Berenice

Berenice or Berenike (Greek: Βερενίκη, Berenikē) is the Ancient Macedonian form for Attic Greek Φερενίκη (Pherenikē), meaning "bearer of victory", from φέρω (pherō) "to bear" + νίκη (nikē) "victory".^[1] Berenika priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC is the oldest epigraphical evidence.^[2][3] The name also has the form Bernice. An additional Latin form of the same name is Veronica.

Many historical figures bear the name "Berenice":

• Several Ptolemaic and Seleucid queens as well as royal daughters in Cyrenaica and Egypt:
  • Berenice I of Egypt, mother of Magas of Cyrene and wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt
  • Berenice (Seleucid queen), daughter of Ptolemy II of Egypt and wife of Seleucid monarch Antiochus II Theos
  • Berenice II of Egypt, daughter of Magas of Cyrene, wife of Ptolemy III of Egypt and traditional namesake of the constellation Coma Berenices
  • Berenice III of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy IX of Egypt; she first married Ptolemy X of Egypt, and later Ptolemy XI of Egypt
  • Berenice IV of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy XII of Egypt and elder sister of Cleopatra VII
  • Berenice A, daughter of Ptolemy III and Berenice II
  • Berenice B, probable daughter of Ptolemy VIII and wife of Pasherenptah (high priest of Ptah)
  • Berenice C, descendant of Ptolemy VIII (great-great-granddaughter)
  • Berenice, great-granddaughter of Ptolemy I Epigone

• Judean princesses:
  • Berenice (daughter of Salome), daughter of Salome I, a sister of Herod the Great
  • Berenice (daughter of Herod Agrippa I)
  • Berenice (daughter of Mariamne), daughter of Mariamne, a daughter of Herod Agrippa I

• Saints:
  • Berenice, also known as Saint Veronica, saint from Jerusalem
  • Domnina, Berenice, and Prosdoce, 4th century martyrs

• Others:
  • Berenice of Chios, one of the wives of Mithridates VI of Pontus

References

• Berenice Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology