Ptolemy VII

Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator ( Greek  Πτολεμαῖος Ζ 'Νέος Φιλοπάτωρ ; * before 152 BC; † probably around 143/142 BC or 130 BC) was probably the younger son of the Egyptian king Ptolemy VI. and his sister-wife Cleopatra II , but not - as often assumed in earlier research - 145/144 BC. BC for a short time co-regent of his father and after his death king. He was probably murdered on the orders of his uncle Ptolemy VIII .

Life

In the 19th century, through the discovery of lists of apotheosed pharaohs, it was established that 118 B.C. A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which had ruled over Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC), was included in their imperial cult under the title Theos Neos Philopator ("young father-loving god") and his name between that of Ptolemy VI. and Ptolemy VIII had been inserted. However, no relationship between this Neos Philopator and the two known Ptolemies was given.

Often Neos Philopator was in the research of the 20th century for the younger brother of Ptolemy Eupator (who died in 152 BC) and thus for the second son of Ptolemy VI. and Cleopatra II, who was held by his father in 145 BC. Was raised to co-regent after the early death of the father ruled with his mother and was eliminated by his uncle Ptolemy VIII shortly after his seizure of power. The latter was deduced from a note by the historian Iustinus , who probably lived in the 2nd or 3rd century AD , according to which Ptolemy VIII. On the day of his wedding to his sister Cleopatra II., The son of Ptolemy VI. supposed to have murdered (145 or 144 BC). The ancient historian Walter Otto took Neos Philopator into the list of pharaohs as Ptolemy VII because he suspected his brief independent rule .

From the beginning of the 1990s, serious doubts arose about the theory presented. It was first stated that the sources hardly contain any reference to the alleged co-reign of the younger son Ptolemy VI. deliver. Some historians thought that Ptolemy VI. left no living son at his death. After the publication of a new papyrus (1997) and its interpretation by M. Chauveau three years later, however, it seems to be certain that there is indeed a younger son Ptolemy VI. and Cleopatra II, who, contrary to the assertion of Iustinus, was not murdered by Ptolemy VIII when he married Cleopatra II. Rather, this younger son was Ptolemy VI. probably initially recognized by Ptolemy VIII as heir to the throne and served in 144/143 BC. As eponymous Alexander priest. But since it can be concluded from the reliefs of the temple of Edfu that as early as 142 BC BC the still in infancy son of Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra II, Ptolemy Memphites , was the new Egyptian crown prince, the younger son Ptolemy VI. at this point in time either already died (a violent death) or had been disinherited.

Justin also reports that after his expulsion from Alexandria by followers of Cleopatra II (130 BC) Ptolemy VIII fled to Cyprus and had his "eldest son" brought from Cyrene to him and killed so that he would not be elevated to the rank of anti-king could. Should the younger son Ptolemy VI. had been alive at the time, he was perhaps identical with the "eldest son" Ptolemy VIII mentioned by Justinus. Justinus' designation could then be understood to mean that Ptolemy VIII had adopted the younger son of his brother, who in this case was only 130 BC. Would have died.

In any case, during his forced stay in Cyprus, Ptolemy VIII had his own son, Ptolemy Memphites, murdered by Cleopatra II. This Memphites is probably also the one in the lists of pharaohs since 118 BC. BC mentioned Theos Neos Philopator .

literature

• Werner Huss : Egypt in the Hellenistic Period 332–30 BC Chr . CH Beck, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-406-47154-4 , p. 597 f .
• Günther Hölbl : History of the Ptolemaic Empire . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1994, ISBN 3-534-10422-6 , pp. 169; 172 .

Web links

• Scientific study on Ptolemy VII by Christopher Bennett
• Biography of Ptolemy Memphites by Christopher Bennett

Remarks

1. ^ Mahlon H. Smith, Ptolemy VII Theos Neopator
2. ↑ So z. B. Hans Volkmann : Ptolemaios 26). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XXIII, 2, Stuttgart 1959, Sp. 1720 f.
3. ^ Iustinus : Epitoma historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi ( Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV. ) 38, 8, 2ff .; see. Orosius : Historiae adversus paganos. 5, 10, 6f. (which mentions the murder of a son Ptolemy VI by Ptolemy VIII and dates to 131/130 BC); see. also Flavius ​​Josephus , Contra Apionem 2, 51.
4. ^ Walter Otto: On the history of the time of the 6th Ptolemy , Munich 1934, p. 128, note 4.
5. ↑ So z. B. Werner Huss , Egypt in Hellenistic Times , pp. 597f.
6. ↑ B. Kramer et al. (Ed.): Kölner Papyri VIII 350.
7. ↑ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy , Notes 1–5 ( Memento of the original from June 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
8. ↑ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy Memphites , Note 9 ( Memento of the original from June 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
9. ^ Iustinus: Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV. 38, 8, 11f.
10. ↑ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy , Note 5 ( Memento of the original dated June 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
11. ^ Iustinus: Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV. 38, 8, 13ff .; Diodor 34/35, 14.
12. ↑ Christopher Bennett, Ptolemy Memphites , Notes 9 and 10 ( Memento of the original from June 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.