Ptolemy XII Auletes

Ptolemy XII Auletes
Coin of Ptolemy XII
Ptolemaic King of Egypt
Reign ca. 80–58 BC and 55–51 BC
Predecessor Ptolemy XI (First Reign)
Berenice IV (Second Reign)
Successor Cleopatra V/VI and Berenice IV (First Reign)
Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra VII (Second Reign)
Prenomen  (Praenomen)
First Praenomens, variants of:
iwꜤ-n-pꜢ-nṯr-nḥm stp-n-ptḥ... — Iwa'enpanetjernehem Setepenptah... — The heir of the saviour god, who is the chosen of Ptah...

...iri-mꜢꜤt-n-rꜤ sḫm-Ꜥnḫ-imn
...Irimaatenre Sekhemankhimen
...who brings forth the order of Ra, the living image of Amun

...iri-mꜢꜤt-imn-rꜤ
...Irimaatimenre
...who has brings forth the order of Amun-Ra

Second Preanomen:
pꜢ nṯr-mri it snt wsiri ḥwnw
Pa Netjermery It Senet Usiri Hunu
The god who is beloved of his father and brother, the youthful Osiris
Nomen
ptwlmys Ꜥnḫ-ḏt mri-ptḥ-Ꜣst
Petulemis Ankdjet Meriptahaset
Ptolemaios, living forever, beloved of Ptah and Isis
Horus name
ḥwnw-nfr bnr-mrwt ṯni-sw-nbt-rḫyt-ḥnꜤ-kꜢ.f dwꜢ.n.f-ḫnmw-šps-r-šzp-n.f-ḫꜤ(t)-m-nsw
snsn.n-sḥnw-m-ḥꜤꜤw-mi-Nḏ-it.f ṯḥn-msw(t)-ḥr-nst-it.f-mi-ḥr-kꜢ-nḫt ity-psḏ-m-tꜢmri-mi-ḥpw-Ꜥnḫ rdi-n.f-ḥꜢbw-sd-ꜤšꜢw-wrw-mi-Ptḥ-tꜢṯnn-it-nṯrw
Hununefer Benermerut Tjenisunebtrekhyethenakaf Duaenefkhnmushepesershesepenefkha'emnesu
Sensenensehnuemhaawminedjetitef Tjehenmesuthernesetitefmihorkanakht Itypesedjemtamerimihapuankh Redienefhebusedashauwerumiptahtatjenenitnetjeru
The perfect youth, pleasant in his popularity, whom the Two Ladies and the common folk have elevated along with his ka,
who the wonderful Khnum praises so that he receives the crown of kingship, who unites himself with the works (of his father)
in joy like that which his father protects, who is shining at birth on the throne of his father like Horus,
the strong bull, the lord who lights up Egypt like the living Apis, to whom many great Sed festivals will be given through Ptah-Tatenen, the father of the Gods
Nebty name
First Nebty name:
wr-pḥti ḫntš-nḥḥ smn-hpw-mi-ḏḥwti-ꜤꜢ-ꜤꜢ
Werpehty Khenteshneheh Semenhepumidjehutia'a
The one great of strength and foremost one of the sea forever, who has established laws like the twice-great Thoth

Second Nebty name:
wr-pḥti ḫntš-nḥḥ nfr-ib wṯz-nfrw-mi-ḏḥwti-ꜤꜢ-ꜤꜢ
Werpehty Khenteshneheh Neferib Wetjesneferumidjehutia'a
The one great of strength and foremost one of the sea forever, perfect of mind, who has raised perfection like the twice-great Thoth
Golden Horus
First Golden Horus name:
ꜤꜢ-ib ity nb-ḳnw-nḫt-mi-zꜢ-Ꜣst
A'a-ib Ity Nebqenunakhtmiza'aset
The one great of mind, the sovereign, the possessor of bravery and strength like the son of Isis

Second Golden Horus name:
ꜤꜢ-ib mri-nṯrw-BꜢḳt ity-mi-rꜤ ḥḳꜢ-wꜢḏti
A'a-ib Merynetjerubaqet Itimire Heqawadjety
The one great of mind who is beloved of the gods of Baqet, a sovereign like Ra and ruler of the two crowns
Born c. 117 BC
Died c. 51 BC (aged 65–66)
Alexandria
Spouse Cleopatra V (sister or cousin)
Issue Cleopatra Tryphaena (possibly)
Berenice IV
Cleopatra VII
Arsinoe IV
Ptolemy XIII
Ptolemy XIV
Full name
Ptolemy Neos Dionysos Theos Philopator Theus Philadelphos
Dynasty Ptolemaic
Father Ptolemy IX Lathyros
Mother Uncertain:
Possibly Cleopatra IV

Ptolemy Neos Dionysos Theos Philopator Theos Philadelphos[note 1] (Ancient Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Νέος Διόνυσος Θεός Φιλοπάτωρ Θεός Φιλάδελφος, Ptolemaios Néos Diónysos Theós Philopátōr Theós Philádelphos "Ptolemy New Dionysus, God Beloved of his Father, God Beloved of his Brother"; c. 117–51 BC) was a pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He was commonly known as "Auletes" (Αὐλητής, Aulētḗs "the Flutist"), referring to the king's love of playing the flute in Dionysian festivals, or "Nothos" (Νόθος, Nóthos "the Bastard"), referring to his birth.

He ruled from 80 to 58 BC and again from 55 to 51 BC, with an interregnum of forced exile to Rome as his eldest daughter Berenice IV claimed the Ptolemaic throne. With the funding and military assistance of the Roman Republic, which officially viewed Ptolemy XII as one of its client rulers, he was able to recapture Ptolemaic Egypt and have his rival daughter Berenice IV killed. On his death he was succeeded by his daughter Cleopatra VII and son Ptolemy XIII as joint rulers, as stipulated in his will and testament.

Early life

Egyptian-style statue of Ptolemy XII found at the Temple of the Crocodile in Fayoum, Egypt

Ptolemy XII reigned during the late Hellenistic period preceding the Roman conquest of Egypt. He is assumed to have been an illegitimate son of Ptolemy IX Soter. His mother is unknown, speculated to have either been Cleopatra IV[1][2] or a Greek Alexandrian woman.[3][4][5] Adrian Goldsworthy contends that "on the whole", the idea of Cleopatra IV as his mother "fits the evidence margincally better than any other theory," noting Ptolemy IX's marriage to Cleopatra IV was possibly not approved by the wider royal family, and especially by his mother, Cleopatra III; thus, with the marriage "never considered legal and proper" by the remaining members of the Ptolemaic royal family, it is on this basis Ptolemy XII may have been considered a bastard.[6]

In 103 BC, Cleopatra III sent her grandchildren to the island of Cos along with her treasure in order to protect them from Ptolemy IX who was preparing to invade Egypt. Years later, they fell hostage to Mithridates and spent time in his court. Ptolemy's cousin Alexander (Ptolemy XI) managed to escape to Rome who put him on the throne of Egypt after the death of Ptolemy IX. Ptolemy and his brother were engaged to Mithridates' daughters, Nysa and Mithridatis as a possible means to strengthen Mithridates' control over Egypt. However, Ptolemy was able to loosen his control over him and possibly escaped because he was in Syria at the time of the murder of his sister Berenice III by Ptolemy XI Alexander and his own following death. Ptolemy XI Alexander had willed Egypt to Rome but the people of Egypt wanted the two surviving sons of the royal household to succeed onto the throne. Hence, Ptolemy XII and his brother, Ptolemy of Cyprus became King of Egypt and Cyprus. The previous engagements to the Pontic princesses were no longer effective and Ptolemy XII married princess Cleopatra V Tryphaena who had been in Alexandria, recently orphaned, in 79 BC.

His reign as king was interrupted by a general rebellion that resulted in his exile from 58 to 55 BC, during which time his daughter Berenice IV ruled. Thus, Ptolemy XII ruled Egypt from 80 to 58 BC and from 55 BC until his death in 51 BC. Ptolemy XII was generally described as a weak, self-indulgent man, a drunkard, and a music lover.[7]

Family

Ptolemy may have had two wives. He married Cleopatra Tryphaena (referred to as Cleopatra V[8] or Cleopatra VI[3] in the literature), who may have been either a sister or half-sister as a daughter of his father Ptolemy IX or a cousin as the daughter of his uncle Ptolemy X Alexander. Cleopatra Tryphaena is not mentioned after 69 BC, and it is not clear who the mother of Ptolemy's three youngest children is.[3] His children include:[9]

  1. Possibly a daughter named Cleopatra Tryphaena. Porphyry mentions a daughter of that name who ruled with her sister Berenice.[10] Strabo, however, states that Ptolemy had only three daughters of whom the eldest has been referred to as Berenice IV,[11] suggesting that the Cleopatra Tryphaena referred to by Porphyry may have been Ptolemy's wife, not his daughter. Many experts now identify Cleopatra VI with Cleopatra V.[8]
  2. Berenice IV
  3. Cleopatra VII
  4. Arsinoe IV
  5. Ptolemy XIII
  6. Ptolemy XIV

His first reign (80–58 BC)

The first pylon at Edfu Temple was decorated by Ptolemy XII in 57 BC with figures of himself smiting the enemy.

In 80 BC, pharaoh Ptolemy XI was removed by the Egyptian population from the throne of Egypt after he had killed his coregent and stepmother Berenice III.[12] When Ptolemy XI died without a male heir, the only available male descendents of the Ptolemy I lineage were the illegitimate sons of Ptolemy IX.[13] The boys were living in exile in Sinope, at the court of Mithridates VI, King of Pontus. They had been engaged to the daughters of the King before being recognized as successors to the Ptolemaic kingdom by the Alexandrians instead of Roman rule. As the eldest of the boys Ptolemy XII was proclaimed king as Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos and married his sister or cousin Tryphaena. Ptolemy XII was coregent with his wife Cleopatra Tryphaena.[14]

Hellenistic bust of Ptolemy XII from Ptolemaic Egypt, 1st century BC, now in the Louvre, Paris[15]

However, Ptolemy XI had left the throne to Rome in his will, therefore Ptolemy XII was not the legitimate successor. Nevertheless, Rome did not challenge Ptolemy XII's succession because the Senate was unwilling to acquire an Egyptian expansion.[12]

Ptolemy XII's personal cult name (Neos Dionysos) earned him the ridiculing sobriquet Auletes (flute player) — as we learn from Strabo's writing (Strabo XVII, 1, 11):

Now all at kings after the third Ptolemy, being corrupted by luxurious living, have administered the affairs of government badly, but worst of all the fourth, seventh, and the last, Auletes, who, apart from his general licentiousness, practiced the accompaniment of choruses with the flute, and upon this he prided himself so much that he would not hesitate to celebrate contests in the royal palace, and at these contests would come forward to vie with the opposing contestants.

Before Ptolemy XII's reign, the geographical distance between Rome and Egypt resulted in mutual indifference between them. Nevertheless, Egyptians asked the Romans to settle dynastic conflicts.[16] During his reign, Ptolemy XII attempted to secure his own fate and the fate of his dynasty by means of a pro-Roman policy. In 63 BC, it appeared that Pompey would emerge as the leader of a power struggle in Rome, so Ptolemy sought to form a patron-client relationship with Pompey by sending him riches and extending an invitation to Alexandria. Pompey accepted the riches but refused the invitation.[17] Nevertheless, a patron relationship with a leader in Rome did not guarantee his permanence on the throne, so Ptolemy XII soon afterwards travelled to Rome to negotiate a bribe for an official recognition of his kingship. After paying a bribe of six thousand talents to Julius Caesar and Pompey, a formal alliance was formed (a foedus) and his name was inscribed into the list of friends and allies of the people of Rome (amici et socii populi Romani).[18]

Exile in Rome (58–55 BC)

In 58 BC, Ptolemy XII failed to comment on the Roman conquest of Cyprus, a territory ruled by his brother Ptolemy of Cyprus, thereby inciting the Egyptian population to start a rebellion. Egyptians were already aggravated by heavy taxes (to pay for the Roman tribute) and a substantial increase in the cost of living. Ptolemy XII fled to Rome, possibly with his daughter Cleopatra VII, in search of safety.[19] His daughter Berenice IV became his successor. She ruled as coregent with her mother or sister Cleopatra V/VI Tryphaena. A year after Ptolemy XII's exile, Cleopatra Tryphaena died and Berenice ruled alone over Alexandria from 57 to 56 BC.[20]

A denarius of Pompey minted 49-48 BC

From Rome, Ptolemy XII prosecuted his restitution but met opposition from certain members of the Senate. His old ally Pompey housed the exiled king and his daughter and argued on behalf of Ptolemy's restoration in the Senate. During this time, Roman creditors realized that they would not get the return on their loans to the king without his restoration.[21] Thus in 57 BC, pressure from the Roman public forced the Senate's decision to restore Ptolemy.[22] However, Rome did not wish to invade Egypt to restore the king since the Sibylline books stated that if an Egyptian king asked for help and Rome proceeded with military intervention, great dangers and difficulties would occur.[23]

Egyptians heard rumors of Rome's possible intervention and disliked the idea of their exiled king's return. Cassius Dio reported that a group of one hundred men were sent as envoys from Egypt to make their case to the Romans against Ptolemy XII's restoration, but Ptolemy had their leader (a philosopher named Dion) poisoned and most of the other protesters killed before they reached Rome to plead their desires.[24]

Restoration (55–51 BC)

Roman bust of Cleopatra VII, Altes Museum, Antikensammlung Berlin

Ptolemy XII finally recovered his throne by paying Aulus Gabinius 10,000 talents to invade Egypt in 55 BC. Gabinius defeated the Egyptian frontier forces, marched to Alexandria, and attacked the palace, where the palace guards surrendered without fighting.[25]

The exact date of Ptolemy XII's restoration is unknown; the earliest possible date of restoration is January 4, 55 BC and the latest possible date was June 24 the same year. Upon regaining power, Ptolemy had Berenice and her supporters executed. From then on, he reigned until he fell ill in 51 BC. Around two thousand Roman soldiers and mercenaries, the so-called Gabiniani, were stationed in Alexandria to ensure Ptolemy XII's authority on the throne. In exchange, Rome was able to exert its power over the restored king.[26] On 31 May 52 BC his daughter Cleopatra VII was named as his coregent.[27]

At the moment of Ptolemy XII's restoration, Roman creditors demanded the repayment of their loans, but the Alexandrian treasury could not repay the king's debt. Learning from previous mistakes, Ptolemy XII shifted popular resentment of tax increases from the king to a Roman, his main creditor Gaius Rabirius Postumus, whom he appointed dioiketes (minister of finance). So Rabirius was placed in charge of debt repayment. Perhaps Gabinius had also put pressure on Ptolemy XII to appoint Rabirius, who now had direct access to the financial resources of Egypt but exploited the land too much. The king had to imprison Rabirius to protect his life from the angry people, then allowed him to escape. Rabirius immediately left Egypt and went back to Rome at the end of the year 54 BC. There he was accused de repetundis, but defended by Cicero and probably acquitted.[28] Ptolemy also permitted a debasing of the coinage as an attempt to repay the loans. Near the end of Ptolemy's reign, the value of Egyptian coinage dropped to about fifty percent of its value at the beginning of his reign.[29]

Before his death, Ptolemy XII declared in his will that his daughter Cleopatra VII and her brother Ptolemy XIII should rule the kingdom together. To safeguard his interests, he made the people of Rome executors of his will. Since the Senate was busy with its own affairs, his ally Pompey approved the will.[30]

"Throughout his long-lasting reign the principal aim of Ptolemy was to secure his hold on the Egyptian throne so as to eventually pass it to his heirs. To achieve this goal he was prepared to sacrifice much: the loss of rich Ptolemaic lands, most of his wealth and even, according to Cicero, the very dignity on which the mystique of kingship rested when he appeared before the Roman people as a mere supplicant."[30]

Notes

  1. ↑ Numbering the Ptolemies is a modern convention. Older sources may give a number one higher or lower. The most reliable way of determining which Ptolemy is being referred to in any given case is by epithet (e.g. "Philopator").

References

  1. ↑ Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith (2011), Antony and Cleopatra, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0300165340, pp 69-70.
  2. ↑ Ptolemy XII by Chris Bennett
  3. 1 2 3 Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. ISBN 0-500-05128-3.
  4. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), p. 28.
  5. ↑ Stacy Schiff, Cleopatra: A Life. Little, Brown. 2010. ISBN 0-316-12180-0. p. 24.
  6. ↑ Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith (2011), Antony and Cleopatra, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0300165340, pp 69-70.
  7. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), 34.
  8. 1 2 Tyldesley, Joyce. Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2006. p.200, ISBN 0-500-05145-3
  9. ↑ Roller, Duane W. (2010). Cleopatra: a biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195365535, p. 16.
  10. ↑ Eusebius: Chronicle p. 167, accessed online
  11. ↑ Strabo, Geography, Book XVII, accessed online
  12. 1 2 Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), 33.
  13. ↑ A. Clayton Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign by Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. ( London: Thames and Hudson, 1994) ISBN 0-500-05074-0.
  14. ↑ Günther Hölbl: Geschichte des Ptolemäerreiches. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1994, ISBN 3-534-10422-6, p. 192 and p. 195.
  15. ↑ Roller, Duane W. (2010). Cleopatra: a biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195365535, p. 18.
  16. ↑ Sinai-Davies, Mary. “Ptolemy and the Romans” Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 307.
  17. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), p. 35.
  18. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. “Ptolemy and the Romans” Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 316.
  19. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), p. 37.
  20. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. “Ptolemy and the Romans” HIstoria 46:3 (1997), p. 324.
  21. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. “Ptolemy and the Romans” Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 323.
  22. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), 39.
  23. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), p. 40.
  24. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. “Ptolemy and the Romans” Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 325.
  25. ↑ Ernle Bradford, Classic Biography: Cleopatra (Toronto: The Penguin Groups, 2000), p. 43.
  26. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. "Ptolemy and the Romans", Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 388.
  27. ↑ Roller, Duane W. (2010), Cleopatra: a biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 27, ISBN 978-0-19-536553-5.
  28. ↑ Compare Cicero, Pro C. Rabirio Postumo; Werner Huß, Ägypten in hellenistischer Zeit 332–30 v. Chr. (Egypt in Hellenistic times 332–30 BC), Munich 2001, pp. 696–7
  29. ↑ Siani-Davies, Mary. "Ptolemy and the Romans" Historia 46:3 (1997), pp. 332–4.
  30. 1 2 Siani-Davies, Mary. "Ptolemy and the Romans", Historia 46:3 (1997), p. 339.

Primary sources

Ptolemy XII Auletes
Born: ca. 117 BC Died: ca. 51 BC
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Ptolemy XI		 Pharaoh of Egypt
80 BC-58 BC
with Cleopatra V/VI		 Succeeded by
Cleopatra V/VI
Berenice IV
Preceded by
Berenice IV		 Pharaoh of Egypt
55 BC-51 BC
with Cleopatra VII 		Succeeded by
Ptolemy XIII
Cleopatra VII
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