Theoxena of Egypt

Theoxena, also known as Theoxena the Younger to distinguish her from her mother^[1] (Greek: Θεόξενα, flourished possibly late second half of 4th century BC and first half of 3rd century BC), was a Syracusan Greek Princess and was a noblewoman of high status.^[2]

Family background

Theoxena was a woman of Sicilian origin. She was the daughter born to Agathocles and his third wife Theoxena^[3][4] and had a brother called Archagathus.^[5][6]

Her father Agathocles, was a Greek Tyrant of Syracuse, who later became King of Sicily.^[7][8] Theoxena had two paternal-half posthumous brothers: Archagathus and Agathocles;^[9] one paternal half-sister Lanassa who was the second wife of King Pyrrhus of Epirus and a posthumous paternal half-nephew Archagathus.^[10] Theoxena was the namesake of her mother.

Her mother Theoxena was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman. She was the second daughter and third child born to the noblewoman Berenice I and her first husband obscure nobleman Philip.^[11] Theoxena’s biological maternal grandfather Philip, served as a military officer in the service of the Greek King Alexander the Great and was known in commanding one division of the Phalanx in Alexander’s wars.^[12] Theoxena’s maternal grandmother Berenice I, was the great-niece of the powerful Regent Antipater^[13] and she was a distant collateral relative to the Argead dynasty.^[14] Her full blooded maternal uncle was Magas of Cyrene and her full-blooded maternal aunt was Antigone.^[15]

Her biological maternal grandfather Philip died about 318 BC. After his death, Berenice I travelled with her children to live in Egypt, where she eventually married Ptolemy I Soter the first Greek Pharaoh and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Through her grandmother’s second marriage to Ptolemy I, Berenice I was an Egyptian Queen and the Queen mother of the Ptolemaic dynasty,^[16] thus her mother was a stepdaughter to Ptolemy I and became an Egyptian Princess. Her maternal grandmother had with Ptolemy I three children; two daughters, Arsinoe II, Philotera and the future Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus.^[17] Arsinoe II, Philotera were her maternal half-aunts, while Ptolemy II was her maternal half-uncle.

Early life

Like her brother, Theoxena was born between 301 BC-298 BC.^[18] Along with her brother they were born and raised in Sicily. When Agathocles felt his death was approaching, he had sent away the elder Theoxena and their children to Egypt.^[19] Theoxena’s father died in 289 BC and her father declared his kingdom as a democracy on his death.^[20][21] Theoxena, her brother with their mother; spent their remaining youth in Egypt, possibly in the court living with Ptolemy I and Berenice I in Alexandria.

Remaining life

Little is known on the adult life of Theoxena. Theoxena married an unknown person whose name is lost. By her husband, Theoxena had two children; one child whose name is lost and a son called Agathocles.^[22][23]

Sometime in the reign of Ptolemy II reigned 283 BC-246 BC, her uncle had banished her to the Thebaid,^[24] perhaps to Coptos. Theoxena had brought false accusations to Ptolemy II against parties she knew.^[25] The names of these persons are lost as they were recorded on a papyrus,^[26] which has been damaged. It can be chronologically plausible that these events were connected to the exile of Arsinoe I.^[27] Arsinoe I was the first wife of Ptolemy II and was exiled in 274 BC/273 BC.

References

Sources

• Ancient Library article: Archagathus, No. 1 & 2
• Ancient Library article: Theoxena no. 1
• Ancient Library article: Magas no.1
• Berenice I article at Livius.org
• Ptolemaic Dynasty - Affiliated Lines: The Antipatrids & Agathocles
• Ptolemaic Genealogy: Berenice I
• Ptolemaic Genealogy: Theoxena
• R.S. Bagnall, Archagathos son of Agathocles, Epistates of Libya, Columbia University Department of Greek & Latin, New York, USA, 1976