitoma historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi 26, 3, 2.
  3. ↑ Iustinus, Epitoma historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi 26, 3, 3–8; Catullus , Carmina 66, 25-28; on this Günther Hölbl, Geschichte des Ptolemäerreiches , p. 44; Werner Huss, Egypt in the Hellenistic Period 332–30 BC Chr. , P. 333 f.
  4. ↑ Polybios, Historíai 10, 22, 3.
  5. ↑ Plutarch, Philopoimen 1, 4.
  6. ^ So Günther Hölbl, Geschichte des Ptolemäerreiches , p. 44, also Christopher Bennett: Berenice II , note 4 , both of which follow André Laronde ( Cyrène et la Libye hellénistique , Paris 1987, p. 381 f.).
  7. ↑ Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones: Berenice II. , In: The Encyclopedia of Ancient History , Vol. 2, pp. 1095 f.
  8. ↑ So z. B. Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 44.
  9. ^ Walter Ameling : Berenike 3rd In: Der Neue Pauly (DNP). Volume 2, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01472-X , Sp. 566.
  10. ↑ Catullus, Carmina 66.
  11. ^ Hyginus, De Astronomica 2, 24, 1.
  12. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemy Empire , p. 98 f .; Werner Huss, Egypt in the Hellenistic Period 332–30 BC Chr. , P. 353 f.
  13. ↑ Plutarch, De Iside 14.
  14. ^ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 99.
  15. ↑ Werner Huss, Egypt in the Hellenistic Period 332–30 BC Chr. , P. 354.
  16. ↑ a b Ulrich Wilcken: Berenike 11 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume III, 1, Stuttgart 1897, Col. 284–286: here 285.
  17. ↑ Athenaios, Deipnosophistai 15, 689 a.
  18. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemy Empire , p. 76 f.
  19. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 45.
  20. ^ Inscriptiones Graecae (IG) IX, I, I 2 , 56f, g.
  21. ↑ Polybios, Historíai 15, 25, 2.
  22. ^ Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. London 2010, pp. 268-269, 272, 276.
  23. ↑ C. Tietze, M. Maksoud, E. Lange: The Canopus Decree of Tell Basta. In: Kemet issue 3/2004 , Kemet-Verlag, Berlin 2004, ISSN  0943-5972 , p. 65.
  24. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 88.
  25. ^ Wilhelm Dittenberger , Sylloge inscriptionum Graecarum , 3rd edition 1915-24, No. 463.
  26. ^ Pausanias , Description of Greece 1, 5, 5.
  27. ↑ Stephanos of Byzantium , Ethnika , s. Berenikidai ; on this Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 51.
  28. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 98 f.
  29. ↑ Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones: Berenice II. , In: The Encyclopedia of Ancient History , Vol. 2, pp. 1096 f.
  30. ↑ A temple for the scheming Berenike . On: Spiegel Online of January 19, 2010, accessed July 4, 2012.
  31. ↑ Plutarch, Kleomenes 33, 3.
  32. ↑ Papyri graecae Haunienses 6, fragment 1, lines 29-31.
  33. ↑ Polybios, Historíai 5, 34, 1; 5, 36, 1; 5, 36, 6; 15, 25, 1 f .; Plutarch, Kleomenes 33, 3; Iustinus, Epitoma historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi 30, 1, 2; on this Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 111 f. and Werner Huss, Egypt in the Hellenistic Period 332–30 BC Chr. , P. 382 f.
  34. ↑ Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemy Empire , pp. 99 and 151
personal data
SURNAME Berenike II.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Daughter of King Magas of Cyrene
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 221 BC Chr.