Bust of Ptolemy XII Auletes, Louvre

Numbering the Ptolemies is a modern invention; the Greeks distinguished them by nickname. The number given here is the present consensus; but there has been some disagreement about which Ptolemies should be counted as reigning. Older sources may give a number one higher or lower, but the same epithet.

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Theos Philopator Theos Philadelphos (Greek:Πτολεμαίος Νέος Διόνυσος Θέος Φιλοπάτωρ Θεός Φιλάδελφος,New Dionysus, God Beloved of his Father, God Beloved of his Brother) (117 BC - 51 BC) was son of Ptolemy IX Soter II. His mother is unknown. He was king of Egypt from 80 BC to 58 BC and from 55 BC until his death in 51 BC. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1131x1599, 1080 KB) Description Description: Bust of Ptolemy XII Auletes (117 BC–51 BC) found in Egypt. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1131x1599, 1080 KB) Description Description: Bust of Ptolemy XII Auletes (117 BC–51 BC) found in Egypt. ... I.M. Peis Louvre Pyramid: one of the entrances to the galleries lies below the glass pyramid. ... Dionysus with a panther and satyr, in the Palazzo Altemps (Rome, Italy) Dionysus or Dionysos (Ancient Greek: Διώνυσος or Διόνυσος; also known as Bacchus in both Greek and Roman mythology and associated with the Italic Liber), the Thracian god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 160s BC 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC - 110s BC - 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC Years: 122 BC 121 BC 120 BC 119 BC 118 BC - 117 BC - 116 BC 115 BC... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC 52 BC 51 BC 50 BC 49 BC 48... Ptolemy IX (Ptolemy Soter II) was king of Egypt three times, from 116 BC to 110 BC, 109 BC to 107 BC and 88 BC to 80 BC, with intervening periods ruled by his brother, Ptolemy X Alexander. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC - 80s BC - 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC Years: 85 BC 84 BC 83 BC 82 BC 81 BC - 80 BC - 79 BC 78 BC 77... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC 52...

In 80 BC, Ptolemy XII succeeded Ptolemy XI Alexandros II to the throne of Egypt. The latter had been lynched by an angry crowd, after he had killed his popular coregent Berenice III, who was incidentally also a daughter of Ptolemy IX Soter II. When Ptolemy XI died without a male heir, the only available male descendents of the Ptolemy I lineage were the illegitimate sons of Ptolemy IX by an unknown Alexandrian Greek concubine (Clayton, 1994). The boys were living in exile in Sinope, at the court of Mithridates VI, King of Pontus. The eldest of the boys was proclaimed king as Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos and married his sister, Tryphaena. Ptolemy XI Alexander II was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty who ruled Egypt for a few days in 80 BC. Ptolemy IX Lathryos died in 81 or 80, leaving no legitimate heir, and so Cleopatra Bernice ruled alone for a time. ... Berenice III (120-80 BC), sometimes called Cleopatra Berenice, ruled as queen of Egypt from 81-80 BC, and possibly from 101-88 BC jointly with her uncle/husband Ptolemy X Alexander. ... For other meanings of Sinop/Sinope, see Sinope Sinop (also Sinope; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a city with a population of 47,000 on the coast of the Black Sea, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope. ... Mithridates VI of Pontus, (132 BC- 63 BC), called Eupator Dionysius, was the king of Pontus in Asia Minor and one of Romes most formidable and successful enemies. ... After the colonisation of the Anatolian shores by the Ionian Greeks, Pontus soon became a name which was applied, in ancient times, to extensive tracts of country in the northeast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) bordering on the Euxine (Black Sea), which was often called simply Pontos (the Main), by...

At first, Ptolemy XII was coregent with his sister Cleopatra VI Tryphaina and his wife Cleopatra V Tryphaena, but the former mysteriously disappears from the records in 69 BC. Cleopatra VI Tryphaena was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysus When her father fled to Rome to avoid an uprise in Alexandria against him, her sister Berenice took control. ... Cleopatra V of Egypt is the mother of Cleopatra VII, by her husband Ptolemy XII, and is possibly the mother of Cleopatra VI of Egypt and Berenice IV. External link Genealogy of Ptolemaic Dynasty Categories: Stub | Pharaohs ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC - 60s BC - 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC Years: 74 BC 73 BC 72 BC 71 BC 70 BC 69 BC 68 BC 67 BC 66...

Ptolemy XII's personal cult name (Neos Dionysos) earned him the ridiculing sobriquet Auletes (flute player) — as we learn from Strabo's writing (Strabo XVII, 1, 11): the Greek georgapher Strabo, in a 16th‑century engraving. ...

Now all at kings after the third Ptolemy, being corrupted by luxurious living, have administered the affairs of government badly, but worst of all the fourth, seventh, and the last, Auletes, who, apart from his general licentiousness, practised the accompaniment of choruses with the flute, and upon this he prided himself so much that he would not hesitate to celebrate contests in the royal palace, and at these contests would come forward to vie with the opposing contestants.

The first pylon at Edfu Temple was decorated by Ptolemy XII in 57 BC with figures of himself smiting the enemy.

During his reign, Ptolemy XII tried to secure his own fate and the fate of his dynasty by means of a pro-Roman policy. At the height of his success in 59 BC, after paying substantial bribes to Julius Caesar and Pompey, a formal alliance was formed (foedera) and his name was inscribed into the list of friends and allies of the people of Rome (amici et socii populi Romani). However in 58 BC after he failed to comment on the Roman conquest of Cyprus, a territory ruled by his brother, he was forced to flee to Rome. His daughter Berenice IV became his successor. From Rome he prosecuted his restitution. He was finally brought back into office with help of the Romans in 55 BC. From then on he reigned until he fell ill in 51 BC. Download high resolution version (1564x1073, 249 KB)Pylon of the Temple of Edfoe Egypt (Harm Frielink). ... Download high resolution version (1564x1073, 249 KB)Pylon of the Temple of Edfoe Egypt (Harm Frielink). ... Pylon is the Greek term for a monumental gate or door built in front of an Egyptian temple. ... The front of the Edfu Temple The first pylon at Edfu Temple Statue of Horus, Edfu Temple Edfu (also spelt Idfu or in modern French as Edfou and known in antiquity as Behdet) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the River Nile between Esna and Aswan... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC - 50s BC - 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC Years: 64 BC 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ... Marble bust of Pompey the Great For the ancient Roman city, see Pompeii. ... Berenice IV, daughter of Ptolemy XII of Egypt and probably Cleopatra V of Egypt Tryphaena, sister of Cleopatra VI of Egypt Tryphaena, the famous Cleopatra VII (loved by Julius Caesar and Mark Antony). ...

Soon before his death he chose his daughter Cleopatra VII as his coregent. In his will he declared that she and her brother Ptolemy XIII should rule the kingdom together. To safeguard his interests, he made the people of Rome executors of his will. Cleopatra VII Philopator (January 69 BC – August 12, 30 BC,Greek:Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ), later Cleopatra Thea Neotera Philopator kai Philopatris, was queen of ancient Egypt, the last member of the Ptolemaic dynasty and hence the last Hellenistic ruler of Egypt. ... Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (lived 62 BCE/61 BCE–January 13, 47 BCE?, reigned from 51 BCE) was one of the last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt. ...

Auletes means pipes-player, and refers to his chubby cheeks (a Ptolemaic family trait ), like the inflated cheeks of a pipe-player.

Further reading

• Clayton, A. (1994) "Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign by Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt." London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05074-0.

External links

• Strabo Geographika Books 1‑7, 15‑17 in English translation, ed. H. L. Jones (1924), at LacusCurtius