Ptolemy VI Philometor (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Φιλομήτωρ, Ptolemaĩos Philomḗtōr, ca. 186–145 BC) was a king of Egypt from the Ptolemaic period. He reigned from 180 to 145 BC.
Ptolemy succeeded in 180 at the age of about 6 and ruled jointly with his mother, Cleopatra I, until her death in 176 BC. The following year he married his sister, Cleopatra II.
In 170 BC, Antiochus IV began the sixth Syrian War and invaded Egypt twice. He was crowned as its king in 168, but abandoned his claim on the orders of the Roman Senate.
From 169–164, Egypt was ruled by a triumvirate consisting of Ptolemy, his sister-queen and his younger brother known as Ptolemy VIII Physcon. In 164 he was driven out by his brother and went to Rome to seek support, which he received from Cato. He was restored the following year by the intervention of the Alexandrians and ruled uneasily, cruelly suppressing frequent rebellions.
In 152 BC, he briefly ruled jointly with one of his sons, known as Ptolemy Eupator, but it is thought that Ptolemy Eupator died that same year.
External links
- Ptolemy Philometor at LacusCurtius — (Chapter IX of E. R. Bevan's House of Ptolemy, 1923)
- Ptolemy VI — (Egyptian Royal Genealogy)
- Ptolemy VI Philometor entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
Ptolemy V Epiphanes
Cleopatra I Ptolemaic King of Egypt
with Cleopatra I
Cleopatra II
Ptolemy VIII Physcon
181–164 BCE Succeeded by
Ptolemy VIII Physcon
Preceded by
Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemaic King of Egypt
with Cleopatra I
Cleopatra II
Ptolemy VIII Physcon
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
163–145 BCE Succeeded by
Cleopatra II
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
Antigonus I Monophthalmus · Demetrius I Poliorcetes · Antigonus II Gonatas · Demetrius II Aetolicus · Antigonus III Doson · Philip V · Perseus
Seleucus I Nicator · Antiochus I Soter · Antiochus II Theos · Seleucus II Callinicus · Seleucus III Soter · Antiochus III the Great · Seleucus IV Philopator · Antiochus IV Epiphanes · Antiochus V Eupator · Demetrius I Soter · Alexander I Balas · Demetrius II Nicator · Antiochus VI Dionysus · Diodotus Tryphon · Antiochus VII Sidetes · Alexander II Zabinas · Antiochus VIII Grypus · Antiochus IX Cyzicenus · Seleucus VI Epiphanes · Antiochus X Eusebes · Antiochus XI Epiphanes · Demetrius III Eucaerus · Philip I Philadelphus ·
Antiochus XII Dionysus · Seleucus VII Philometor · Antiochus XIII Asiaticus · Philip II PhiloromaeusPhiletaerus · Eumenes I · Attalus I · Eumenes II · Attalus II · Attalus III · Eumenes III