Father Ptolemy V Epiphanes Mother Cleopatra I of Egypt | Name Cleopatra of Died 116 BC, Egypt | |
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Reign with brothers Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII (First Reign)
with brother-husband Ptolemy VI, son Ptolemy VII, brother Ptolemy VIII and daughter / sister-in-law Cleopatra III (Second Reign)
with brother-husband / son-in-law Ptolemy VIII and daughter Cleopatra III (Ptolemaic) Predecessor brother-husband Ptolemy VI (First Reign)
brother-husband / son-in-law Ptolemy VIII (Second and Third Reign) Successor brother-husband Ptolemy VIII (First Reign)
brother-husband / son-in-law and daughter / sister-in-law Cleopatra III (Second Reign)
nephew / grandson Ptolemy IX and daughter / sister-in-law Cleopatra III Consort Ptolemy VI of Egypt, Ptolemy VIII of Egypt Spouse Ptolemy VIII Physcon (m. 145 BC), Ptolemy VI Philometor Children Cleopatra III of Egypt, Cleopatra Thea, Ptolemy Eupator, Berenice, Ptolemy (D) Parents Ptolemy V Epiphanes, Cleopatra I Syra Siblings Ptolemy VIII Physcon, Ptolemy VI Philometor Similar People Cleopatra III of Egypt, Cleopatra I Syra, Ptolemy VIII Physcon, Ptolemy VI Philometor, Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator | ||
Cleopatra II (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα; c. 185 BC – 116 BC) was a queen and co-ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt with her brother-husbands and her daughter between 175 BC until 116 BC, and sole ruler from 131 until 127 BC.
Contents
Early life
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.
First co-regency
Following the death of her mother in 176 BC, she was married to her brother Ptolemy VI Philometor in c. 175 BC. Cleopatra II, Ptolemy VI and their brother, Ptolemy VIII, were co-rulers of Egypt from c. 171 BC to 164 BC.
In c. 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.
Second co-regency
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.
Sole regency
Cleopatra II led a rebellion against Ptolemy VIII in 131 BC, and drove him and Cleopatra III out of Egypt. 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.
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.
Third co-regency
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.
Issue
With Ptolemy VI she had at least four children:
With Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon sha had at least one son: