General Notes

Name Suffix:<NSFX> King of Egypt
Note: Ptolemy VI (186?-145 bc), called Ptolemy Philometor ("loving hismother"), king of Egypt (181-145 bc), the son of Ptolemy V andCleopatra I. During his reign, Egypt was invaded by the Seleucidking Antiochus IV, and Ptolemy was made a prisoner. The thronewas then given by the Alexandrians to his brother, Ptolemy VII.After Antiochus withdrew, the brothers ruled as joint kings.Conflicts between them arose, and through Roman arbitration,Cyrenaica was given to Ptolemy VII to rule. After the death ofthe Seleucid king Demetrius I in 150 bc, Ptolemy VI was offeredthe Seleucid crown by the people of Antioch, but he declined infavor of the legitimate heir, Demetrius II. In 145 bc Ptolemy VIdied of wounds received in a battle, which resulted in the finaldefeat of Demetrius II's rival, Alexander Balas (died 145 bc).

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Ptolemy VI PHILOMETOR

(Greek: Loving His Mother) (fl. c. 180-145 BC), Macedonian kingof Egypt under whom an attempted invasion of Coele Syriaresulted in the occupation of Egypt by the Seleucids. AfterRoman intervention and several ventures of joint rule with hisbrother, however, Ptolemy was able to reunite his realm.

The son of Ptolemy V Epiphanes and Cleopatra I, Ptolemy VI ruledas co-regent with his mother, who, although a daughter of aSeleucid king, did not take sides in Syria and remained friendlywith Rome. Mother and son governed effectively until her deathin 176, when Ptolemy fell under the influence of two ambitiouscourtiers. Around 173 Ptolemy was married to his sister,Cleopatra II. Under his advisers' guidance, preparations weremade to invade Coele Syria. In 170 Ptolemy VIII Euergetes, hisbrother, was associated on the throne with Ptolemy VI andCleopatra II, and Coele Syria was invaded, but the Seleucidruler Antiochus IV decisively defeated the Egyptians and seizedPelusium, the Egyptian frontier city. Antiochus invaded Egypt in170 and again in 168, but withdrew under pressure from thePtolemies' ally, Rome. About October 164 Philometor was expelledfrom Alexandria by his brother and fled to Rome for support. TheRomans thereupon partitioned the Ptolemaic realm, orderingEuergetes into Cyrenaica and giving Philometor Cyprus and Egypt.

Euergetes, not content with Cyrenaica alone, journeyed to Rometwice to ask for Cyprus also. The Senate finally decided togrant the brother's request; Philometor, however, delayed theRomans by clever diplomacy and in 154 defeated his brother, whoattempted to seize Cyprus by force. Nevertheless Philometorrestored his brother to Cyrenaica, married a daughter to him,and granted him a grain subsidy. In Rome, meanwhile, the Romanstatesman Cato the Elder, deploring the continuous intrigues,praised Ptolemy VI as a good and beneficent ruler. At lastPhilometor's kingdom became relatively secure.

In 155, however, the Seleucid ruler of Syria had incurredPtolemy's enmity by conspiring to seize Cyprus. When apretender, Alexander Balas, appeared, Philometor hastened to aidhim in 153, and later even gave him a daughter in marriage.About 148, however, the Egyptian king found himself in Syriaagain when another pretender appeared. When Alexander Balasfailed in his attempt to have Philometor assassinated, theEgyptian ruler bestowed his daughter, Balas' wife, on the newpretender. Although Ptolemy supported him, the people of Antiochand the Syrian army asked the Egyptian monarch himself to becometheir ruler. Ptolemy declined, but he was soon drawn into abattle in which Alexander Balas was defeated and slain. Duringthe battle Ptolemy fell from his horse and fractured his skull,dying a few days later.

fell from his horse and fractured his skull