Arsinoe IV of Egypt

Arsinoe IV
Queen of Egypt
Rescue of Arsinoe, by Jacopo Tintoretto, 1555-1556
Reign	September 48 BC with Ptolemy XIII (December 48 - January 47 BC)
Successor	Ptolemy XIV of Egypt and Cleopatra VII
Born	Unknown Alexandria, Egypt
Died	41 BC Ephesus
Burial	Ephesus
House	Ptolemaic dynasty
Father	Ptolemy XII Auletes
Mother	Cleopatra V of Egypt?

Arsinoë IV (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, betw. 65 and 58 BC – 41 BC) was the youngest daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and queen and co-ruler of Egypt from 48 BC-47 BC, making her one of the last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt. Arsinoë IV was the half-sister of Cleopatra VII and also a sibling of Ptolemy XIII.

When Ptolemy XII died in 51 BC, he left his children, Ptolemy and Cleopatra, as joint rulers of Egypt, but her brother soon dethroned Cleopatra and forced her to flee from Alexandria. When Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria in 48 BC and sided with Cleopatra's faction, Arsinoë escaped from the capital with her mentor, the eunuch Ganymedes, and joined the Egyptian army which, under Achillas, was besieging Alexandria. Achillas then assumed the title of pharaoh. When Achillas and Ganymedes clashed, Arsinoë had Achillas executed and Ganymedes placed in command of the army. Ganymedes initially enjoyed some success against the Romans, but the leading Egyptian officers were soon dissatisfied with him. Under a pretext of wanting peace, they negotiated with Caesar to exchange Arsinoë for Ptolemy XIII, who was subsequently released. However, Ptolemy continued the war until the Romans received reinforcements and inflicted a decisive defeat upon the Egyptians.

Captive, Arsinoë was then transported to Rome, where in 46 BC she was forced to appear in Caesar's triumph. Despite the custom of strangling prominent prisoners in triumphs when the festivities were at an end, Caesar was pressured to spare Arsinoë and granted her sanctuary at the temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Arsinoë lived in the temple for a few years, always keeping a watchful eye on her sister Cleopatra, who perceived Arsinoë as a threat to her power. In 41 BC, at Cleopatra's instigation, Mark Antony ordered Arsinoë's execution on the steps of the temple, a gross violation of the temple sanctuary and an act which scandalised Rome. The eunuch priest (Megabyzos) who had welcomed Arsinoë on her arrival at the temple as Queen was only pardoned when an embassy from Ephesus made a petition to Cleopatra.