Cleopatra III ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα; c.160–101 BC) was a queen of

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...

. She ruled at first with her mother

Cleopatra II Cleopatra II (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα; c. 185 BC – 116/115 BC) was a queen of Ptolemaic Egypt who ruled from 175 to 115 BC with two successive brother-husbands and her daughter—often in rivalry with her brother Ptolemy VIII. She co- ...

and husband

Ptolemy VIII Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Tryphon ( gr, Πτολεμαῖος Εὐεργέτης Τρύφων, ''Ptolemaĩos Euergétēs Tryphon'' "Ptolemy the Benefactor; c. 184 BC – 28 June 116 BC), nicknamed Physcon ( "Fatty"), was a king of the Ptolema ...

from 142 to 131 BC and again from 127 to 116 BC. She then ruled with her sons

Ptolemy IX Ptolemy IX Soter II Ptolemy IX also took the same title 'Soter' as Ptolemy I. In older references and in more recent references by the German historian Huss, Ptolemy IX may be numbered VIII. ( el, Πτολεμαῖος Σωτ� ...

and Ptolemy X from 116 to 101 BC. Cleopatra III was also known as Cleopatra Euergetis while associated with her husband Ptolemy VIII or her son Ptolemy X. She is attested as Cleopatra Philometor Soteira while associated with her eldest son Ptolemy IX. According to

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called " Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could s ...

, she was sometimes known as Kokke when discussed in relation to her son Ptolemy X.Cleopatra III
by Chris Bennett

Life

Cleopatra III's uncle

ruled together with her parents from ca 170 BC to 164 BC, at which point he expelled

and

Ptolemy VI Ptolemy VI Philometor ( gr, Πτολεμαῖος Φιλομήτωρ, ''Ptolemaĩos Philomḗtōr'';"Ptolemy, lover of his Mother". 186–145 BC) was a Greek king of Ptolemaic Egypt who reigned from 180 to 164 BC and from 163 to 145 BC. Ptolemy ...

. However, he was soon forced to abdicate in 163 BC.Ptolemy VIII
by Chris Bennett Cleopatra III's parents retook the throne and remained in power for almost 20 years until 145 BC. Cleopatra III was born between 160 and 155 BC. She was a sister to

Ptolemy Eupator Ptolemy Eupator was the son of Ptolemy VI Philometor and Cleopatra II, Dodson and Hilton (2004) p. 280 and for a short time in 152 BCE reigned as co-ruler on Cyprus with his father. It is thought that Ptolemy Eupator died in August of that sa ...

Cleopatra Thea Cleopatra Thea ( el, Κλεοπάτρα Θεά, which means "Cleopatra the Goddess"; c. 164 – 121 BC) surnamed Eueteria (i.e., "good-harvest/fruitful season") was the ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. She was queen consort of Syria fr ...

Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator ( gr, Πτολεμαῖος Νέος Φιλοπάτωρ, ''Ptolemaĩos Néos Philopátōr'' "Ptolemy the New Beloved of his Father") was a Ptolemaic king of Egypt. His reign is controversial, and it is possible that h ...

, and possibly Berenice.Ptolemy VI
by Chris BennettAidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, 2004 Ptolemy VI died in 145 BC from injuries sustained when falling from his horse during the battle of Oinoparas against

Alexander Balas Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος Βάλας, Alexandros Balas), was the ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 150/Summer 152 – August 145 BC. Picked from obscurity and supported by the neighboring Roman ...

. Cleopatra III’s uncle Ptolemy VIII became the King of Egypt again.

Joint rule with her mother and husband

Ptolemy VIII first married Cleopatra III’s mother Cleopatra II in 145 BC, and married Cleopatra III in c. 139 BC. Cleopatra II rebelled against Ptolemy VIII in c. 132 BC and Cleopatra III fled to Cyprus in 130 BC with her husband, but was able to return to Alexandria in 127 BC. In c. 124 BC Cleopatra III and her husband were joined again by her mother Cleopatra II as a joint ruler.

Joint rule with her sons

After the death of Ptolemy VIII in 116 BC Cleopatra III ruled jointly with her mother Cleopatra II and her son Ptolemy IX. Her mother died late into the same year or early into the next year (115 BC). Cleopatra III expelled Ptolemy IX from Alexandria in 107 BC and replaced him as co-regent with her second son Ptolemy X. After 6 years of joint rule Ptolemy X had his mother Cleopatra III murdered in 101 BC. Cleopatra III was succeeded by Ptolemy X, possibly in joint rule with his wife

Berenice III Berenice III (Greek: Βερενίκη; 120–80 BC) was also known as Cleopatra, ruled between 101 and 80 BC. Modern scholars studying Berenice III refer to her sometimes as Cleopatra Berenice. She was co-ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt from 101–8 ...

, who was Cleopatra III's granddaughter.

Issue

Cleopatra III and Ptolemy VIII married in 142 or 141 BC and had five children:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleopatra 03 2nd-century BC births 101 BC deaths 2nd-century BC Egyptian women 2nd-century BC Pharaohs 2nd-century BC rulers in Africa 2nd-century BC women rulers Ancient Egyptian queens regnant Female pharaohs Murdered royalty Pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty