Oenanthe ( el, Οἰνἀνθη, which means ''wineflower'' - from οἶνος ''wine'' and ἄνθος ''flower''), who flourished in the 3rd century BC and died in 203 BC, was an

Egyptian Egyptian describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of ...

Greek noblewoman who, through marriage, was a relation of the

Ptolemaic dynasty The Ptolemaic dynasty (; grc, Πτολεμαῖοι, ''Ptolemaioi''), sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty (Λαγίδαι, ''Lagidae;'' after Ptolemy I's father, Lagus), was a Macedonian Greek royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic ...

. She was a woman of obscure origins. She had married (at an unknown date) Agathocles, an

Greek nobleman, the grandson of Agathocles of Syracuse the late Greek Tyrant of

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

, who later became King of Sicilyand

Theoxena of Syracuse Theoxena ( el, Θεόξενα; born before 317 BC; died after 289 BC) was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman. Through her mother's second marriage, she was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty and through marriage was a queen of Sicily. Family Theoxena w ...

, a Greek

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may specifically refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North M ...

noblewoman, who was the second older maternal half-sister of the Greek Egyptian Pharaoh

Ptolemy II Philadelphus ; egy, Userkanaenre Meryamun Clayton (2006) p. 208 , predecessor = Ptolemy I , successor = Ptolemy III , horus = ''ḥwnw-ḳni'Khunuqeni''The brave youth , nebty = ''wr-pḥtj'Urpekhti''Great of strength , gol ...

. Oenanthe bore Agathocles four children who were: one son,

Agathocles of Egypt Agathocles ( grc-gre, Ἀγαθοκλῆς, flourished 3rd century BC, died 203/202 BC) was a Ptolemaic minister and together with his sister Agathoclea was very close to Egyptian king Ptolemy IV Philopator (). Life Agathocles through his father w ...

; one daughter, called

Agathoclea Agathoclea Theotropus ( grc, Ἀγαθόκλεια Θεότροπος, Agathokleia Theotropos; the epithet possibly means ''the Goddess-like'') was an Indo-Greek queen married to Menander I, who ruled in parts of northern India in the 2nd-cent ...

, and another two daughters whose names are unknown. Agathocles died at an unknown date. Oenanthe later remarried to Theogenes, sometimes known as Theognetos or Diognetos. Theogenes was a prominent Egyptian Greek who was a '' dioiketes'' a manager of a private estate. Oenanthe was an ambitious and avaricious character. She introduced Agathoclea and Agathocles to the Egyptian Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy IV Philopator, who reigned from 221 BC to 205 BC. Through her children she was able to possess the greatest influence over the government in the reign of Ptolemy IV. Agathoclea became the favourite mistress of Ptolemy IV and, later, Agathocles became the regent and guardian of Ptolemy IV’s child,

Ptolemy V Epiphanes egy, Iwaennetjerwymerwyitu Seteppah Userkare Sekhem-ankhamun Clayton (2006) p. 208. , predecessor = Ptolemy IV , successor = Ptolemy VI , horus = '' ḥwnw-ḫꜤj-m-nsw-ḥr-st-jt.f'Khunukhaiemnisutkhersetitef'' The youth who ...

. Oenanthe’s influence only lasted until Ptolemy IV died. In 205 BC, after the accession of the young Ptolemy V, the citizens of Alexandria rose up against Oenanthe, her family and their party, who fled for refuge to the temple of the Thesmophorium. They hoped the aid of the goddesses and their enchantments would drive away the threats and curses. Some noble ladies had come to console her. The next day Oenanthe, her family and their party, were dragged out from the altar by the Alexandrians and brought naked on horse-back to the stadium, where they were all murdered, being torn into pieces.

References

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Sources

Ancient Library article: Agathoclea

3rd-century BC Greek people Ptolemaic dynasty Ancient Alexandrians Ptolemaic court 3rd-century BC Egyptian people Lynching deaths