Ptolemy VIII
| Ptolemy VIII Physcon | |
|---|---|
| Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II | |
tetradrachm of Ptolemy VIII
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| Pharaoh from the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt | |
| Reign | c. 169-164 BC with siblings Ptolemy VI & Cleopatra II (First Reign) c. 144-132 / 131 BC with sister-wife Cleopatra II and niece / step-daughter-wife Cleopatra III (Second Reign) c. 126-116 BC with sister-wife Cleopatra II and niece-wife Cleopatra III (Ptolemaic) |
| Predecessor | siblings Ptolemy VI & Cleopatra II (First & Second Reign) sister-wife Cleoptra II (Third Reign) |
| Successor | siblings Ptolemy VI and Cleoptra II (First Reign) sister-wife Cleopatra II (Second Reign) son Ptolemy IX and niece-wife Cleopatra III (Third Reign) |
| Consort |
Cleopatra II of Egypt (Sister / Sister-in-law) Eirene |
| Children |
By Cleopatra II : Ptolemy Memphites By Cleopatra III : Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander I Cleopatra IV of Egypt Tryphaena Cleopatra Selene I By Eirene : Ptolemy Apion |
| Father | Ptolemy V Epiphanes |
| Mother | Cleopatra I Syra |
| Born | c. 182 BC |
| Died | June 26, 116 BC |
Cleopatra II of Egypt (Sister / Sister-in-law)
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (Ancient Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Εὐεργέτης, Ptolemaĩos Euergétēs) (c. 182 BC – June 26, 116 BC), nicknamed Physcon (Φύσκων), was a king of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.
Ptolemy VIII's complicated political career started in 170 BC. This is when Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire invaded and captured King Ptolemy VI Philometor and all of Egypt, with the exception of the city of Alexandria. Antiochus allowed Ptolemy VI to continue as a puppet monarch. Meanwhile, the people of Alexandria chose Ptolemy Euergetes, his younger brother, as king. Euergetes was popularly known as "Physkōn", Latinized as Physcon, meaning sausage, potbelly or bladder, due to his obesity. Instead of taking up arms against one another, the brothers decided to co-rule Egypt.
After Antiochus withdrew from the area in 168 BC due to threats from Rome, Physcon agreed to jointly rule Egypt in a triumvirate with Philometor and Cleopatra II (Philometor's wife and their sister). This arrangement led to continuous intrigues, lasting until October 164 BC, when Philometor traveled to Rome to appear before the Senate, who were somewhat agreeable with the arrangement. However, areas under Physcon's sole rule were not satisfied with the arrangement, and in May 163 BC the two brothers agreed to an altering of the original partition. This left Physcon in charge of Cyrenaica.
Although the arrangement lasted until Philometor's death in 145 BC, it did not end the power struggles.
Physcon convinced the Roman Senate to back his claims on Cyprus, but Philometor opposed this. Physcon's attempt to conquer the island failed (161 BC) and the Senate sent Philometor's ambassadors home.
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Wikipedia