)
wards caused her to be assassinated : an act of But it was not his vices alone which served to
cruelty which aroused the indignation of the Alex- disgust and alienate the minds of his subjects.
wards caused her to be assassinated : an act of But it was not his vices alone which served to
cruelty which aroused the indignation of the Alex- disgust and alienate the minds of his subjects.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
115.
)
some probability, the prohibition of the export of His brother Alexander now assumed the sove.
papyrus, a measure which was dictated by jealousy reignty of Egypt, in conjunction with his mother-
of the growing literary riches of the kings of Per- while Lathyrus was able to establish himself in the
gamus, and led, as is well known, to the invention possession of Cyprus. Cleopatra indeed attempted
of parchment (Plin. H. N. xii. 11 (21)). Some to dispossess him of that island also, but without
writers, however, refer this statement to Euergetes success, and Ptolemy held it as an independent
1. (See Parthey, Das Aler. Museum, p. 48. ) kingdom for the eighteen years during which Cleo-
Euergetes II. left two sons ; Ptolemy, after patra and Alexander reigned in Egypt. His wars
wards known as Soter II. , and Alexander, both of in Syria are the only events which have been re-
whom subsequently ascended the throne of Egypt; corded to us of this period. In B. C. 103 he
and three daughters: I. Cleopatra, already mar- landed in Syria with a large army, in order to
ried to her brother Ptolemy ; 2. Tryphaena, the support the citizens of Ptolemaïs and Gaza against
wife of Antiochus Grypus, king of Syria ; and 3. Alexander Jannaeus, king of the Jews, defeated
Selene, who was still unmarried at her father's that monarch in a great battle on the banks of the
Jordan, and made himself master of Ptolemaïs,
Gaza, and other cities. Hereupon Cleopatra has-
tened with an army to oppose him, and reduced
Phoenicia and Ptolemaïs, while Lathyrus, after an
unsuccessful attempt to march upon Egypt itself,
HA retired to Gaza, and the following spring withdrew
to Cyprus, B. c. 101 (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 12, 13).
In the subsequent disputes of the Syrian princes
he and his mother, as was to be expected, took
opposite sides, Ptolemy being in close alliance with
Antiochus Cyzicenus, while Cleopatra supported
his brother Antiochus Grypus (Justin. xxxix. 4).
COIN OP PTOLEM A EUS VII. , KING OF EGYPT.
At a later period (in B. C. 94) we find Ptolemy
again taking part in the civil wars which followed
Alom
BA
००१
## p. 596 (#612) ############################################
696
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
c
the death of Antiochus Grypus, and setting up self, on the death of Euergetes, B. c. 117, in pre-
Demetrius Eucaerus, the youngest son of that ference to his elder brother. But the will of the
monarch, as a claimant to the throne. (Joseph. Alexandrians having compelled her to assume La-
Ant. xiii. 13. & 4. )
thyrus as her colleague, she sent Alexander to
After the death of Cleopatra and the expulsion of Cyprus with the title of general or governor of
Alexander in B. c. 89 [PTOLEMAEUS IX. ), Ptolemy that island. Three years later, however (R. c. 114),
Lathyrus was recalled by the Alexandrians and he assumed the title of king, on what pretext we
established anew on the throne of Egypt, which he know not, and reckoned the years of his reign
occupied thenceforth without interruption till his from this date (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 116).
death in B. c. 81 (Justin. xxxix. 5 ; Porphyr. l. c. But he appears to have remained content with the
p. 116). The most important event of this period possession of Cyprus till B. c. 107, when Cleopatra,
was the revolt of the once mighty city of Thebes, having expelled Ptolemy Lathyrus, recalled her
in Upper Egypt, which was still powerful enough favourite son to occupy the vacant throne of Egypt.
to hold out for nearly three years against the arms Alexander reigned conjointly with his mother from
of Ptolemy, but at the end of that time was taken this time till B. c. 90: but it is probable that her
and reduced to the state of ruin in which it has haughty and imperious character left him little real
ever since remained (Paus. i. 9. & 3). With this part in the administration of affairs. The only oc-
exception the eight years of the second reign of casion on which we meet with his name in this
Ptolemy Lathyrus appear to have been a period of interval is in B. C. 102, when he commanded
internal tranquillity, while his prudent policy re- the Egyptian fleet which attacked Phoenicia by
gained for him in some degree that consideration sea, while Cleopatra with the army marched
abroad which Egypt had nearly lost. We find the against Palestine (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 13. 1).
Athenians, in return for some benefits which he But at length the violence and cruelties of his
bad conferred upon them, erecting statues to him mother terrified Alexander to such a degree that
and his daughter Berenice (Paus. l. c. ); and during he determined to free himself from her power, and
the Mithridatic war, B. c. 87, Lucullus was sent made his escape secretly from Alexandria. Here-
by Sulla to request from him the assistance of the upon Cleopatra, fearing lest her sons should make
Egyptian fleet. But Lathyrus was desirous to common cause against her, sent an embassy to
remain neuter during that contest, and, while he Alexander to entreat his return. With this re
received Lucullus with every demonstration of quest he was induced to comply ; but soon found
honour he declined to furnish the required assist- reason to suspect that she was forming designs
ance. (Plut. Lucull. 2, 3. )
against his life, and immediately determined to
The character of Lathyrus appears to have been anticipate them by causing her to be assassinated,
mild and amiable, even to a degree bordering upon B. c. 90. But he did not long enjoy the fruits of
weakness: but it shows in a favourable light when this crime. Cleopatra had been popular with the
contrasted with those of his mother and brother, army, and the soldiers in consequence hated Aler.
and he appears to have been free from the vices ander, who had not reigned alone a year, when he
which degraded so many of the Egyptian kings. was compelled by a general sedition of the popu-
He reigned in all thirty-five years and a half ; ten lace and military to quit Alexandria. He however
in conjunction with his mother (B. c. 117–107), raised fresh troops, and attempted to overcome the
eighteen in Cyprus (107—89), and seven and a insurgent soldiery, but was totally defeated in a
half as sole ruler of Egypt (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. sea-fight by the rebels under Tyrrhus, and fled for
Arm. p. 116). After his restoration in B. c. 89 he refuge to Myra in Lycia, B. C. 89. His brother
appears to have assumed the additional title of Lathyrus was now recalled by the Alexandrians to
Philadelphus, whence he is sometimes distinguished Egypt, a circumstance which led Alexander to
as PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS II. (Letronne, Rec. hope that he might make himself master of Cyprus,
des Inscr. pp. 64–66 ; Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. and he accordingly assembled some forces, and in-
393. ) He left only one daughter Berenice, called vaded that island, but was defeated in a naval
also Cleopatra, who succeeded him on the throne : action by Chaereas, and fell in the battle. (Justin.
and two sons, both named Ptolemy, who, though xxxix. 4, 5; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 116. ).
illegitimate, became severally kings of Egypt and He left two children: a son, Alexander, who
Cyprus.
[E. H. B. ] afterwards ascended the throne of Egypt, and a
daughter, of whom nothing more is known. (Por-
phyr. I. c. )
[E. H. B. )
1
WA
ETVIS
EMAIO
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS VIII. , KING OF EGYPT.
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS IX. , KING OF EGYPT.
PTOLEMAEUS IX. (IIThema ios), king of
EGYPT, surnamed ALEXANDER, whence he is ge- PTOLEMAEUS X. (Itolemaios), king of
nerally distinguished as ALEXANDER I. , was the EGYPT, son of the preceding, bore his father's
youngest son of Ptolemy VII. by his niece Cleo- name of Alexander, whence he is styled PTOLE-
patra. His mother's partiality led her to desire to MAEUS ALEXANDER II. When a mere child, he was
place him on the throne in conjunction with her sent hy his grandmother Cleopatra for safety to the
## p. 597 (#613) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
697
PTOLEMAEUS.
island of Cos, probably as early as B. c. 102 (see altogether passed over at his father's death: but
Joseph. Ant. xiii
. 13. & 1), where he remained till when the assassination of Berenice and the death
the year B. C. 88, when that island was taken by of Alexander II. had completed the extinction of
Mithridates the Great On this occasion Alex- the legitimate race of the Lagidae (B. C. 80), Pto-
ander fell into the hands of the conqueror, who lemy was proclaimed king by the Alexandrians
treated him with the utmost distinction, and re- (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 117). So imperfect
tained him at his own court. But the young is our history of this period that we know nothing
prince soon after found an opportunity to escape, concerning the first twenty years of his reign. But
and took refuge with Sulla, whom he accompanied of his character in general we are told that he was
on his return to Rome. Here he remained till B. c. given up to every kind of vice and debauchery,
81, when the death of Ptolemy Lathyrus without and his name is associated with those of Philopator
male issue having left the throne of Egypt vucant, and Physcon, as one of the worst rulers of the
Sulla, who was then dictator, nominated the young whole race of the Ptolemies (Strab. xvii. p. 796).
Alexander (who had obtained a high place in his He appears to have assumed the name of Dionysus
favour) king of Egypt, and sent him to take pos- as a sort of authority for his orgies, and is said to
session of the crown. It was, however, agreed, in have been on the point of putting to death the
deference to the claims of Cleopatra Berenice, the Platonic philosopher Demetrius, for refusing to join
daughter of Lathyrus, whom the Alexandrians in his drunken revels (Lucian, de Culumn. 16). His
had already placed on the throne, that Alexander passion for playing on the flute, to which he owed
should marry her, and admit her to share the bis popular appellation, led him to institute musical
Bovereign power. He complied with the letter of contests, in which he himself condescended to ap-
this treaty by marrying Cleopatra immediately on pear as a competitor. (Strab. l. c. ; Plut. de Adul.
his arrival in Egypt, but only nineteen days after- et Amic. 12.
)
wards caused her to be assassinated : an act of But it was not his vices alone which served to
cruelty which aroused the indignation of the Alex- disgust and alienate the minds of his subjects. It
andrians, who in consequence rose against their had been a natural object of his desire to obtain
new monarch, dragged him to the gymnasium, and the countenance and protection of the Roman
there put him to death, B. C. 80. (Porphyr. ap. senate ; but, for some reason or other, it was long
Euseb. Arin. p. 117; Appian. Mithr. 23, B. C. i. 102; before he could obtain their ratification of his title
Cic. Frag. Or. de rege Alexandr. p. 352, ed. Orell. ; to the crown, and it was not till the consulship of
Trog. Pomp. Prolog xix. )
Caesar that he was able to purchase by vast bribes
Much difficulty and perplexity have arisen in the desired privileges (Suet. Cues. 54). But he
regard to an Alexander king of Egypt, who is had expended immense sums in the pursuit of this
alluded to in more than one passage by Cicero, as object, which he was compelled to raise by the im-
having bequeathed his dominions by will to the position of fresh taxes, and the discontent thus ex-
Roman people (Cic. de Leg. agrar. i. 1, ii. 16, 17; cited combining with the contempt entertained for
Fr. de reg. Alexandrino, p. 350). It appears that his character, led to his expulsion by the Alexan-
the fact of this bequest was by no means very drians, in B. C. 58. On this he determined to pro-
certain, and that it never was acted upon by the ceed in person to Rome to procure from the senate
Roman senate. But authors are not at all agreed his restoration. On his way thither he had an in-
which of the two Alexanders is here meant; and terview at Rhodes with Cato, who endeavoured,
some writers have even deemed it necessary to but in vain, to dissuade him from his purpose (Plut.
admit the existence of a third king of the name of Cat. Min. 35). His first reception was promising,
Alexander, who died about B. c. 65. The silence and by a lavish distribution of bribes, combined
of the chronographers seems, however, conclusive with the influential support of Cicero, who pro-
against this hypothesis. Niebuhr, on the contrary, nounced an oration in his favour (Pro Rege Alex-
conceives Ptolemy Alexander I. to have lived on andrino), he procured a decree from the senate,
in exile till the year 65, and to have been the commanding his restoration, and entrusting the
author of this testament: but this is opposed to charge of effecting it to P. Lentulus Spinther, then
the direct testimony of Porphyry as to his death. proconsul of Cilicia. Meanwhile, the Alexandrians
Other writers suppose Alexander II. to be the sent an embassy of a hundred of their leading
person designed, and adopt the statement of Trogus citizens to plead their cause with the Roman senate :
Pompeius that he was only expelled by the Alex- but Ptolemy had the audacity to cause the deputies,
andrians, in opposition to the authority of Por on their arrival in Italy, to be waylaid, and the
phyry and Appian, confirmed as they are by a greater part of them murdered, while the rest were
passage in Cicero, in regard to his death. (See on prevented, either by threats or bribes, from coming
this subject Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 392; Cham- forward against him. The indignation excited at
pollion-Figeac, Annales des Lagides, vol. ii. p. 247; Rome by this proceeding, however, produced a re-
Visconti, Iconographie Grecque, vol. iii. p. 251 ; action: the tribunes took up the matter against the
Niebuhr, Kl. Schriften, p. 302 ; Orelli, Onomast. nobility, while a pnrty in the senate strove to get the
Tullian. p. 30. ) The fragmentary and imperfect commission transferred from Lentulus to Pompey,
nature of our authorities for this period of Egyptian and an oracle was produced from the Sibylline books,
history renders it scarcely possible to arrive at a forbidding the restoration of the king by an armed
satisfactory solution of this question. (E. H. B. ] force. The intrigues and disputes thus raised were
PTOLEMAEUS XI. (Titoneualos), king of protracted throughout the year 56, and at length
EGYPT, assumed the surnames or titles of Neus Prolemy, despairing of a favourable result, quitted
DIONYSUS (Néos Atbroos), but is more commonly Rome in disgust, and withdrew to Ephesus. (Dion
known by the appellation of AULETES (the flute Cass. xxxix. 12—16 ; Cic. ad Fam. i. 1-7,
player). He was an illegitimate son of Ptolemy ad Q. Fr. ii. 2, 3, pro Rabir. 2, 3, pro Cael.
Lathyrus, and, on account of his spurious birth, 10; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. pp. 117, 118 ;
his pretensions to the throne appear to have been | Plut. Pornp. 49. )
1
QQ 3
## p. 598 (#614) ############################################
698
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
D
Some years afterwards, however, he obtained the young king (Caes. B. C. iii. 108 ; Eutrop. vi.
from private individuals what he had failed in in- 21). But the approach of the civil war prevented
ducing the senate to accomplish : and in B. C. 55 them from taking any active part, and the admi-
A. Gabinius, who was proconsul in Syria, was in-nistration of affairs fell into the hands of an
duced, by the influence of Pompey, aided by the eunuch named Pothinus. It was not long before
enormous bribe of ten thousand talents from Pto- dissensions broke out between the latter and
lemy himself, to undertake his restoration. The Cleopatra, which ended in the expulsion of the
Alexandrians had in the meantime placed on the princess, after she had reigned in conjunction with
throne of Egypt, Berenice, the eldest daughter of her brother about three years, B. C. 48. Hereupon
Ptolemy, who had married Archelaus, the son of she took refuge in Syria, and assembled an army
the general of Mithridates [ARCHELAUS, No. 2]; with which she invaded Egypt. The young king,
and they opposed Gabinius with an army on the accompanied by his guardians, met her at Pelu-
confines of the kingdom. They were, however, sium, and it was while the two arniies were here
defeated in three successive battles, Archelaus encamped opposite to one another, that Pompey
slain, and Ptolemy once more established on the landed in Egypt, to throw himself as a suppliant
throne, B. c. 55. One of his first acts was to put on the protection of Ptolemy; but was assassinated
to death his daughter Berenice, and many of the by the orders of Pothinus and Achillas before he
leading citizens of Alexandria. (Dion Cass. xxxix. could obtain an interview with the king himself.
55—58 ; Liv. Epit. cv. ; Plut. Ant. 3 ; Strab. xvii. (Caes. B. C. iii. 103, 104 ; Dion Cass. xlii. 3, 4;
p. 796 ; Cic. in Pison. 21, pro Rabir. Post. 8 ; Plut. Pomp. 77–79; Appian, B. C. ii. 84, 85;
Porphyr. l. c. )
Strab. xvii. p. 797. ) Shortly after, Caesar arrived
He survived his restoration only three years and in Egypt, and took upon himself to regulate the
a half (Porphyr. ib. ); of the events of which period affairs of that kingdom, and settle the dispute be-
we have no information ; but as Ptolemy was now tween Ptolemy and his sister. But Cleopatra, who
supported by a large body of Roman soldiers who now hastened to return to Alexandria, soon ob-
had been left behind by Gabinius for his protection, tained so powerful a hold over the conqueror by
he was safe from any outbreak of popular discontent. the influence of her personal attractions, that it
On the other hand seditions and tumults of the was evident the latter would decide the contro
soldiery themselves became frequent, and the king versy in her favour. Hereupon Pothinus deter-
was repeatedly compelled to give way to their de mined to excite an insurrection against Caesar, and
mands (Caes. B. C. iii. 103, 110 ; Dion Cass. secretly summoned the army from Pelusium under
xlii. 5). The immense sum exacted from him by Achillas. Caesar was taken by surprise, and had
Gabinius had also involved him in pecuniary em- to maintain his ground with very inadequate forces
barrassments, and he was compelled to surrender in a part of the city where he was vehemently
the whole finances of his kingdom into the hands assailed both by the army and the populace.
of Rabirius Postumus. (Cic. pro Rabir. 10. ) Ptolemy himself was at this time in the power of
His death took place in May B. c. 51 (see Cic. the conqueror, but after the contest had continued
ad Fam. viii. 4), after a reign of twenty-nine for some time, he obtained permission to repair to
years from the date of his first accession. He left the camp of the insurgents, under pretence of
two sons, both named Ptolemy, and two daughters, exercising his authority to reduce them to submis-
Cleopatra and Arsinoë. Two other daughters, sion; instead of which he immediately put him-
Tryphaena and Berenice, had died before him self at their head. Caesar, however, still defied
(Porphyr. I. c. p. 118). Besides the titles already all their efforts; and, meanwhile, Mithridates of
mentioned, Ptolemy Auletes bears, in inscriptions, Pergamus had assembled an army in Syria, with
both Greek and hieroglyphic, those of Philopator which he advanced to the relief of the dictator.
and Philadelphus. None of these, however, appear Ptolemy now turned his arms against this new
on his coins.
[E. H. B. ] enemy, and took up a strong position on the banks
of the Nile to prevent Mithridates from crossing
that river. Caesar himself, however, quickly ar-
rived from Alexandria, landed near the mouth of the
Nile, attacked and defeated the forces of the young
king, and followed up his advantage by storming his
camp. Ptolemy himself endeavoured to escape by
the river, but was drowned in the attempt. His death
occurred either before the close of B. C. 48, or early
in the following year. (Caes.
some probability, the prohibition of the export of His brother Alexander now assumed the sove.
papyrus, a measure which was dictated by jealousy reignty of Egypt, in conjunction with his mother-
of the growing literary riches of the kings of Per- while Lathyrus was able to establish himself in the
gamus, and led, as is well known, to the invention possession of Cyprus. Cleopatra indeed attempted
of parchment (Plin. H. N. xii. 11 (21)). Some to dispossess him of that island also, but without
writers, however, refer this statement to Euergetes success, and Ptolemy held it as an independent
1. (See Parthey, Das Aler. Museum, p. 48. ) kingdom for the eighteen years during which Cleo-
Euergetes II. left two sons ; Ptolemy, after patra and Alexander reigned in Egypt. His wars
wards known as Soter II. , and Alexander, both of in Syria are the only events which have been re-
whom subsequently ascended the throne of Egypt; corded to us of this period. In B. C. 103 he
and three daughters: I. Cleopatra, already mar- landed in Syria with a large army, in order to
ried to her brother Ptolemy ; 2. Tryphaena, the support the citizens of Ptolemaïs and Gaza against
wife of Antiochus Grypus, king of Syria ; and 3. Alexander Jannaeus, king of the Jews, defeated
Selene, who was still unmarried at her father's that monarch in a great battle on the banks of the
Jordan, and made himself master of Ptolemaïs,
Gaza, and other cities. Hereupon Cleopatra has-
tened with an army to oppose him, and reduced
Phoenicia and Ptolemaïs, while Lathyrus, after an
unsuccessful attempt to march upon Egypt itself,
HA retired to Gaza, and the following spring withdrew
to Cyprus, B. c. 101 (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 12, 13).
In the subsequent disputes of the Syrian princes
he and his mother, as was to be expected, took
opposite sides, Ptolemy being in close alliance with
Antiochus Cyzicenus, while Cleopatra supported
his brother Antiochus Grypus (Justin. xxxix. 4).
COIN OP PTOLEM A EUS VII. , KING OF EGYPT.
At a later period (in B. C. 94) we find Ptolemy
again taking part in the civil wars which followed
Alom
BA
००१
## p. 596 (#612) ############################################
696
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
c
the death of Antiochus Grypus, and setting up self, on the death of Euergetes, B. c. 117, in pre-
Demetrius Eucaerus, the youngest son of that ference to his elder brother. But the will of the
monarch, as a claimant to the throne. (Joseph. Alexandrians having compelled her to assume La-
Ant. xiii. 13. & 4. )
thyrus as her colleague, she sent Alexander to
After the death of Cleopatra and the expulsion of Cyprus with the title of general or governor of
Alexander in B. c. 89 [PTOLEMAEUS IX. ), Ptolemy that island. Three years later, however (R. c. 114),
Lathyrus was recalled by the Alexandrians and he assumed the title of king, on what pretext we
established anew on the throne of Egypt, which he know not, and reckoned the years of his reign
occupied thenceforth without interruption till his from this date (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 116).
death in B. c. 81 (Justin. xxxix. 5 ; Porphyr. l. c. But he appears to have remained content with the
p. 116). The most important event of this period possession of Cyprus till B. c. 107, when Cleopatra,
was the revolt of the once mighty city of Thebes, having expelled Ptolemy Lathyrus, recalled her
in Upper Egypt, which was still powerful enough favourite son to occupy the vacant throne of Egypt.
to hold out for nearly three years against the arms Alexander reigned conjointly with his mother from
of Ptolemy, but at the end of that time was taken this time till B. c. 90: but it is probable that her
and reduced to the state of ruin in which it has haughty and imperious character left him little real
ever since remained (Paus. i. 9. & 3). With this part in the administration of affairs. The only oc-
exception the eight years of the second reign of casion on which we meet with his name in this
Ptolemy Lathyrus appear to have been a period of interval is in B. C. 102, when he commanded
internal tranquillity, while his prudent policy re- the Egyptian fleet which attacked Phoenicia by
gained for him in some degree that consideration sea, while Cleopatra with the army marched
abroad which Egypt had nearly lost. We find the against Palestine (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 13. 1).
Athenians, in return for some benefits which he But at length the violence and cruelties of his
bad conferred upon them, erecting statues to him mother terrified Alexander to such a degree that
and his daughter Berenice (Paus. l. c. ); and during he determined to free himself from her power, and
the Mithridatic war, B. c. 87, Lucullus was sent made his escape secretly from Alexandria. Here-
by Sulla to request from him the assistance of the upon Cleopatra, fearing lest her sons should make
Egyptian fleet. But Lathyrus was desirous to common cause against her, sent an embassy to
remain neuter during that contest, and, while he Alexander to entreat his return. With this re
received Lucullus with every demonstration of quest he was induced to comply ; but soon found
honour he declined to furnish the required assist- reason to suspect that she was forming designs
ance. (Plut. Lucull. 2, 3. )
against his life, and immediately determined to
The character of Lathyrus appears to have been anticipate them by causing her to be assassinated,
mild and amiable, even to a degree bordering upon B. c. 90. But he did not long enjoy the fruits of
weakness: but it shows in a favourable light when this crime. Cleopatra had been popular with the
contrasted with those of his mother and brother, army, and the soldiers in consequence hated Aler.
and he appears to have been free from the vices ander, who had not reigned alone a year, when he
which degraded so many of the Egyptian kings. was compelled by a general sedition of the popu-
He reigned in all thirty-five years and a half ; ten lace and military to quit Alexandria. He however
in conjunction with his mother (B. c. 117–107), raised fresh troops, and attempted to overcome the
eighteen in Cyprus (107—89), and seven and a insurgent soldiery, but was totally defeated in a
half as sole ruler of Egypt (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. sea-fight by the rebels under Tyrrhus, and fled for
Arm. p. 116). After his restoration in B. c. 89 he refuge to Myra in Lycia, B. C. 89. His brother
appears to have assumed the additional title of Lathyrus was now recalled by the Alexandrians to
Philadelphus, whence he is sometimes distinguished Egypt, a circumstance which led Alexander to
as PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS II. (Letronne, Rec. hope that he might make himself master of Cyprus,
des Inscr. pp. 64–66 ; Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. and he accordingly assembled some forces, and in-
393. ) He left only one daughter Berenice, called vaded that island, but was defeated in a naval
also Cleopatra, who succeeded him on the throne : action by Chaereas, and fell in the battle. (Justin.
and two sons, both named Ptolemy, who, though xxxix. 4, 5; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 116. ).
illegitimate, became severally kings of Egypt and He left two children: a son, Alexander, who
Cyprus.
[E. H. B. ] afterwards ascended the throne of Egypt, and a
daughter, of whom nothing more is known. (Por-
phyr. I. c. )
[E. H. B. )
1
WA
ETVIS
EMAIO
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS VIII. , KING OF EGYPT.
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS IX. , KING OF EGYPT.
PTOLEMAEUS IX. (IIThema ios), king of
EGYPT, surnamed ALEXANDER, whence he is ge- PTOLEMAEUS X. (Itolemaios), king of
nerally distinguished as ALEXANDER I. , was the EGYPT, son of the preceding, bore his father's
youngest son of Ptolemy VII. by his niece Cleo- name of Alexander, whence he is styled PTOLE-
patra. His mother's partiality led her to desire to MAEUS ALEXANDER II. When a mere child, he was
place him on the throne in conjunction with her sent hy his grandmother Cleopatra for safety to the
## p. 597 (#613) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
697
PTOLEMAEUS.
island of Cos, probably as early as B. c. 102 (see altogether passed over at his father's death: but
Joseph. Ant. xiii
. 13. & 1), where he remained till when the assassination of Berenice and the death
the year B. C. 88, when that island was taken by of Alexander II. had completed the extinction of
Mithridates the Great On this occasion Alex- the legitimate race of the Lagidae (B. C. 80), Pto-
ander fell into the hands of the conqueror, who lemy was proclaimed king by the Alexandrians
treated him with the utmost distinction, and re- (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. p. 117). So imperfect
tained him at his own court. But the young is our history of this period that we know nothing
prince soon after found an opportunity to escape, concerning the first twenty years of his reign. But
and took refuge with Sulla, whom he accompanied of his character in general we are told that he was
on his return to Rome. Here he remained till B. c. given up to every kind of vice and debauchery,
81, when the death of Ptolemy Lathyrus without and his name is associated with those of Philopator
male issue having left the throne of Egypt vucant, and Physcon, as one of the worst rulers of the
Sulla, who was then dictator, nominated the young whole race of the Ptolemies (Strab. xvii. p. 796).
Alexander (who had obtained a high place in his He appears to have assumed the name of Dionysus
favour) king of Egypt, and sent him to take pos- as a sort of authority for his orgies, and is said to
session of the crown. It was, however, agreed, in have been on the point of putting to death the
deference to the claims of Cleopatra Berenice, the Platonic philosopher Demetrius, for refusing to join
daughter of Lathyrus, whom the Alexandrians in his drunken revels (Lucian, de Culumn. 16). His
had already placed on the throne, that Alexander passion for playing on the flute, to which he owed
should marry her, and admit her to share the bis popular appellation, led him to institute musical
Bovereign power. He complied with the letter of contests, in which he himself condescended to ap-
this treaty by marrying Cleopatra immediately on pear as a competitor. (Strab. l. c. ; Plut. de Adul.
his arrival in Egypt, but only nineteen days after- et Amic. 12.
)
wards caused her to be assassinated : an act of But it was not his vices alone which served to
cruelty which aroused the indignation of the Alex- disgust and alienate the minds of his subjects. It
andrians, who in consequence rose against their had been a natural object of his desire to obtain
new monarch, dragged him to the gymnasium, and the countenance and protection of the Roman
there put him to death, B. C. 80. (Porphyr. ap. senate ; but, for some reason or other, it was long
Euseb. Arin. p. 117; Appian. Mithr. 23, B. C. i. 102; before he could obtain their ratification of his title
Cic. Frag. Or. de rege Alexandr. p. 352, ed. Orell. ; to the crown, and it was not till the consulship of
Trog. Pomp. Prolog xix. )
Caesar that he was able to purchase by vast bribes
Much difficulty and perplexity have arisen in the desired privileges (Suet. Cues. 54). But he
regard to an Alexander king of Egypt, who is had expended immense sums in the pursuit of this
alluded to in more than one passage by Cicero, as object, which he was compelled to raise by the im-
having bequeathed his dominions by will to the position of fresh taxes, and the discontent thus ex-
Roman people (Cic. de Leg. agrar. i. 1, ii. 16, 17; cited combining with the contempt entertained for
Fr. de reg. Alexandrino, p. 350). It appears that his character, led to his expulsion by the Alexan-
the fact of this bequest was by no means very drians, in B. C. 58. On this he determined to pro-
certain, and that it never was acted upon by the ceed in person to Rome to procure from the senate
Roman senate. But authors are not at all agreed his restoration. On his way thither he had an in-
which of the two Alexanders is here meant; and terview at Rhodes with Cato, who endeavoured,
some writers have even deemed it necessary to but in vain, to dissuade him from his purpose (Plut.
admit the existence of a third king of the name of Cat. Min. 35). His first reception was promising,
Alexander, who died about B. c. 65. The silence and by a lavish distribution of bribes, combined
of the chronographers seems, however, conclusive with the influential support of Cicero, who pro-
against this hypothesis. Niebuhr, on the contrary, nounced an oration in his favour (Pro Rege Alex-
conceives Ptolemy Alexander I. to have lived on andrino), he procured a decree from the senate,
in exile till the year 65, and to have been the commanding his restoration, and entrusting the
author of this testament: but this is opposed to charge of effecting it to P. Lentulus Spinther, then
the direct testimony of Porphyry as to his death. proconsul of Cilicia. Meanwhile, the Alexandrians
Other writers suppose Alexander II. to be the sent an embassy of a hundred of their leading
person designed, and adopt the statement of Trogus citizens to plead their cause with the Roman senate :
Pompeius that he was only expelled by the Alex- but Ptolemy had the audacity to cause the deputies,
andrians, in opposition to the authority of Por on their arrival in Italy, to be waylaid, and the
phyry and Appian, confirmed as they are by a greater part of them murdered, while the rest were
passage in Cicero, in regard to his death. (See on prevented, either by threats or bribes, from coming
this subject Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 392; Cham- forward against him. The indignation excited at
pollion-Figeac, Annales des Lagides, vol. ii. p. 247; Rome by this proceeding, however, produced a re-
Visconti, Iconographie Grecque, vol. iii. p. 251 ; action: the tribunes took up the matter against the
Niebuhr, Kl. Schriften, p. 302 ; Orelli, Onomast. nobility, while a pnrty in the senate strove to get the
Tullian. p. 30. ) The fragmentary and imperfect commission transferred from Lentulus to Pompey,
nature of our authorities for this period of Egyptian and an oracle was produced from the Sibylline books,
history renders it scarcely possible to arrive at a forbidding the restoration of the king by an armed
satisfactory solution of this question. (E. H. B. ] force. The intrigues and disputes thus raised were
PTOLEMAEUS XI. (Titoneualos), king of protracted throughout the year 56, and at length
EGYPT, assumed the surnames or titles of Neus Prolemy, despairing of a favourable result, quitted
DIONYSUS (Néos Atbroos), but is more commonly Rome in disgust, and withdrew to Ephesus. (Dion
known by the appellation of AULETES (the flute Cass. xxxix. 12—16 ; Cic. ad Fam. i. 1-7,
player). He was an illegitimate son of Ptolemy ad Q. Fr. ii. 2, 3, pro Rabir. 2, 3, pro Cael.
Lathyrus, and, on account of his spurious birth, 10; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. pp. 117, 118 ;
his pretensions to the throne appear to have been | Plut. Pornp. 49. )
1
QQ 3
## p. 598 (#614) ############################################
698
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
D
Some years afterwards, however, he obtained the young king (Caes. B. C. iii. 108 ; Eutrop. vi.
from private individuals what he had failed in in- 21). But the approach of the civil war prevented
ducing the senate to accomplish : and in B. C. 55 them from taking any active part, and the admi-
A. Gabinius, who was proconsul in Syria, was in-nistration of affairs fell into the hands of an
duced, by the influence of Pompey, aided by the eunuch named Pothinus. It was not long before
enormous bribe of ten thousand talents from Pto- dissensions broke out between the latter and
lemy himself, to undertake his restoration. The Cleopatra, which ended in the expulsion of the
Alexandrians had in the meantime placed on the princess, after she had reigned in conjunction with
throne of Egypt, Berenice, the eldest daughter of her brother about three years, B. C. 48. Hereupon
Ptolemy, who had married Archelaus, the son of she took refuge in Syria, and assembled an army
the general of Mithridates [ARCHELAUS, No. 2]; with which she invaded Egypt. The young king,
and they opposed Gabinius with an army on the accompanied by his guardians, met her at Pelu-
confines of the kingdom. They were, however, sium, and it was while the two arniies were here
defeated in three successive battles, Archelaus encamped opposite to one another, that Pompey
slain, and Ptolemy once more established on the landed in Egypt, to throw himself as a suppliant
throne, B. c. 55. One of his first acts was to put on the protection of Ptolemy; but was assassinated
to death his daughter Berenice, and many of the by the orders of Pothinus and Achillas before he
leading citizens of Alexandria. (Dion Cass. xxxix. could obtain an interview with the king himself.
55—58 ; Liv. Epit. cv. ; Plut. Ant. 3 ; Strab. xvii. (Caes. B. C. iii. 103, 104 ; Dion Cass. xlii. 3, 4;
p. 796 ; Cic. in Pison. 21, pro Rabir. Post. 8 ; Plut. Pomp. 77–79; Appian, B. C. ii. 84, 85;
Porphyr. l. c. )
Strab. xvii. p. 797. ) Shortly after, Caesar arrived
He survived his restoration only three years and in Egypt, and took upon himself to regulate the
a half (Porphyr. ib. ); of the events of which period affairs of that kingdom, and settle the dispute be-
we have no information ; but as Ptolemy was now tween Ptolemy and his sister. But Cleopatra, who
supported by a large body of Roman soldiers who now hastened to return to Alexandria, soon ob-
had been left behind by Gabinius for his protection, tained so powerful a hold over the conqueror by
he was safe from any outbreak of popular discontent. the influence of her personal attractions, that it
On the other hand seditions and tumults of the was evident the latter would decide the contro
soldiery themselves became frequent, and the king versy in her favour. Hereupon Pothinus deter-
was repeatedly compelled to give way to their de mined to excite an insurrection against Caesar, and
mands (Caes. B. C. iii. 103, 110 ; Dion Cass. secretly summoned the army from Pelusium under
xlii. 5). The immense sum exacted from him by Achillas. Caesar was taken by surprise, and had
Gabinius had also involved him in pecuniary em- to maintain his ground with very inadequate forces
barrassments, and he was compelled to surrender in a part of the city where he was vehemently
the whole finances of his kingdom into the hands assailed both by the army and the populace.
of Rabirius Postumus. (Cic. pro Rabir. 10. ) Ptolemy himself was at this time in the power of
His death took place in May B. c. 51 (see Cic. the conqueror, but after the contest had continued
ad Fam. viii. 4), after a reign of twenty-nine for some time, he obtained permission to repair to
years from the date of his first accession. He left the camp of the insurgents, under pretence of
two sons, both named Ptolemy, and two daughters, exercising his authority to reduce them to submis-
Cleopatra and Arsinoë. Two other daughters, sion; instead of which he immediately put him-
Tryphaena and Berenice, had died before him self at their head. Caesar, however, still defied
(Porphyr. I. c. p. 118). Besides the titles already all their efforts; and, meanwhile, Mithridates of
mentioned, Ptolemy Auletes bears, in inscriptions, Pergamus had assembled an army in Syria, with
both Greek and hieroglyphic, those of Philopator which he advanced to the relief of the dictator.
and Philadelphus. None of these, however, appear Ptolemy now turned his arms against this new
on his coins.
[E. H. B. ] enemy, and took up a strong position on the banks
of the Nile to prevent Mithridates from crossing
that river. Caesar himself, however, quickly ar-
rived from Alexandria, landed near the mouth of the
Nile, attacked and defeated the forces of the young
king, and followed up his advantage by storming his
camp. Ptolemy himself endeavoured to escape by
the river, but was drowned in the attempt. His death
occurred either before the close of B. C. 48, or early
in the following year. (Caes.
