Ptolemaic Kings > Ptolemy VI Philometer

Ptolemy VI Philometer

Background

Ptolemy VI Philometor (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Φιλομήτωρ, Ptolemaĩos Philomḗtōr, ca. 186–145 BC) was a king of Egypt from the Ptolemaic period. He reigned from 180 to 145 BC.[1]Ptolemy succeeded in 180 BC at the age of about 6 and ruled jointly with his mother, Cleopatra I, until her death in 176 BC, which is what 'Philometor', his epithet, implies; "he who loves his mother", φίλος (beloved,friend) + μήτηρ (mother). The following year he married his sister, Cleopatra II, as it was customary for Pharaohs, for the Ptolemaic Greek kings had adopted many customs of the Pharaohs.[2] He had at least four children with her: Ptolemy Eupator, Ptolemy Neos, Cleopatra Thea and Cleopatra III, and possibly Berenice.[1]

Sixth Syrian War

Ptolemy VIPtolemy VIPtolemy VIPharaohPredecessorPtolemy VSuccessorPtolemy VIIIRoyal titulary [show]ConsortCleopatra II of EgyptFatherPtolemy V EpiphanesMotherCleopatra I of EgyptBornc. 185Died145 BCCoin of Ptolemy VI PhilometorPtolemy VI Philometor (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Φιλομήτωρ, Ptolemaĩos Philomḗtōr, ca. 186–145 BC) was a king of Egypt from the Ptolemaic period. He reigned from 180 to 145 BC.[1]Ring of Ptolemy VI Philometor as Egyptian pharaoh (Louvre)Ptolemy succeeded in 180 BC at the age of about 6 and ruled jointly with his mother, Cleopatra I, until her death in 176 BC, which is what 'Philometor', his epithet, implies; "he who loves his mother", φίλος (beloved,friend) + μήτηρ (mother). The following year he married his sister, Cleopatra II, as it was customary for Pharaohs, for the Ptolemaic Greek kings had adopted many customs of the Pharaohs.[2] He had at least four children with her: Ptolemy Eupator, Ptolemy Neos, Cleopatra Thea and Cleopatra III, and possibly Berenice.[1]In 170 BC, the Seleucid king Antiochus IV began the sixth Syrian War and invaded Egypt twice.[citation needed] He was crowned as its king in 168. According to Livy’s The History of Rome from its Foundation (XLV.12), he abandoned his claim on the orders of the Roman Senate.From 169–164, Egypt was ruled by a triumvirate consisting of Ptolemy, his sister-queen and his younger brother known as Ptolemy VIII Physcon.[citation needed] In 164 he was driven out by his brother and went to Rome to seek support, which he received from Cato.[citation needed] He was restored the following year by the intervention of the Alexandrians and ruled uneasily, cruelly suppressing frequent rebellions.[citation needed]In 152 BC, he briefly ruled jointly with one of his sons, known as Ptolemy Eupator, but it is thought that Ptolemy Eupator died that same year.[citation needed]Around 150 BC he recognised Alexander Balas as the Seleucid king by marrying his daughter Cleopatra Thea to him in a ceremony at Ptolemais Akko.[3] In 145 BC, however, while Alexander was putting down a rebellion in Cilicia, Ptolemy VI invaded Syria, securing safe passage through Judaea from Alexander's vassal Jonathan Maccabee, and capturing the city of Seleucia. He remarried his daughter to Alexander's rival Demetrius II, and went to Antioch, where he crowned himself King of Asia. Alexander was defeated by Ptolemy when he returned from Cilicia with his army and fled to Arabia, where he was killed. For the first time since the death of Alexander the Great, Egypt and Syria were united. However, Ptolemy died three days later, in unknown circumstances.[4]Ancestry[edit][show]Ancestors of Ptolemy VI PhilometorReferences[edit]^ Jump up to: a b Chris Bennett. "Ptolemy VI". Tyndale House. Retrieved May 22, 2013.Jump up ^ "Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt". Ancient Egypt Online. Retrieved May 22, 2013.Jump up ^ I Maccabees 10.48-58Jump up ^ I Maccabees 11.1-11.19External links[edit]Ptolemy Philometor at LacusCurtius — (Chapter IX of E. R. Bevan's House of Ptolemy, 1923)Ptolemy VI — (Egyptian Royal Genealogy)Ptolemy VI Philometor entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. SmithPtolemy VI PhilometorPtolemaic dynastyBorn: ca. 185 BC Died: 145 BCPreceded byPtolemy V EpiphanesCleopatra IPtolemaic King of Egyptwith Cleopatra ICleopatra IIPtolemy VIII Physcon181–164 BCESucceeded byPtolemy VIII PhysconPreceded byPtolemy VIII PhysconPtolemaic King of Egyptwith Cleopatra IIPtolemy VIII PhysconPtolemy VII Neos Philopator163–145 BCESucceeded byCleopatra IIPtolemy VII Neos Philopator

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

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources