Berenice IV, queen of Egypt of the Ptolemaic dynasty, who reigned during the first half of the 1st century BC She is known to have seized power after overthrowing her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, and for resisting the restoration of his reign with the help of Rome.
Origins and family
Berenice IV was born around 77 BC. AD, daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes and probably Cleopatra V Tryphaena. She belongs to the Ptolemy dynasty, a line that ruled Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great. The latter is also the older sister of the famous queen Cleopatra.
Seizure and reign
In 58 BC. AD, when Ptolemy XII Auletes is exiled to Rome because of political and financial conflicts, Bérénice IV and her sister Cleopatra VI Tryphaena seize the throne of Egypt. However, Cleopatra VI dies soon after, and Berenice IV reigns alone as Queen of Egypt.
During her reign, Berenice IV sought to strengthen her power by forging alliances with neighboring kingdoms and supporting the Egyptian army. At first llle married a man by the name of Seleucos Kybiosaktes, whom she had executed shortly after, then she married Archelaus, a noble from Cappadocia, in 55 BC. J.-C.
Conflict with Rome and fall
During the exile of Ptolemy XII Auletes, he allied himself with Rome, in particular with the Roman general Pompey, who sought to restore the reign of Ptolemy XII in Egypt. In 55 BC. BC, a Roman army led by Aulus Gabinius invades Egypt to dethrone Berenice IV.
Berenice IV resists the Roman invasion, but is eventually captured and dethroned after her army is defeated. She is executed on the orders of her father, who regains the throne of Egypt with the help of the Romans.
His legacy
Although Berenice IV's reign was short, she left a lasting impression as a queen who challenged the power of Rome and the authority of her own father.
Its history is an example of the complexity of political intrigue and power struggles within the Ptolemaic dynasty. The life and reign of Berenice IV is studied by historians as an important chapter in the history of Ptolemaic Egypt and the relationship between Egypt and Rome.
📋 LIST OF EGYPTIAN SOVEREIGNS 📋
Hotepsekhemwey / Sneferka / Nebra / ninetjer / Senedj / Noubnefer / Horus Ba / Peribsen / Sekhemib / Khasekhemwy / Neferkasokar / | |||
Djoser / Sanakht / Sekhemkhet / Spoon / Huni | |||
Sekhemre-Khutaouy Amenemhat-/Sobekhotep I/Sekhemkare Amenemhat-Senbef/Sekhemkare Amenemhat V/Ameny-Qemaou/Hotepibre Qémaou-Sa-Hornejhéritef/Ioufeni/Séânkhibrê Amény-Antef-Amenemhat (or Amenemhat VI)/Semenkarê Nebnoun/Sehotepibrê Sousekhtaouy | |||
Sekhaenre Yakbim/Nebuuserre Yaammou/Khauserre Qareh | |||
Semqen/Aper-Anat/Sakir-Har/Khyan/Apophis I/Apophis II?/Khamoudy | |||
/Sekhemre-Sementaouy Djehouty/Sekhemre-Sousertaouy Sobekhotep VIII | |||
Twenty-first dynasty | |||
Twenty-second dynasty | |||
Twenty-third dynasty | |||
Twenty-fourth dynasty | |||
1st Persian Dynasty | |||
Thirty-first dynasty (Achaemenid) | 2nd Persian Dynasty | ||