Cleopatra II

About 185 BCE - 116 BCE

• Name	Cleopatra II
  Birth	About 185 BCE  [4]
  History	birth to death
  From 170 to 145 BCE, she was co-regent with her brother and husband Ptolemy VI Philometor. Cleopatra II was initially cited as a full equal of her husband in the original petition against Antiochus IV before the Roman Senate, and her status was confirmed in Egyptian documents shortly thereafter. This made Cleopatra II the first Ptolemaic queen to gain full political equality with a reigning king—actually, in this case, with two kings. Exactly why she became so established is a matter of conjecture, but most likely she had a talent for political affairs and was considered by all concerned as essential to the continued collaboration of Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII. In addition, Cleopatra II clearly was more popular among her subjects than either of her brothers, thus conjuring up images of her mother whose memory was a significant legitimizing factor behind this generation of Ptolemies. [1, 2, 4] As a result of Ptolemy VI's demise, Cleopatra II served briefly as regent for Ptolemy Neos Philopator, the younger of her sons. However, this arrangement did not last for long because Ptolemy VIII returned to Egypt to reclaim it as his own. Although Cleopatra II (with the help of a band of Jewish mercenaries) attempted to hold out against her brother, the Greek citizens of Alexandria weighed in decisively behind the return of Ptolemy VIII. As a result, Cleopatra II married her brother Ptolemy VIII (144 BCE), and the life of her younger son with Ptolemy VI was forfeited. Ptolemy VIII arranged for his murder. Not long after his return to Egypt and his marriage to Cleopatra II, Ptolemy VIII married the long-promised Cleopatra III (142), the daughter of his wife. Now married simultaneously to both mother and daughter, Ptolemy VIII was thus able to check Cleopatra II's status at court. [1, 4] In 132 BCE, tensions at court erupted into civil war, and Ptolemy VIII was driven temporarily to Cyprus with Cleopatra III and his children. Not the type to miss an opportunity for vengeance, while in exile Ptolemy VIII sent as a birthday gift to Cleopatra II the dismembered body of their son, Ptolemy Memphites. [1] Ptolemy VIII finally engineered a successful return in 127 BCE, driving her to Syria and the shelter of her son-in-law, King Demetrius II. Cleopatra II, however, managed to abscond with most of the Egyptian treasury. [1] In 124 BCE, she made her peace with Ptolemy VIII and returned home to her husband and daughter. Since Cleopatra II had the Egyptian treasury in hand, and since important regions in Upper Egypt remained loyal to her alone even after Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra III controlled Lower Egypt, Cleopatra II was made "welcome" by her brother and daughter. Thereafter, a balance reigned between the interests and factions of Cleopatra II and of Ptolemy VIII-Cleopatra III. [1] In 118 BCE, the Edict of 118 was issued by the three which constituted a serious reform of Egyptian law, which had been long neglected. [1]
  Death	116 BCE  [3, 4]
  Siblings	2 brothers
  + 1. Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor,   b. 186 BCE, Alexandria, Egypt ▻ Cleopatra II + 2. Cleopatra II,   b. About 185 BCE   d. 116 BCE ▻ Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor;   Ptolemy VIII   3. Pharaoh Ptolemy VII
  Patriarch & Matriarch	Karanos   (17 x Great Grandfather)  daughter of Alexander the Great  (3 x Great Grandmother)
  Person ID, Branch	I9489	Roy Line, Boudreau Line
  Last Modified	8 Jul 2020

  
  

  Father	Pharaoh Ptolemy V Epiphanes,   b. Abt 210 BCE   d. 181 BCE
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Cleopatra I
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F6633	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 1	Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor,   b. 186 BCE, Alexandria, Egypt
  Marriage	yes, date unknown  [1, 2, 3]
  They were brother and sister. She was about 6 or 7, he about 10. This under-age marriage was arranged by Eulaeus (a eunuch) and Lenaeus (an ex-slave), two regents who, in lieu of anyone better situated, assumed their authority after Cleopatra I's death. [1]
  Children	2 sons and 3 daughters
  1. Ptolemy Eupator,   b. 15 Oct 166 BCE   d. Aug 152 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] +   2. Cleopatra Thea,   b. Abt 164 BCE   d. 121 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] ▻ Alexander Bales, King of Syria  m. Abt 150 BCE;   Demetrius II Nicator, King of Syria  m. Abt 145 BCE;   Antiochus VII Sidetes  m. yes, date unknow >   3. Cleopatra III,   b. Between 160 and 155 BCE   d. Sep 101 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] ▻ Ptolemy VIII     4. Ptolemy,   b. Abt 152 BCE   d. Abt 130 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     5. Berenice,   b. 160s BCE   d. Before 133 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]
  Family ID	F6630	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	25 Jul 2021

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 2	Ptolemy VIII  [4]  Other Partners: Cleopatra III
  Children	1. Ptolemy Memphites,   b. 144 to 142 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]
  Family ID	F8621	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	7 Jul 2020

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1Cleopatra II(About 185 BCE – 116 BCE) 2Pharaoh Ptolemy V Epiphanes(Abt 210 BCE – 181 BCE) 4Pharaoh Ptolemy IV Philopator( – 205 BCE) 8Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergates( – 221 BCE) 16Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelpios(308 BCE – 247 BCE) 17Arsinoe II 9Bernice II, Princess of Cyrene 18Megas, King of Cyrene 19Apama, Princess of Syria 5Arsinoe III 10Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergates( – 221 BCE) 20Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelpios(308 BCE – 247 BCE) 21Arsinoe II 11Bernice II, Princess of Cyrene 22Megas, King of Cyrene 23Apama, Princess of Syria 3Cleopatra I 6Antiochus III Megas, Basileus of the Seleucid Empire(242 BCE – 187 BCE) 12Seleucus II Callinius, King of Syria(265 BCE – 226 BCE) 24Antiochus II Theos, King of Syria(286 BCE – 246 BCE) 25Laodice I 13Laodice II 26General Andromachus 27 7Laodice III 14Mithradates II, King of Pontus(Abt 260 BCE – 220 BCE) 28Ariobarzares, King of Pontus(300 BCE – 250 BCE) 29 15Laodice II(260 BCE – ) 30Antiochus II Theos, King of Syria(286 BCE – 246 BCE) 31Laodice I

  
  

• Photos

  Probably Cleopatra II

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S1838] Encyclopedia.com, (On-line: https://www.encyclopedia.com/). [S1834] Redford, Donald B. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, (Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2001). [S60] Stuart, Roderick W., Royalty for Commoners, The Complete Known Lineage of John of Gaunt, Son of Edward III, King of England, and Queen Philippa Fourth Edition, (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2002). [S304] Wikipedia. Cleopatra II of Egypt