Arsinoe II of Egypt
Arsinoe II (316-July 270 BC), queen of Thrace and later co-ruler of Egypt with her brother and husband Ptolemy II of Egypt.
Arsinoe II was at the age of 15, married to King Lysimachus of Thrace, to whom she bore three sons. In order to position her sons for the throne, she had Lysimachus's first son poisoned on account of treason. After Lysimachus' death in battle in 281 BC, she fled to Cassandrea, Greece and married her half-brother Ptolemy Keraunos. This proved to be a serious misjudgement, as Ptolemy Keraunus promptly killed two of her sons; the eldest was able to escape to Alexandria, Egypt to join the protection of her brother Ptolemy II.
In Egypt, she probably instigated the accusation and exile of her brother Ptolemy II's first wife, Arsinoe I of Egypt. Arsinoe II then married her brother; as a result, both were given the epithet "Philadelphoi" ("Brother-Loving") by the scandalized Greeks. Arsinoe II shared all of her brother's titles and apparently was quite influential, having towns dedicated to her, her own cult (as was Egyptian custom), and appearing on coinage. Apparently, she contributed greatly to foreign policy, including Ptolemy's victory in the First Syrian War (274-271 BC) between Egypt and the Seleucid Empire in the Middle East. After her death Ptolemy II continued to refer to her on official documents, as well as supporting her coinage and cult.
External links
- Coin with her portrait
- Encyclopædia Britannica
- Arsinoe II entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
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