Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: Philometor means "mother-loving" probably because his mother ruled for him early in his life.
• History: 181 BCE - he succeeded as Pharaoh of Egypt. Before he became of age, Egypt was ruled by his mother, Cleopatra I. 170 BCE - Antiochus IV decided to exploit the weak reign of his nephew and niece to reclaim Palestine, he was opposed by Ptolemy VI. Declaring himself and his sister-wife Cleopatra II no longer subject to a regency (although he was still in his mid-teens), Ptolemy VI followed with an attack of his own on Palestine. This campaign, led as it was by an inexperienced general, was a disaster. Defeated by Antiochus IV, Ptolemy VI fled Palestine in such confusion that he did not even trust in his ability to return to Egypt. Rather, he headed for sanctuary on the sacred Aegean island of Samothrace, a destination he never reached, for the fleet of Antiochus captured him anyway. The military failure, all the more damaging because of Ptolemy VI's "cowardly" flight, led to a revolution in Alexandria where the population briefly replaced Ptolemy VI, both as king and as the husband of Cleopatra II, with their brother Ptolemy VIII. After the capture of Ptolemy VI, Antiochus seems to have had ambitions on the Egyptian throne for himself until he learned of the accession of Ptolemy VIII. Thereafter, he invaded Egypt to return his recent antagonist, Ptolemy VI, to the throne. Initially successful, Antiochus left Egypt in 169 with Ptolemy VI reunited with Cleopatra and reinstalled on the throne, and with a strong Seleucid garrison in Pelusium (the fortress that defended Egypt's frontier from Syria). For Antiochus, there was influence to be gained through a manipulation of the rivalry engulfing the Ptolemaic house, that is, until more calculating heads held sway in Alexandria. Knowing that they needed a foreign champion to check Antiochus IV's ambitions in Egypt, Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II sent an embassy to Rome to request protection from Seleucid Syria. Responding favorably to the request, in 168 the Romans sent an embassy under Gaius Popillius Laenus to demand that the newly returned Antiochus IV leave Egypt for good. Knowing that the Romans had already soundly defeated his father, and also knowing that they had recently crushed the Macedonians in Europe under Perseus, Antiochus caved in to the Roman ambassador and left Egypt permanently. Hoping to improve their standing through a deft manipulation of marriage politics, Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra initially betrothed their daughter Cleopatra Thea to a pretender, Alexander Balas, who had seized the Syrian throne from its king Demetrius I (150 BCE). When that marriage proved to be politically barren, the same daughter was forced to abandon her first husband to marry Demetrius II (145 BCE), the son of Demetrius I and thus the enemy of Alexander Balas. The latter took both personal and political affront at the Egyptian change of heart. Although Balas was unsuccessful in a military campaign fought in Palestine against the allied forces of Ptolemy VI and Demetrius II (145 BCE), Ptolemy VI died during this war as a result of a wound sustained when he fell from his horse.
• Last Full Review: 7 Jul 2020

Notes:

Name:

Ptolemy married Cleopatra II on yes, date unknown. Cleopatra (daughter of Pharaoh Ptolemy V Epiphanes and Cleopatra I) was born about 185 BCE; died in 116 BCE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Married:
They were brother and sister. She was about 6 or 7, he about 10. This under-age marriage was arranged by Eulaeus (a eunuch) and Lenaeus (an ex-slave), two regents who, in lieu of anyone better situated, assumed their authority after Cleopatra I's death.

1. Ptolemy Eupator was born in 15 Oct 166 BCE; died on Aug 152 BCE.
2. Cleopatra Thea was born about 164 BCE; died in 121 BCE.
3. Cleopatra III was born between 160 and 155 BCE; died on Sep 101 BCE.
4. Ptolemy was born about 152 BCE; died about 130 BCE.
5. Berenice was born in 160s BCE; died before 133 BCE.

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to death, Egypt

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History:
In 205 BCE, he was crowned Pharaoh of Egypt.

During his reign, Syria, under Antiochus III, seized Palestine and threatened Egypt. Rome intervened saving Egypt.

Died:
He was killed by a member of his court.

Ptolemy married Cleopatra I. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Married:
Their betrothal is recorded on the Rosetta Stone.

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to death, Egypt

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History:
In 221 BCE, he was crowned Pharaoh of Egypt.

Being a weak ruler, he was under the influence of court favorites. In 218 BCE, his army was defeated by Antiochus III of Syria, but he later beat Antiochus III decisively at the battle of Rafah in 212 BCE.

Ptolemy married Arsinoe III. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to death

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History:
In 220, he was crowned the King of Syria.

In 220 BCE, he suppressed the revolts in Media and Persia. Then he recovered Armenia and successfully invaded Parthia, Media, and Bactria between 21 and 205 BCE. He was defeated by the Rome at the Battle of Magnesia in 189 BCE.

Died:
He was murdered.

Antiochus married Laodice III. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• History: birth to death, Egypt

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History:
In 46 BCE, he was crowned Pharaoh of Egypt.

He fought with Selucus II, King of Syria from 246 to 245 BCE. He invaded the Seleucid empire, captured Babylon and Susa. In 243, he was recalled to put down a revolt at home. For the next 20 years, he remained at peace patronizing the arts and adding books to the great library at Alexandria.

Ptolemy married Bernice II, Princess of Cyrene. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• History: birth to death

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History:
In 246 BCE, he was crowned the King of Syria.

He was put on the throne by his mother. In 246 BCE, he made war on Ptolemy III Euergates, but was defeated. He was forced to give Asia Minor to his brother, Antiochus Hierax. Later he lost Parthia to the Arcasid dynasty.

Seleucus married Laodice II. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• History: birth to death

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History:
In 250 BCE, he was crowned the King of Pontus.

Mithradates married Laodice II. Laodice (daughter of Antiochus II Theos, King of Syria and Laodice I) was born in 260 BCE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]