Cleopatra III Queen of Egypt

Apr 10, 2010
Karl Leon Ciccone

Cleopatra III (Right) and Cleopatra II (Left) - Photo by Remih

The ancestor of Antony's Cleopatra was a scheming woman, whose intrigues angered her favourite son, and he ordered her assassination.

Cleopatra III was the third of seven Egyptian queens named Cleopatra during the reign of the Ptolemies, she was the daughter of Ptolemy VI Philometor by his sister-wife and queen, Cleopatra II, and she was born in Alexandria in 161 BC.

Kidnapped By Her Uncle

When she was sixteen, her father died on campaign, and her troublesome uncle Ptolemy VIII arrived from Cyrenaica proposing joint rule of Egypt with his widowed sister, Cleopatra II, who he married only to have her son Ptolemy Eupator killed at the wedding feast. He was proclaimed pharaoh, taking the name Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, he fathered children by Cleopatra II, but she became too old to bear children, and in 142 he took his young niece Cleopatra III, while still married to her mother.

Rebellion

Cleopatra II was furious, and a rebellion broke out in Alexandria, the angry mob set fire to the palace, and Ptolemy fled to Cyprus with the young Cleopatra, and had her brother, Ptolemy Memphitis murdered, sending the dismembered bodily parts back to their mother in Alexandria, who then fled to Syria in 127, and Ptolemy and Cleopatra III returned to assume control of Alexandria, the family were later reconciled and both Ptolemy and Cleopatra II died in 116.

Choosing a Successor

Ptolemy left control of Egypt to Cleopatra III, and in his will he dictated that she appoint his successor from whichever of their sons she found fit enough to rule, she was left with five children, Cleopatra Tryphaena who was married to the king of Syria, Cleopatra IV and Cleopatra Selene I, and she had two sons, Ptolemy, known as Lathyros, and the younger, Ptolemy Alexander, who was her favourite, she proclaimed him king and acting herself as co-regent, but Alexandrian protested, and she was forced to have Lathyros crowned instead.

An Angry Daughter

Lathyros was proclaimed Pharaoh Ptolemy IX Soter II, and his mother provided him with Cleopatra IV as his sister-bride, only to oust her after a year replacing her with Cleopatra Selene for no reason other than favouritism, Cleopatra IV fled to Cyprus where she raised an army and took off for Syria where she married her cousin, they waged war against his brother, Antiochus VIII Grypus, who was married to her sister, Tryphaena, the rebellion was crushed and Tryphaena had her executed, but Grypus’ brother avenged his wife’s death, and had Tryphaena tortured to death in 111.

Cleopatra Pushes Lathyros Out

After only a couple of years Cleopatra III accused Lathyros of trying to murder her, and he was deposed and forced to flee to Cyprus, leaving Cleopatra Selene behind, and Ptolemy Alexander was proclaimed Pharaoh Ptolemy X Alexander I in his place. Lathyros then spent time in Syria raising armies planning to invade Egypt, but Cleopatra III forged an alliance with her nephew, Grypus, and sent Cleopatra Selene I as a bride, ruining Lathyros’ efforts to reclaim his crown.

She Grows Tired of Her Replacement King

Relations between Ptolemy Alexander and his mother deteriorated and she grew tired of him as well, she soon began her plotting and scheming, and planned to reinstate Lathyros, Ptolemy Alexander was then deposed, being replaced by Lathyros yet again.

Son Kills Mother

In 101, she became tired of Lathyros once more and tried to have him deposed to bring back Ptolemy Alexander, but when the younger son was reinstated he was sick to death of his mother’s plotting and had her assassinated. Cleopatra III died in Alexandria aged sixty.