Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator
Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator | |
---|---|
Πτολεμαίος ΙΓ΄ Θεός Φιλοπάτωρ | |
Cleopatra VII and Arsinoe IV | |
Predecessor | Ptolemy XII Auletes |
Successor | Ptolemy XIV Philopator |
Consort | Nile river |
Dynasty | Ptolemaic |
Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator
Biography
Co-ruler of Egypt
Son of the Egyptian Pharaoh
In the spring of 48 BC, Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus attempted to depose Cleopatra due to her increasing status as queen. Her face appeared on minted coins, for example, while Ptolemy XIII's name was omitted on official documents. Ptolemy intended to become main ruler, with Pothinus acting as the power behind the throne.
Civil war
Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus managed to force Cleopatra to flee to
At this point, defeated
When Caesar arrived he was presented with the head of his deceased rival and former ally, but reportedly, instead of being pleased, Caesar reacted with disgust and ordered that Pompey's body be located and given a proper Roman funeral. Cleopatra VII proved more successful in winning Caesar's favor and became his lover. Caesar arranged the execution of Pothinus and the official return to the throne of Cleopatra VII, though she had never officially abdicated her marriage to Ptolemy XIII.[citation needed]
Still determined to depose Cleopatra VII, Ptolemy XIII allied himself with Arsinoe IV. Jointly, they organized the factions of the army loyal to them against those loyal to Cleopatra VII and the relatively small part of his army that had accompanied Caesar to Egypt. The battle between the warring factions occurred in mid-December 48 BC inside
Upon the arrival of Roman reinforcements, the Battle of the Nile (47 BC) ensued and resulted in a victory for Caesar and Cleopatra, forcing Ptolemy XIII to flee the city. He reportedly drowned on 13 January 47 BC while attempting to cross the Nile river.[5] Whether he was attempting to flee or was seeking negotiations remains uncertain from sources of the time. Cleopatra VII remained the unchallenged ruler of Egypt, although she named their younger brother Ptolemy XIV of Egypt (r. 47–44 BC) her new co-ruler.[citation needed]
Cultural depictions
Ptolemy appears in
Ptolemy's civil war with Cleopatra is recounted in the 2017 video game Assassin's Creed Origins, in which he is presented as a puppet ruler to the Order of Ancients who drove him to depose his sister. He is portrayed as a weak young man, whose already brittle alliance with Julius Caesar is broken the moment the general lays eyes on Cleopatra. After Caesar's victory at the Battle of the Nile (47 BC), Ptolemy is seen escaping in a boat which is attacked by crocodiles, and the young pharaoh drowns. Following Ptolemy's death, Cleopatra herself aligns with the Order, and the player characters organise the rival order the Hidden Ones to counter the Order's influence.
References
- ^ 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").
His name means "Ptolemy, GodBeloved of his Father".
- ^ "Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Historiae Romanae, book 42, chapter 36, section 1". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Plutarch, Life of Julius Caesar, 49:3.
- ^ Aulus Gellius. Attic Nights book 7 chapter 17.
- ^ Southern, Pat (2000). Cleopatra. Tempus. p. 102.
External links
- Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith