People > Berenice IV

Berenice IV

Background

Berenice IV Epiphaneia (77–55 BCE), known in Greek as Βερενίκη was a princess and queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom which ruled over the satrapy of Egypt during the Hellenistic Period. She was born as the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and most likely Cleopatra V Tryphaena. She was the sister of the famous Cleopatra VII, as well as Arsinoe IV, Ptolemy XIII Physcon and Ptolemy XIV. In 58 BCE both Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII would be forced to flee to Rome where they sought military assistance against Cleopatra VI,/.

Following her death in 57 BCE possibly due to poisoning by Berenice IV she would become the sole ruler of Egypt due to the absence of her father. With him and Cleopatra absent she was free to assume the throne at twenty years old without the worry of being overthrown or killed.

As the lone woman who ruled over Egypt she was expected to marry and have a man who acted as co-regent. When she did not her own the consuls forced her to marry Seleucus VII Kybiosaktes. However, she would eventually have him strangled and rule as the sole leader of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Many people during this time believed the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt would soon collapse due to her refusal to marry as well as for her love of fashion and luxuries which led to huge costs for the kingdom.

She would later soon marry Archelaus but he would not be named as her co-regent. Archelaus had previously been appointed to the priesthood at Comana at Cappadocia by Pompey and claimed to be a son of Mithridates VI of Pontus. According to Strabo his father was Archelaus who was actually a general of Mithridates VI during the First Mithridatic War who switched sides to the Romans.

The reign of Berenice VI would end in 55 BCE when her father Ptolemy XII retook the throne of the Ptolemaic kingdom which the military assistance of the Romans. They would be led by Aulus Gabinus and after the recapture Berenice VI would be killed by beheading. Archelaus would die in battle against the Roman forces.

Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt

King	Title	Meaning	Reign	Wife/Co-Ruler	Reign
Ptolemy I	Soter	Savior	305-285 BCE	Berenice I	Reign
Ptolemy II	Philadelphus	Sister-loving	285-246 BCE	Arsinoe I	Reign
Ptolemy III	Euergetes I	The Benefactor	246-221 BCE	Berenice II	Reign
Ptolemy IV	Philopater	Father-loving	221-204 BCE	Arsinoe III	Reign
Ptolemy V	Epiphanes	The Illustrious	204-180 BCE		Reign
Ptolemy VI	Philometor	Mother-loving	180-145 BCE	Cleopatra I Cleopatra II & Ptolemy VIII Ptolemy Eupator	180–176 BCE 170–163 BCE 153–150 BCE
Ptolemy VII	Neos Philopator	Father-loving	145 BCE	Cleopatra II	Reign
Ptolemy VIII	Euergetes II	The Benefactor	170–116 BCE	Cleopatra II	145–131/130 BCE
Cleopatra II			124–116 BCE
Ptolemy VIII	Euergetes II	The Benefactor	170–116 BCE	Cleopatra II	124–116 BCE
Ptolemy IX	Soter II	The Savior	116-107 BCE	Cleopatra III	107–101 BCE
Ptolemy X	Alexander I		107-88 BCE	Cleopatra III	107–101 BCE
Ptolemy IX	Soter II	The Savior	88-80 BCE
Ptolemy XI	Alexander II		80 BCE	Berenice III	80 BCE
Ptolemy XIII	Neos Dionysos/Auletes	New Dionysus/Flute Player	80–51 BCE	Berenice IV	58–55 BCE
Cleopatra VII			51-30 BCE		Reign
Ptolemy XIII Physcon	Dionysos		51-47 BCE		Reign
Ptolemy XIV	Philopator	Father-loving	47-44 BCE		Reign
Ptolemy XV	Caesarion	Little Caesar	44-30 BCE		Reign

Sources

ReferencesJump up ^ Strabo 12.3.34 and 17.1.11Jump up ^ Strabo 12.3.34 and 17.1.11Jump up ^ Appian Mithrid. 114Jump up ^ Plutarch Antony 3.2 - 3.6SourcesDio Cassius 39.12 - 39.14, 39.55 - 39.58Berenice IV of EgyptPtolemaic dynastyBorn: ca. 77 BC Died: 55 BCRegnal titlesPreceded byPtolemy XIIPharaoh of Egypt58 BC-55 BCwith Cleopatra VISucceeded byPtolemy XIIBerenice IVQueen of EgyptReign58–55 BCSuccessorPtolemy XII AuletesBorn77 BCAlexandria, EgyptDied55 BCAlexandria, EgyptBurialAlexandria, EgyptSpouseSeleucus VII KybiosaktesArchelausFull nameBerenice IV EpiphaneiaHousePtolemaic dynastyFatherPtolemy XII AuletesMotherCleopatra V of Egypt

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources