Cleopatra I.

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Depiction of Cleopatra I in El-Kab

Cleopatra I (* around 204 BC ; † April or May 176 BC ) was a queen of Egypt . She was a daughter of the Seleucid king Antiochus III. and Laodike and married in 193 BC BC Ptolemy V from the Ptolemaic dynasty .

Marriage negotiations

After Antiochus III. since 197 BC After successful conquests of Ptolemaic cities in Asia Minor , Roman ambassadors represented Egyptian interests in their negotiations with the Seleucid ruler at Lysimacheia (summer 196 BC). But Antiochus III. stated that he would be reconciled with the Ptolemies and therefore want to marry off his daughter Cleopatra I to Ptolemy V. Initially, this couple celebrated their engagement the following year (195 BC). This was an obvious shift in Ptolemaic foreign policy, which is now towards a compromise with Antiochus III. because the Romans had probably not listened to the Egyptian requests for help for too long.

In the winter of 194/193 BC Then the marriage between the Egyptian king and Cleopatra I at Raphia was concluded. There Antiochus III. 217 BC Chr. Suffered a heavy defeat against Ptolemy IV and therefore wanted to demonstrate the changed strength relations by choosing the same place for the marriage of his daughter with the following Ptolemaic king. The spouses were still young, as Ptolemy V was only about 16 years old and his wife Cleopatra I was about 10 years old.

Allegedly the marriage contract contained a clause according to which Cleopatra I brought Koilesyria as a dowry into the marriage; this was at least later asserted by the Ptolemaic side. It could only be a promise of Antiochus III that had not been kept. have acted because Koilesyria remained in Seleucid possession since its victory over the Egyptians at Panion (198 BC). The ancient authors Appian and Josephus erroneously report that Koilesyria actually passed into Egyptian possession. The fact that the kings (probably Ptolemy V and his wife, not the Egyptian and Seleucid rulers) shared the taxes levied in the ceded provinces should also be unhistorical.

The older Jewish tradition in the Old Testament also reports that Palestine fell to the Seleucids after the Battle of Panion , but not that the conquered provinces returned to Egyptian possession as a dowry from Cleopatra I. But this tradition claims that Antiochus III. by marrying his daughter to the Egyptian king wanted to bring about his downfall, but Cleopatra I did not act according to the wishes of her father and so his ambitious intentions failed. This opinion probably arose when the Jews became increasingly hostile to the Seleucids during the reign of Antiochus IV . Appian gives the reason for the marriage project that Antiochus III. I had hoped for Egyptian neutrality in the event of its emerging confrontation with the Roman world power.

Titles and honors as consort of the king

Cleopatra I was not called the Syrian woman well-meaning by the Alexandrians . Since her marriage, she has been included in the Ptolemaic cult of the king and accordingly venerated with her husband as theoí Epiphaneis or Epiphaneis kai Eucharistoi , as evidenced by documents for her first year of marriage. It was also given these cult titles in consecrations by the royal couple themselves, for example in a building inscription on the temple of Imhote in Philai founded by Ptolemy V and his wife . The fact that in some inscriptions she is referred to as the king's sister is in ancient Egyptian tradition and should express her good understanding with her husband.

186 BC In the following year, two synods of priests meeting in Alexandria and Memphis respectively decided in the two so-called Philensis decrees - which were engraved in the wall of the house where Philai was born in hieroglyphic and demotic language - honors for the royal couple. As early as 186 BC Cleopatra I was included in the honors by the priests. Then in Memphis 185 B.C. A synod of priests every 10 years previously decided on the stone of Rosette for the Egyptian king to honor his wife. In this way she was ritually equated with him. In the Philensis Decree Cleopatra I is referred to hieroglyphically as the Appeared Goddess after her name cartouche ; this cult title is derived from the Greek theá Epiphanes . According to a testimony from Edfu , she was also given a royal Horus name .

children

The marriage of Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I resulted in two sons and a daughter. Their first child was around 186 BC. Heir to the throne Ptolemy VI. ; Then the births of Cleopatra II and Ptolemy VIII followed at times that cannot be precisely determined .

Regent for Ptolemy VI.

When her husband in September or October 180 BC Died, Cleopatra I could reach, as regent and guardian of her underage son Ptolemy VI. to be recognized. This fact can be deduced from the dates of papyri dating from 179 to 176 BC. Because Cleopatra I is mentioned there before her son and also bears the cult title Thea Epiphanes (roughly: appeared goddess), while her son is not yet referred to as Theos (god). It is not known, however, whether her late husband appointed her regent or whether she herself seized power.

She was the first Ptolemaic woman who ruled alone as the guardian of her royal son and also minted her own coins, on which her name also appears before that of her son. Apparently to underline the legitimacy of her reign and her good relationship with her deceased husband, Cleopatra I had a coin with his image emitted. Also that they Ptolemy VI. Had it ritually venerated by associating it with the theoí Epiphaneís , served to legitimize their rule.

Shortly before Ptolemy V died, he had armaments for a military confrontation against the Seleucids, but when Cleopatra I took power, she should have immediately ended these warlike measures directed against her brother Seleucos IV . The title of one in Ptolemais since 178/177 BC Proven priest of Cleopatra I and her son was between April 8th and May 17th 176 BC. Chr. Changed so that now Ptolemy VI. in front of his mother, who must have died at this point in time. For them also 165/164 BC. Chr. (?) A priestess of Cleopatra, the mother, the appeared goddess was installed in Ptolemais .

literature

Web links

Commons : Cleopatra I.  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Polybios : Historíai. 18, 51, 10; Livy : Ab urbe condita libri CXLII. 33, 40, 3; Diodor : Bibliothéke historiké. 28, 12; Appian , Syriaca 3, 13; u. a.
  2. ↑ Polybios: Historíai. 28, 20, 9; Livy 35:13, 4; Josephus , Jüdische Antiquities 12, 154f .; Porphyrios in Felix Jacoby , The Fragments of the Greek Historians (FGrH), No. 260, F 47; Appian, Syriaca 5, 18; u. a.
  3. ↑ Polybios: Historíai. 28, 20, 6-10
  4. ↑ Polybios: Historíai. 28, 1, 2f.
  5. ↑ Appian, Syriaca 5:18 ; Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 12, 154
  6. ↑ Josephus, Jüdische Antiquities 12, 155
  7. ↑ Daniel 11:16.
  8. ↑ Appianus, Syriaca 5, 18
  9. ↑ Appianus, Syriaca 5, 18
  10. ↑ Egyptian documents from the Berlin State Museums, Greek documents. (BGU) X 1967 (about 193/192 BC); u. a.
  11. ^ Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae. (OGIS) 1.98.
  12. ^ Evidence in Werner Huss (2001), p. 535, note 27
  13. ↑ 2nd Philensis Decree, lines 15f. In: Kurt Sethe (Ed.): Hieroglyphic documents of the Greco-Roman times. Volume 2, 1904, pp. 214-230.
  14. ^ 1. Philensis Decree, lines 9-14. In: K. Sethe (ed.): Hieroglyphic documents of the Greco-Roman times. Volume 2, 1904, pp. 198-214.
  15. ↑ Copper coins of Cleopatra I from Paphos recorded e.g. B. Svoronos, The Coins of the Ptolemies , No. 1380ff.
  16. ↑ Werner Huss (2001), p. 539f. (with receipts)
  17. ↑ This dating for the death of Cleopatra I gives z. B. Werner Huss (2001), p. 540. In contrast, Christopher Bennett believes that Cleopatra I was born between September 178 and October 177 BC. Had died. [1]
personal data
SURNAME Cleopatra I.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Queen of Egypt
DATE OF BIRTH around 204 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH April 176 BC BC or May 176 BC Chr.