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Arsinoe II was a Ptolemaic queen and co-regent of Egypt with her brother Ptolemy II Philadelphus. She was also the wife of Lysimachus and Ptolemy Keraunos, and the mother of Ptolemy Epigonos.
Arsinoe II was the queen (basilissa) of Thrace and Macedonia and, later, the wife of her younger brother, King Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, and possibly his coruler. It has been inferred by modern historians that she wielded great power in both roles, though the extent of that power is.
- Richard Pallardy
- Family
- Queen in Thrace & Macedon
- Shifting Fate & Fortune
- Queenship in Ptolemaic Egypt
- Representation in Hellenistic Art
- Death & Aftermath
Arsinoe, the eldest daughter of Ptolemy and Berenice, was probably born in the Egyptian capital Memphis somewhere between 318 and 311 BCE. She was named after a Macedonian princess (from a collateral branch descending from Alexander I, r. c. 498-454 BCE), to whom her grandfather Lagus was married. Her father Ptolemy was a childhood friend of Alexan...
When she was married to King Lysimachus of Thrace (c. 300/299 BCE), Arsinoe cannot have been more than a teenager, yet soon gave birth to three sons, Ptolemy (299/8 BCE), Lysimachus (297/6 BCE) and Philip (294/3 BCE). Lysimachus was in his mid-50s at the time of their wedding. He was a childhood friend of her father and Alexander the Great and had ...
Arsinoe was implicated in one of the more remarkable events of the Wars of the Diadochi, which not only lead to the death of Lysimachus' eldest son, Agathocles, but ultimately to Lysimachus' own downfall, too. Arsinoe is said to have manipulated Lysimachus to execute his son with Nicaea because she feared for the lives of her own sons should Agatho...
Arsinoe eventually returned to Egypt (c. 277-275 BCE) – perhaps with her son Ptolemy in tow. Her brother Ptolemy II had been established by their father as co-ruler to ensure a smooth succession (in 284 BCE) – thereby passing over Ptolemy Ceraunus, his eldest son with his third wife Eurydice. Before the death of Ptolemy I, Ptolemy II had married a ...
Arsinoe II became one of the most revered queens of the Lagid Dynasty, featured on works of art ranging from monumental sculptureand temple relief scenes to miniature coins and engraved gems. Indeed, it is not an exaggeration to state that Arsinoe must have been present everywhere for centuries beyond her death. That prominence alone is a testament...
Arsinoe II was not yet 50 years old when she died – although, admittedly the date of her death is a matter of some scholarly dispute (270 or 268 BCE). The poet Callimachus, who would later compose the Coma Berenices, honored the queen's earthly passing with a hymn describing her apotheosis as she passes beyond the full moon to her place in the heav...
- Branko Van Oppen
Arsinoe II, (born c. 316—died July 270 bc), Queen of Thrace (300–281) and Egypt (277–270). Daughter of Ptolemy I Soter, she married the king of Thrace (300) and tried to have her son made heir instead of Agathocles, the king’s son by an earlier marriage.
Learn about the lives and achievements of two Ptolemaic queens, Arsinoe II and Berenike II, who ruled in the third century BC. See their portraits, faience vessels and a lock of hair dedicated to Arsinoe II.
Jul 11, 2020 · Learn about Arsinoë II, the sister-wife of Ptolemy II who shaped the Ptolemaic dynasty and influenced Cleopatra. Discover her life, marriages, children, and legacy in this podcast episode.
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Daughter of Ptolemy I (founder of the Macedonian dynasty that ruled Egypt for almost 300 years) and three times a queen. Name variations: Arsinoë II Philadelphos (the name "Philadelphus" was added after her last marriage). Pronunciation: Ar-SIN-o-ee.
