Berenice () (275 BC–246 BC), also called Berenice Phernophorus ("Dowry Bearer") or Berenice Syra, was an Egyptian princess and a Seleucid queen regent. She was a Seleucid queen by marriage to

Antiochus II Theos Antiochus II Theos (, , meaning "Antiochus the God"; 286 – July 246 BC) was a Greek king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire who reigned from 261 to 246 BC. He succeeded his father Antiochus I Soter in the winter of 262–61 BC. He was th ...

, and regent during the minority of her son Antiochus in 246.

Life

Berenice was the daughter of

Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy II Philadelphus (, ''Ptolemaîos Philádelphos'', "Ptolemy, sibling-lover"; 309 – 28 January 246 BC) was the pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 284 to 246 BC. He was the son of Ptolemy I, the Macedonian Greek general of Alexander the G ...

and Arsinoe I of Egypt. She was named after her paternal grandmother,

Berenice I of Egypt Berenice I (; c. 340 BC – between 279 and 268 BC) was Queen of Egypt by marriage to Ptolemy I Soter. She became the second queen, after Eurydice of Egypt, Eurydice, of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Ancient Egypt, Egypt. Life Family Berenice was orig ...

. The date of her birth is unknown, but most estimates are before 280, as her mother was exiled the following year.Greenwalt, William. "Berenice Syra (c. 280–246 BCE)." ''Women in World History'': ''A Biographical Encyclopedia'', edited by Anne Commire, vol. 2, Yorkin Publications, 2002, pp. 457-459. ''Gale eBooks'', Accessed 29 Mar. 2023. Berenice Syra's relationship with her father remained positive after her mother's exile. When she moved upon her marriage, he provided her with bottled water from the

Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...

, so she would never have to drink from any other source.

Queen

Around 252 BC, following the peace agreement of 253 BC between Antiochus and Ptolemy to end the Second Syrian War, Berenice married the

Seleucid The Seleucid Empire ( ) was a Greek state in West Asia during the Hellenistic period. It was founded in 312 BC by the Macedonian general Seleucus I Nicator, following the division of the Macedonian Empire founded by Alexander the Great, a ...

monarch

, who divorced his wife Laodice I and transferred the succession to Berenice's children. Upon their marriage, she took the name "Syra," referencing Syria. Berenice was fairly old for a Ptolemaic princess to marry. Her dowry was so large, she was known as Phernephorus'','' or the Dowerbringer. Antiochus II took up again with his first wife, Laodice. Ptolemy II pressured Antiochus II to return to Berenice, but he repeatedly delayed this. In 246 BC, when Ptolemy died,

Ptolemy III Ptolemy III Euergetes (, "Ptolemy the Benefactor"; c. 280 – November/December 222 BC) was the third pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt from 246 to 222 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom reached the height of its military and economic power duri ...

increased the diplomatic pressure his father had begun. Antiochus died shortly thereafter, many suspect from poisoning, possibly by Laodice.

Regent

Queen Berenice claimed the regency for her infant son Antiochus III. Laodice imprisoned Berenice and kidnapped and murdered Antiochus III, placing her own son on the throne. In a public confrontation with Antioch's chief magistrate, possibly about her son having been replaced with a look-alike, Laodice struck and killed Antiochus III. Berenice then pleaded with the assembled crowd for her son's life (not aware of his fate), gaining her sympathy from throughout the Seleucid cities. This sympathy marked her as a stronger foe, and led to her execution by Laodice. Ptolemy III raised an army and rushed to Antioch in an attempt to save his sister, but arrived too late. Berenice's female attendants conspired, eventually along with her brother, to publish falsified letters proving that Berenice was alive so that Ptolemy III could seize Berenice's dowry. Ptolemy III set about to avenge his sister's murder by invading Syria and having Laodice killed.

Legacy

Her story may be referenced in the

Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th-century BC setting. It is ostensibly a narrative detailing the experiences and Prophecy, prophetic visions of Daniel, a Jewish Babylonian captivity, exile in Babylon ...

.John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas. IVP Bible Background Commentary, 2000.

Notes

References

"Women in power 500 - C.E. 1"
accessed 20 March 2006 {{DEFAULTSORT:Berenice Ancient murder victims Ptolemaic princesses Seleucid royal consorts 3rd-century BC women regents 270s BC births 246 BC deaths 3rd-century BC regents Daughters of kings