Drusilla of Mauretania
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There were two princesses of Mauretania with the name Drusilla (Greek: η Δρουσìλλη) and were known as Drusilla of Mauretania.
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[edit] Daughter of Queen Cleopatra Selene (II) and King Juba (II)
The elder Drusilla was the youngest child of queen Cleopatra Selene (II) and king Juba II and a sister to king Ptolemy of Mauretania. Cleopatra of Mauretania could have been her possible elder sister. Her father Juba II of Numidia, was an only son to king Juba I of Numidia (a king of Numidia of Berber descent from North Africa, who was an ally to Roman General Pompey the Great). Her mother Cleopatra Selene (II) was an only daughter to Ptolemaic Greek queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt from her marriage to Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. Drusilla was of Berber, Greek and Roman ancestry.
Drusilla with her elder sister and brother, were the only grandchildren to African king Juba I of Numidia, Ptolemaic Greek queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and were among the younger grandchildren to Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. Through her maternal grandfather, she was a distant relative to Julius Caesar and the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Drusilla was a first cousin to Roman General Germanicus and his brother the Roman Emperor Claudius and a second cousin to Roman Emperor Caligula, Roman Empress Agrippina the Younger, Roman Empress Valeria Messalina and Roman Emperor Nero.
Drusilla was named in honor of the Roman Empress Livia Drusilla or her late son the Roman General Nero Claudius Drusus. Drusilla was most probably born in Caesaria, the capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania (modern Cherchell, Algeria) in the Roman Empire in 5 and she was most probably raised there. Her mother died in 6. Drusilla received a Roman education and became Romanization (cultural). However, little is known on the life of Drusilla. The image is of Ptolemy’s sister.
[edit] Sources:
- http://www.geocities.com/christopherjbennett/ptolemies/selene_ii.htm
- http://www.ruark.org/coins/Mauretania/
[edit] Daughter of King Ptolemy and Queen Julia Urania
The younger Drusilla was a daughter and only child of king Ptolemy of Mauretania and queen Julia Urania. Drusilla was most probably born in Caesaria, the capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania (modern Cherchell, Algeria) in the Roman Empire. She was born about 38 and was probably named in honor of Roman Emperor Caligula’s sister Julia Drusilla, who died at that time.
Drusilla is of Berber, Greek, Roman and possibly Assyrian ancestry. Her paternal grandparents were queen Cleopatra Selene (II) and king Juba II of Mauretania. Her great grandparents, were Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, Roman Triumvir Mark Antony and African king Juba I of Numidia.
Her father was executed in Rome in 40. Mauretania was annexed by Rome and later became two Roman provinces. Drusilla was probably raised in the Imperial family in Rome. Around 53, the Roman Emperor Claudius, arranged her to marry former Greek freeman and Roman Governor of Judea Antonius Felix. Between 54-56, Felix divorced her to marry a Judean princess.
Drusilla married king Sohaemus of Emesa. They had at least two children, a son Gaius Julius Alexio (a future king of Emesa) and a daughter Iotapi (an ancestor to queen of Palmyra, Zenobia). For more information, about the Emesan Royal Family, see article Royal Family of Emesa.
