Cleopatra II of Egypt

Cleopatra II (in Greek, Κλεοπάτρα — c. 185–116 BC) was a queen (and briefly sole ruler) of Ptolemaic Egypt.

Family

Cleopatra II was the daughter of Ptolemy V and likely Cleopatra I. She was the sister of Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Tryphon. She would eventually marry both of her brothers.^[1][2]

Her first marriage was with her brother Ptolemy VI in ca. 175 BC. They had at least four children:^[1][2]

• Ptolemy Eupator, born in 166 BC. Became co-regent with his father for a short time, but died at a young age in ca 152 BC.
• Cleopatra Thea born in ca 164 BC. She married Alexander Balas, Demetrius II Nicator and Antiochus VII Sidetes. Murdered by her son in ca 120 BC.
• Berenice, a daughter. Born between 163 and 160 BC. Died young in ca 150 BC.
• Cleopatra III, born between 160 and 155 BC. Married to her uncle Ptolemy VIII.
• Ptolemy (D), born ca 152 BC. Murdered in 130 BC by Ptolemy VIII

Cleopatra II married her brother Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon in ca 145 BC. They had at least one son:^[1][2]

• Ptolemy Memphites. Born between 144 and 142 BC. Murdered by his own father in 130 BC. Ptolemy Memphites may be identical to Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator, but this identification is not universally accepted.

Life

Following the death of her mother (176 BC), she was married to her brother Ptolemy VI Philometor in ca 175 BC. Cleopatra II, Ptolemy VI and their brother, Ptolemy VIII, were co-rulers of Egypt from ca 171 BC to 164 BC.^[1]

In ca 169 BC, Antiochus IV of Syria invaded Egypt. Ptolemy VI Philometor joined Antiochus IV outside Alexandria. Ptolemy VI was crowned in Memphis and ruled with Cleopatra II. In 164 BC Cleopatra II and her husband were temporarily deposed by their brother Ptolemy VIII, but were restored to power in 163 BC.^[3]

Cleopatra II married her other brother, Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II in 145 BC. In 142 BC Ptolemy VIII took Cleopatra's younger daughter, his niece, Cleopatra III, as wife.

Cleopatra II led a rebellion against Ptolemy VIII in 131 BC, and drove him and Cleopatra III out of Egypt.^[1] At this time Ptolemy VIII murdered both his stepson Ptolemy and his own son Ptolemy Memphites. Ptolemy VIII is said to have had his son dismembered and his head, hands and feet sent to Cleopatra II in Alexandria as a birthday present.^[4]

Cleopatra II ruled Egypt from 130 BC to 127 BC when she was forced to flee to Syria, where she joined her daughter Cleopatra Thea and her son-in-law Demetrius II Nicator.

A public reconciliation of Cleopatra and Ptolemy VIII was declared in 124 BC. After this she ruled jointly with her brother and daughter until 116 BC when Ptolemy died, leaving the kingdom to Cleopatra III. Cleopatra II herself died shortly after.^[1]

References