Ptolemy Memphites

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Ptolemaios Memphites ( Greek  Πτολεμαῖος ὁ Μεμφίτης ; * 144 or 143 BC in Memphis (Egypt) ; † 130 BC in Cyprus ) was the son of the Egyptian king Ptolemy VIII and his sister wife Cleopatra II. He was probably 142 v. Appointed heir to the throne, but 130 BC. Executed by his father in the course of his disputes with Cleopatra II.

Life

Ptolemy Memphites came soon after 145/144 BC. His parents were married to the world, probably either in the second half of 144 BC. BC or 143 BC According to the Greek-Sicilian historian Diodorus , his birth took place at the time of his father's coronation according to the Egyptian rite in the ancient capital of the Nile country, Memphis. Ptolemy VIII named his son Memphites after the place of birth . Otherwise this prince is mentioned by the ancient authors without giving his name. Due to the fact that inscriptions and reliefs can be related to him, it is practically certain that he also carried the usual dynastic name Ptolemy . He can probably be identified with the child depicted on the eastern outer wall of the Naos of Horus Temple at Edfu, who is depicted there together with Ptolemy VIII and his sister-wife Cleopatra II and is dubbed the heir to the throne. Since the dedication of the temple on September 10th 142 BC BC, Ptolemy Memphites must have been raised to crown prince before this point in time. His cult name is given on the relief mentioned as Theos Euergetes (= "benevolent God"). Furthermore, the child depicted on the west wall of the same temple together with Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra II probably represents Ptolemy VII . This was probably the younger son of Ptolemy VI. and Cleopatra II and thus a half-brother of Ptolemy Memphites.

Despite the appointment as heir to the throne, it is very uncertain whether Ptolemy Memphites was ever made co-regent of his father. Due to the second marriage of Ptolemy VIII with Cleopatra III. , the younger daughter of his sister-wife Cleopatra II and his brother Ptolemy VI, were probably the reason for the Ptolemaic civil war that broke out almost a decade later. Due to a related popular uprising, Ptolemy VIII. Flee from Alexandria and withdrew to Cyprus, while Cleopatra II could now exercise control over the capital. According to the report of the historian Iustinus , who probably lived in the 2nd or 3rd century AD , Ptolemy VIII took Cleopatra III on his flight. and his son of Cleopatra II, then had his "eldest son" fetched from Cyrene and murdered in order to eliminate him as possible co-regent of Cleopatra II, and finally brought his son from Cleopatra as a reaction to the overturning of his statues by the Alexandrians II., Which he also had mutilated.

Since, after the publication of a new papyrus (1997) and its interpretation by M. Chauveau (2000), it seems to be clear that Ptolemy VII did not, as previously assumed, in 145/144 BC. According to a new theory, he could have been adopted by Ptolemy VIII and be identical to that "eldest son" whom Ptolemy VIII had brought to him from Cyrene and killed, according to Justinus. Then the prevailing opinion that the prince who was brought to Cyprus from Cyrene would rather be Ptolemy Memphites would be invalid.

In any case, it is certain that Ptolemy Memphites, about 14 years old, was with his father after he fled from Alexandria to Cyprus. Although Memphites apparently moved away from his mother and Cleopatra III. honored in a dedicatory inscription as "Queen Cleopatra Euergetis, my father's wife, my cousin", he was executed on the orders of his father after he learned of the destruction of his statues and the recognition of Cleopatra II as sole queen by the Alexandrians. Ptolemy VIII had the head and limbs of his slain son cut off and his remains packed in a box and sent to Cleopatra II in the royal palace of Alexandria just the night before his birthday. The king was unable to intimidate the Alexandrians and his sister-wife with this cruel approach. The latter had the dismembered body of her son shown to the people and thus aroused their anger. Even in Rome , the murder of the young king's son was discussed in a Senate debate in 130 BC. Discussed.

Cleopatra II had to be in 129/128 BC Flee from Egypt to Syria before the troops of their brother Ptolemy VIII, but were reconciled in 124 BC. With him and her daughter Cleopatra III. at least externally. In the course of a comprehensive amnesty decree 118 BC A Crown Prince who had been murdered by Ptolemy VIII was posthumously rehabilitated by Ptolemy VIII and accepted into the dynastic cult as Theos Neos Philopator (= "young father-loving God"). This crown prince was probably Ptolemy Memphites and not, as previously assumed, Ptolemy VII.

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Diodor 34/35, 14; Justinus 38, 8th
  2. ↑ Diodorus 33, 13.
  3. ↑ Werner Huss, Egypt in Hellenistic Time , p. 604; Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 173.
  4. ↑ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy Memphites , Notes 1 and 3
  5. ^ Justinus 38, 8, 11ff.
  6. ↑ B. Kramer et al. (Ed.): Kölner Papyri VIII 350.
  7. ^ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy , note 5
  8. ^ Wilhelm Dittenberger , Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae I 144 = Inscriptions de Délos 1530 .
  9. ↑ Justin 38, 8, 12-15; Diodor 34/35, 14; Livy , periochae 59; Orosius 5, 10, 6; Valerius Maximus 9, 2, ext. 5; on this Werner Huss, Egypt in Hellenistic Time , p. 611; Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 175.
  10. ↑ Werner Huss, Egypt in Hellenistic Time , p. 624; Günther Hölbl, History of the Ptolemaic Empire , p. 181.
  11. ^ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy Memphites , Notes 9-10
personal data
SURNAME Ptolemy Memphites
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Son of the Egyptian King Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra II.
DATE OF BIRTH 144 BC BC or 143 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Memphis , Egypt
DATE OF DEATH 130 BC Chr.
Place of death Cyprus