Ptolemy XI Alexander II ( gr, Πτολεμαῖος Ἀλέξανδρος, ''Ptolemaĩos Aléxandros'') was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty who ruled Egypt for a few days in 80 BC. He was a son of Ptolemy X Alexander I and Cleopatra Selene of Syria, Cleopatra Selene.

Biography

Ptolemy XI was born to Ptolemy X Alexander I and supposedly Cleopatra Selene of Syria, Cleopatra Selene. His uncle Ptolemy IX of Egypt, Ptolemy IX Lathryos died in 81 BC or 80 BC, leaving only his sole legitimate daughter as his heir, and so Cleopatra Berenice (= Berenice III) ruled alone for a time. However, Rome's Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Sulla wanted a pro-Roman ruler on the throne, and sent the young son of Ptolemy X to Egypt, displaying Ptolemy Alexander's will in Rome as supposed justification for this obvious interference. The will also apparently required Ptolemy XI to marry Berenice III of Egypt, Berenice III, who was his stepmother, cousin, and possible half-sister. However, nineteen days after the marriage, Ptolemy murdered his bride for unknown reasons, an unwise move since Berenice was very popular; Ptolemy was soon lynched by the citizens of Alexandria. He was succeeded by his cousin Ptolemy XII of Egypt, Ptolemy XII, an illegitimate son of Ptolemy IX.

Notes

References

Peter Green (historian), Peter Green, ''Alexander to Actium'' (University of California Press, 1990), pp. 553–554

External links

Ptolemy XI Alexander II
entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ptolemy 11 2nd-century BC births 80 BC deaths 1st-century BC Pharaohs 1st-century BC murdered monarchs Lynching deaths Pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty 1st-century BC rulers in Africa 1st-century BC Egyptian people