Potheinos

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Potheinos († 48 BC ) was after the death of the Egyptian king Ptolemaios XII. Neos Dionysus (51 BC) the most influential minister of his underage son Ptolemy XIII.

Reign for Ptolemy XIII.

Potheinos was a eunuch and educator of Ptolemy XIII. According to the will of Neos Dionysus, his children, the famous Cleopatra VII and her much younger brother Ptolemy XIII, were to rule together after his death . The power-hungry Cleopatra initially made herself into the de facto sole ruler. Behind Ptolemy XIII. However, there was a three-member Regency Council: Potheinos was at the head; next to them were the general Achillas and the teacher Theodotos of Chiosrepresented. No later than the autumn of 50 BC. BC succeeded the guardians of Ptolemy XIII to get him the due share of the government, as can be seen from Ptolemaic document dating. Potheinos was finally able to get around in the autumn of 49 BC. Chr. Driving Cleopatra VII. From Alexandria. Beginning of 48 BC He also took over the important ministerial office of Dioiketes .

Soon after Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus defeated the battle of Pharsalus against Gaius Iulius Caesar on June 7, 48 BC. Chr. (According to the Julian calendar), he appeared on the run on Egypt's coast and asked for admission as an ally of the Ptolemies . The Regency Council, chaired by the Potheino, discussed how to proceed. The eunuch followed Theodoto's proposal to murder Pompey. This deed was carried out under the direction of Achillas.

Power struggle with Caesar and death

When Caesar landed in Alexandria two days later (on July 27, 48 BC) Caesar landed in Alexandria , he withdrew through his imperious arrogance and the demand for payment of considerable sums of money, which Ptolemy XII. should have owed the displeasure of the already anti-Roman-minded Alexandrians. In addition, Caesar insisted on the throne controversy of the royal siblings as executor of the will of Ptolemy XII. to settle. Potheinos refused Caesar's request. Cleopatra managed to get to Alexandria despite the barriers and to be smuggled into Caesar's palace. The great conqueror was infatuated with her and decided in her favor that she should again become co-regent of her brother, as the will of Neos Dionysus required. At least outwardly, he brought about a reconciliation of the royal couple.

But Caesar and Cleopatra's main opponent, Potheinos, thwarted the peace policy. With Caesar's support, of course, his lover had become the dominant power factor and seemed to dramatically diminish Potheinos' influence. In addition, according to the tradition of her dynasty, Cleopatra was not averse to cruelty. Therefore, the eunuch, although he was in the palace and thus in the immediate sphere of influence of Caesar, continued to incite the Egyptians and secretly gave Achillas the order to march to Alexandria with his 20,000-strong army from Pelusion , where it was facing the troops of Cleopatra to destroy Caesar's much weaker army. When the Alexandrian War began, Caesar holed up in the palace district, practically holding the royal family and Potheinos hostage. Nevertheless, Potheinos kept in secret contact with Achillas. But the messengers were seized and gave Caesar a welcome reason for the execution of Potheinos.

evaluation

Since today only Roman sources are available about the events discussed here, which have a corresponding coloring, the assessment of the Potheino in these sources is extremely negative. The insidious and hostile approach to the two great Romans Pompey and Caesar was particularly criticized. From a more neutral point of view today, however, one must consider that Potheinos primarily sought to defend the interests of his country Egypt against the Romans. Above all, he wanted to prevent Egypt from being drawn into the internal Roman power struggle by assassinating Pompey.

literature

Remarks

  1. ^ Caesar, de bello civili III 108, 1.
  2. ↑ Huss (see Lit.), p. 707; Hölbl (see lit.), pp. 205f.
  3. ^ Caesar, de bello civili III 103, 2
  4. ↑ Caesar, de bello civili III 103, 3; Lucan, Pharsalia VIII 463-471; among others
  5. ↑ Plutarch, Pompeius 77ff .; Caesar, de bello civili III 104; among others
  6. ^ Caesar, de bello civili III 106f .; Cassius Dio XLII 7f .; 34f .; Plutarch, Caesar 48f .; among others
  7. ^ Huss, p. 714
  8. ^ Caesar, de bello civili III 108, 1f.
  9. ^ So Caesar, de bello civili III 112, 12; somewhat different Cassius Dio XLII 39, 2. Plutarch's representation ( Caesar 49, 4) that Potheinos and Achillas had planned an attack on Caesar, which his hairdresser betrayed his master and this was the reason for the execution, is unbelievable .
  10. ↑ cf. for example Hölbl, p. 207; Ziegler, Sp. 1177
personal data
SURNAME Potheinos
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Minister of the Egyptian King Ptolemy XIII.
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 48 BC Chr.