Ptolemy Philadelphus (Cleopatra)

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For Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, see Ptolemy II Philadelphus

Ptolemy Philadelphus (Autumn 36 - ? BC) was the youngest child of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt. He shares his name with Ptolemy II Philadelphus who succeeded Ptolemy I Soter, the founder of the dynasty. The implication that Mark Antony was a second Ptolemy Soter was probably intentional.

In 34 BC, at the age of two he was proclaimed King of Syria and Anatolia.

Augustus Caesar took him, his brother Alexander Helios and sister Cleopatra Selene back to Rome as captives after their parents killed themselves in 30 BC.

The children lived with Octavia Minor, who was Augustus's sister and had been Antony's wife. Nothing is known of Ptolemy's life afterwards. D. W. Roller, in The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene, notes that Ptolemy is not mentioned by Dio Cassius (51.21.8) as taking part in one of Augustus' triumphs, while his siblings are, causing him to believe that he died in 29 BC at the latest (pg. 83). This argument from silence is far from proven, however.

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