Ptolemy XV

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Bust of Ptolemy XV from the Cleopatra exhibition at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA, 2010

The out of the sex of the Ptolemies derived Ptolemy XV. Kaisar (* 47 BC ; † August 23, 30 BC ), Latin Ptolemy XV. Caesar (nickname: Caesarion ( the little Caesar, Caesar's son ) or Greek Καισαρίων / Kaisarion ), was the son of Cleopatra and probably Caesar . He was from 44 to 30 BC. King (co-regent of his mother) of Egypt .

By giving her young son the title Pharaoh and the name Kaisar , Cleopatra expressed the fact that he was the future ruler of Egypt, but also the son and heir of Caesar. In addition, he was given the standard dynastic name Ptolemaios (probably only when he ascended the throne in 44 BC) and was therefore usually referred to as Ptolemy, called Kaisar (os)… in hieroglyphic inscriptions . The Alexandrians mockingly called him Kaisarion .

ancestry

Cleopatra and Ptolemy XV As a small figure at Cleopatra's feet, his presumed father. Back of the temple at Dendera

During Caesar's nine-month stay in Egypt, when he secured Cleopatra's rule in heavy battles in the Alexandrian War , a love affair developed between the Ptolemaic queen and the Roman general. When Caesar finally at the beginning of 47 BC When the ancient biographer Plutarch (early 2nd century) stated that Cleopatra was already heavily pregnant and gave birth to Ptolemy XV a little later. A demotic stele from Memphis now in the Louvre names June 23, 47 BC. As the feast day of the goddess Isis ; On the same day, according to this stele, the Pharaoh Kaisar was born. This parallelism was perhaps the product of later constructions; because Cleopatra appeared as the incarnation of Isis, she probably stated appropriately that the birthday of her son coincided with the feast day of this goddess.

Even in ancient times it was disputed whether Ptolemy XV. really was Caesar's biological son. Octavian in particular, who later became the first Roman emperor as Augustus , tried, as part of his propaganda in the power struggle against Mark Antony for the sole rule of the Roman Empire, to portray Caesar's fatherhood as implausible. This was important to Octavian because he was only an adoptive son of Caesar, but the loyalty of many of his followers was based on it. A former friend of Caesar, Gaius Oppius , wrote a (lost) essay in Octavian's interest that Ptolemy XV. not be Caesar's son. The imperial historian Cassius Dio also denied Caesar's paternity. The historian and philosopher Nikolaos of Damascus , who first worked as a teacher of the children of Cleopatra, later became friends with Octavian and wrote, among other things, a fragmentary and pro-Augustine Vita Octavian, according to which Caesar had expressly denied in his will that Ptolemy XV's father was . to be. In today's science, however, this testimony is highly untrustworthy. On the other hand, in spite of his anti-Caesar attitude , Lucan does not in the least doubt that Ptolemy XV, described by the Roman poet as a “bastard” and “child of a whore”. emerged from the extra-marital liaison between the general and the Egyptian queen.

To the minority of modern researchers who did not consider Caesar to be the real father of Ptolemy XV. hold, belongs to Robert Étienne. Another skeptic was the French ancient historian Jérôme Carcopino , who was the date of birth of Ptolemy XV. not until April 44 BC Assumes - when Caesar had already been murdered - that Cleopatra's son would have been conceived at a time when Caesar was waging war in Spain, far from the Egyptian queen. But since Mark Antony stated in the Senate that the dictator himself the little Ptolemy XV. recognized as his son, the Triumvir could only make this assertion - whether it is true or not - if Cleopatra's son was born during Caesar's lifetime. The propaganda of Augustus would hardly have left it unmentioned if Caesar's fatherhood due to the time of the birth of Ptolemy XV. would have been refutable. The assumption that Caesar believed himself to be his father is clearly supported by the statement by the ancient emperor's biographer Suetonius that the dictator allowed the name to be named. J. Carcopino also states that the inscription on the above-mentioned stele does not refer to Ptolemy XV. because a Pharaoh Kaisar is mentioned there. A royal child could not have held this title yet. The historian Hans Volkmann convincingly refuted this argument by pointing out that loyal Egyptians hardly had any reservations about constitutional law about calling royal children kings.

As an argument against Caesar's fatherhood, John Percy Vyvian Dacre Balsdon argues that although the dictator fathered his daughter Julia at a young age , no other children of his are known despite his numerous affairs, so that when he met Cleopatra he was probably already unable to father has been. However, these relationships were often married partners, so that neither the women concerned, Caesar, or even the later Augustan propaganda had any interest in discovering possible descendants from these relationships. After all, in domestic political disputes, it was not uncommon for extramarital affairs between the respective adversaries to be brought into focus in order to brand them in public.

If one assumes the correctness of the date of birth of the stele mentioned, Ptolemy XV. conceived at a time when Cleopatra and Caesar were just trapped in the palace at Alexandria together with the rest of the Ptolemaic family and besieged by the Egyptian army . At that time Cleopatra's fate depended entirely on Caesar's commitment. In this situation she would hardly have taken the risk of having another affair that Caesar could easily have noticed. And her brother consort Ptolemy XIII. is out of the question as Caesarion's father because he was fatally enemies with his sister. According to Suetonius, some Greek authors also stated that Ptolemy XV. resemble Caesar in shape and gait. When Octavian after his victory Ptolemy XV. executed, he took this step because he feared a possible threat to his position of power because of the young man's possible descent from Caesar.

For the reasons mentioned, the vast majority of modern research takes Caesar as the biological father of Ptolemy XV. on. However, absolute certainty cannot be achieved on this issue. It is certain that Cleopatra and Antony had good reasons to assert the paternity of Caesar, regardless of whether this really corresponded to the facts, while Octavian / Augustus, as mentioned, had to do everything possible to cast doubts about this statement.

Cleopatra described herself as an incarnation of the goddess Isis and, accordingly, her son Ptolemy XV. as Horus , the son of Isis. The Egyptian queen had the attributes of Aphrodite - Isis on her coins and the little Ptolemy XV on her breast. represent.

Co-regent

Most likely, Cleopatra took her young son Ptolemy XV. 46 BC BC to Rome when she resided with her brother and entourage in one of Caesar's private houses. The tribune Gaius Helvius Cinna allegedly claimed that in Caesar's absence he should have passed a law that would allow the dictator any number of marriages - even with non-Roman women - which would have enabled him to officially recognize Caesarion. After Caesar's murder (March 15, 44 BC), the Ptolemaic family returned to Egypt. In his will, the dictator did not include his son from Cleopatra. According to Roman law, Ptolemy XV. also make no inheritance claims at all.

After Cleopatra in the middle of 44 BC. After having had her brother Ptolemy XIV murdered in the 3rd century BC , she raised the three-year-old Kaisarion to her co-regent. At the same time she gave him the nicknames Philopator (= father lover) and Philometor (= mother lover). In the Roman civil war, meanwhile, the Caesar murderers fought against the Caesarians, whose main leader in the east of the Roman Empire was Publius Cornelius Dolabella . With this Cleopatra went in 43 BC. An alliance and gained recognition for her son as co-ruler.

In the birth temple at Hermonthis near Thebes (Upper Egypt) Cleopatra probably had his birth depicted realistically and in accordance with Egyptian beliefs after her son was raised to the rank of co-king. Cleopatra can be seen kneeling between goddesses, who is referred to in hieroglyphic as the mother of the sun god Re . The mark of the scarab over the newborn Ptolemy XV. identifies him with the god of the rising sun. In addition, two cow-headed goddesses suckle two small children, Horus and the son of Cleopatra, who is referred to as Ptolemy Kaisar Theos Philopator Philometor in a large inscription on the outer south wall of the cella , that is, clearly alluding to Caesar's fatherhood.

Birth stamps were used by the pharaohs and their wives to perform sacred rituals after birth. The birth of Horus has long been preferred in these temples, but the texts and images were always kept symbolic and not directly alluded to the birth of an earthly prince, while Cleopatra, deliberately breaking this tradition, unmistakably depicts the birth of Ptolemy XV. next to that of Horus and identified the boys with it. Apparently she alluded to the mythical theme that Horus should avenge the murder of his father Osiris and take his place as ruler. Cleopatra had apparently intended the same task for her son - the nickname Philopator alludes to this - which denied Octavian's claim to be the sole avenger and heir to Caesar. According to the priests' proclamation, the sun god Re had Ptolemy XV. conceived in Caesar's form.

Cleopatra also busily built the temple of the goddess Hathor in Dendera (Upper Egypt) , the construction of which had already been started by her father and the completion of which was only to be achieved by Octavian. On the back wall of the temple, a larger than life figure of Cleopatra appears in the form of an Egyptian pharaoh behind her son, whom she probably wanted to call heir to the throne; both appear before the gods of Denderas.

An April 13, 41 BC Prostagma originating from Cleopatra and Ptolemy XV. is the last known decree of the Lagids. It affirmed the privileges of the Alexandrians working in agriculture outside the capital and condemned attacks by provincial officials against these landowners.

Antonius confessed to his lover Cleopatra in 37 and 34 BC. Large territorial extensions of their empire. These "donations" were made in 34 BC. In a solemn ceremony in the gymnasium of Alexandria in front of a large audience. The then 13-year-old Ptolemy XV was sitting there. with his younger half-siblings on thrones at the feet of Antony and Cleopatra and was made King of Kings , while his mother received the title of Queen of Kings .

execution

After the decisive defeat of Antony and Cleopatra in the battle of Actium against Octavian (31 BC), the power struggle for rule in the Roman Empire was decided. Nevertheless, after her return to Egypt, Cleopatra declared Ptolemy XV. for coming of age, supposedly to encourage the Egyptians by allowing a grown man to take over the government of a king if necessary. After the suicide of the Egyptian queen (August 12, 30 BC) he was executed on Octavian's orders because the heir of Caesar could not need a second "son of the deified Julius" ( Divi Iuli filius ). Plutarch reports that shortly before her death Cleopatra wanted to send her son with treasures and his teacher Rhodon to India via Ethiopia , but that his tutor persuaded him to repent because Octavian supposedly wanted to make him king. Perhaps Rhodon was betraying his protégé. Allegedly, Octavian hesitated with the death sentence until the philosopher Areios asked him to execute Ptolemy XV with the remark that it is not good if there is more than one Caesar . moved. In view of Octavian's very rational, and in case of doubt always unscrupulous personality, this is an extremely implausible representation: There is nothing to indicate that he hesitated before ordering the death of the youth. A real threat to Octavian's position in power was Ptolemy XV. Initially certainly not, because as the illegitimate child of a foreigner and without Roman citizenship he would never have been accepted by Roman society anyway. But Antony and Cleopatra had already exploited his ancestry for propaganda purposes, and Octavian tried to prevent a possible repetition of this situation from the outset with Caesarion's execution.

literature

Fiction

Web links

Commons : Ptolemy XV.  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ G. Hölbl: History of the Ptolemaic Empire. Darmstadt 1994, p. 213.
  2. ↑ Plutarch : Caesar. 49, 10.
  3. ↑ Plutarch: Caesar. 49, 10.
  4. ↑ This is an Egyptian date that dates back to September 6, 47 BC. In the pre-Julian calendar.
  5. ↑ Serapeum stele Louvre No. 335.
  6. ^ M. Clauss: Cleopatra. 1995, p. 32f.
  7. ^ Suetonius : Caesar. 52, 2; Plutarch: Pompey. 10, 5 generally questioned the credibility of Oppius' statements about friends and enemies of Caesar.
  8. ^ Cassius Dio : Roman History. 47, 31, 5.
  9. ↑ Nikolaos von Damascus with Felix Jacoby In: The Fragments of the Greek Historians (FGrH), No. 90, F 130, 20; on this C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 88f.
  10. ↑ Lucan : Pharsalia 10, 72ff .; on this, C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 89f.
  11. ^ R. Étienne: Jules César. 1997, p. 64f.
  12. ^ Jérôme Carcopino : Annales de l'école des hautes études de Gand I. 1937, p. 37ff .; Passion et politique chez les Césars. 1958, p. 32ff.
  13. ^ Suetonius: Caesar. 52, 2.
  14. ^ Suetonius: Caesar. 52, 1.
  15. ↑ J. Brambach, 1991, p. 97.
  16. ↑ JPVD Balsdon: The Ides of March . In: Historia. 7, 1958, p. 87.
  17. ↑ J. Brambach, 1991, pp. 97-99; C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 90.
  18. ↑ J. Brambach, 1991, pp. 99-100; C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 91.
  19. ^ Suetonius: Caesar. 52, 2.
  20. ^ Plutarch: Antonius. 81, 4.
  21. ↑ Ioannis N. Svoronos : Ta nomismata tu kratus ton Ptolemaion. (German: The coins of the Ptolemies. ) 4 volumes, PD Sakellarios, Athens 1904–1908, illustration no. 1874 ( online ).
  22. ^ Cicero : ad Atticum. 15, 15, 2; Cassius Dio: Roman History. 43, 27, 3.
  23. ^ Suetonius: Caesar. 52, 3; on this W. Huss, 2001, p. 725, note 32 .; C. Schäfer, 2006 p. 92 and p. 301, note 140.
  24. ↑ C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 91.
  25. ^ Appian : Civil Wars. 4, 61, 262f .; Cassius Dio: Roman History. 47, 31, 5.
  26. ↑ J. Brambach, 1991, p. 97; M. Clauss: Cleopatra. 1995, pp. 45-46; M. Grant: Cleopatra. dt. 1998, pp. 142-144; G. Hölbl, 1994, p. 249f.
  27. ↑ G. Hölbl, 1994, p. 252; C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 110.
  28. ^ Collective book of Greek documents from Egypt (SB), 7337; M. Clauss: Cleopatra. 1995, p. 43f.
  29. ↑ Plutarch: Antonius 54, 6-9; Cassius Dio: Roman History. 49, 41, 1-3.
  30. ^ Cassius Dio: Roman History. 51, 6, 1; Plutarch: Antonius. 71, 3.
  31. ^ Klaus Bringmann: Augustus . Primus, Darmstadt 2007, p. 102.
  32. ↑ Plutarch: Antonius- 81, 4f .; Cassius Dio: Roman History. 51, 15, 5; Suetonius: Augustus- 17, 5; Orosius : Historiae adversum Paganos. 6, 19, 13; on this, C. Schäfer, 2006, p. 249.
  33. ↑ Jochen Bleicken: Augustus. A biography . Alexander Fest, Berlin 2000, p. 292; Heinz Heinen: Caesar and Kaisarion . In: Historia 18, 1969, pp. 181-203.
predecessor Office successor
Ptolemy XIV Co- king of Egypt
44–30 BC Chr. 		-
personal data
SURNAME Ptolemy XV
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ptolemy XV Caesar; Caesarion
BRIEF DESCRIPTION King (co-regent) 44–30 BC Of Egypt
DATE OF BIRTH 47 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 23 August 30 BC Chr.