Berenice IV Epiphaneia (; –55 BC, born and died in Alexandria, Egypt) was ruling Ptolemaic queen and Hellenistic pharaoh of the Ptolemaic kingdom. From 58 to 55 BC, Berenice IV ruled Egypt during the political exile of her father Ptolemy XII Auletes to Rome. She was co-ruler of Egypt with Cleopatra VI from 58 to 57 BC, but became sole ruler in 57 BC. On the return of Ptolemy XII to Egypt with Roman military aid and an army led by Aulus Gabinius, Berenice IV was overthrown and executed by her rival father, who later bequeathed his throne to his daughter Cleopatra VII and son Ptolemy XIII as co-rulers.
Biography
thumb|[[Ptolemy XII, Berenice IV's father]]
Berenice IV was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra V Tryphaena of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. She was probably born in the early 70s BC. Berenice was sister to queen Cleopatra VII, kings Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator and Ptolemy XIV, and princess Arsinoe IV. It is unclear whether the younger children of Ptolemy XII were born to Cleopatra V or a different woman.
In 59 BC Julius Caesar was one of the consuls of Rome. It was believed that the annexation of Egypt was part of his own political programme, the excuse being that the king of Egypt, Ptolemy XII Auletes, was illegitimate and had no right to rule. Ptolemy Auletes responded by buying Caesar's support at huge expense, and the Romans passed a law to recognise Ptolemy Auletes as legitimate king of Egypt. The treaty however said nothing about Cyprus, where another Ptolemy, the brother of Ptolemy Auletes, was king.
In 58 BC the Romans annexed Cyprus, forcing the deposed king and brother of Auletes into suicide. The loss of Cyprus, and the poor state of the Egyptian economy following the bribes to Caesar, triggered civil unrest in Ptolemy Auletes' capital Alexandria. Unable to quash the unrest on his own, Ptolemy Auletes went in 58 BC to Rome to ask for military support, leaving his family behind in Egypt. In his absence, the Alexandrines declared him deposed, and in his place nominated his daughter Berenice IV Epiphaneia and (according to the ancient historian Porphyry) "[Auletes'] eldest daughter" Cleopatra VI Tryphaena as joint monarchs. Some, though not all, modern historians believe Porphyry made an error here, and that Cleopatra VI Tryphaena was in fact Ptolemy XII Auletes' wife Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Porphyry is the only source to mention the existence of a fourth daughter of Ptolemy XII, but this does not disprove the idea that he had an additional daughter named Cleopatra VI.
Unable to muster up immediate support from the Romans, Ptolemy Auletes was initially unable to take his kingdom back from the two queens. From 58 till the end of 57 he resided in Rome or at Pompey's villa in the Alban hills, busily working upon the senators by bribes or promises, and procuring the assassination of envoys sent from Alexandria to Rome; he then left Rome and went to Ephesus, and lived in the sacred precinct of Artemis.
As a lone woman ruling Egypt, she was expected to marry and have a man as a co-regent. who defected to the Romans. At that time Archelaus was an associate of Aulus Gabinius, and had hoped to join with him on an expedition against the Parthians. Gabinius furthermore had become suspicious of Archelaus's associations with the Egyptians, and had him arrested. Persuaded though that Archelaus was no threat, and perhaps bribed, Gabinius voluntarily released him. In the winter 56‑55 Archelaus came to Egypt, married Berenice, and was given a title of king, although he is not known to be mentioned in documents as his wife's formal co-ruler, and it's presumed she never allowed him to become one.
In 55 BC, Aulus Gabinius invaded Egypt with a Roman army, and Archelaus died in battle attempting to defend the kingdom. Gabinius re-installed Ptolemy Auletes as king, who executed Berenice for the crime of usurping his throne. He would later bequeath his throne to two siblings of Berenice IV: Cleopatra VII and Ptolemy XIII.
See also
- List of Syrian monarchs
- Timeline of Syrian history
Notes
References
Sources
- Dio Cassius 39.12 - 39.14, 39.55 - 39.58