Tryphaena ( el, Τρύφαινα; c. 141 BC111 BC) was a Ptolemaic princess. She married the Seleucid king Antiochus VIII Grypus and was queen of Syria (124–111 BC).

Biography

Early life and Queen of Syria

It is often assumed that Tryphaena also bore the name ''Cleopatra'', but this has not been attested. She was the oldest daughter of the Egyptian king

Ptolemy VIII Physcon 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 ...

and his niece and wife Cleopatra III. Therefore, she was the sister of

Ptolemy IX Lathyros 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� ...

Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy X Alexander I ( gr, Πτολεμαῖος Ἀλέξανδρος, ''Ptolemaĩos Aléxandros'') was King of Egypt from 107 BC till his death in 88 BC, in co-regency with his mother Cleopatra III as Ptolemy Philometor Soter until 101 BC, an ...

, Cleopatra IV and Cleopatra Selene. In 124 BC Ptolemy VIII broke with his former ally

Alexander II Zabinas Alexander II Theos Epiphanes Nikephoros ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος Θεός Ἐπιφανής Νικηφόρος ''Áléxandros Theós Épiphanḗs Nikēphóros'', surnamed Zabinas; 150 BC – 123 BC) was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who ...

, instead supporting Antiochus VIII Grypus, the son of Demetrius II Nicator and

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 f ...

. As part of the new policy, Ptolemy VIII married his daughter Tryphaena to Antiochus VIII and also sent him reinforcements. The couple had five sons:

Seleucus VI Epiphanes Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator ( grc, Σέλευκος Ἐπιφανής Νικάτωρ, translit=Séleukos Epiphanís Nikátor; between 124 and 109 BC – 94 BC) was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who ruled Syria between 96 and 94 BC. He was t ...

, the twin Antiochus XI Epiphanes and Philip I Philadelphus,

Demetrius III Eucaerus Demetrius III Theos Philopator Soter Philometor Euergetes Callinicus ( grc, Δημήτριος θεός Φιλοπάτωρ σωτήρ Φιλομήτωρ Εὐεργέτης Καλλίνικος, surnamed Eucaerus; between 124 and 109 BCafter 8 ...

, and

Antiochus XII Dionysus Antiochus XII Dionysus Epiphanes Philopator Callinicus ( grc, Ἀντίοχος Διόνυσος Ἐπιφανής Φιλοπάτωρ Καλλίνικος; between 124 and 109 BC – 82 BC) was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who reigned as Kin ...

. Tryphaena also bore her husband a daughter called Laodice, who became the wife of Mithridates I Callinicus. Porphyry, quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea, ''Chronicle'' I, p. 261-262, edition by Schoene

Feud with Cleopatra IV and death

In 112 BC Antiochus VIII defeated his stepbrother and rival Antiochus IX Cyzicenus, and took

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

, where Cleopatra IV, the wife of Antiochus IX, stayed. Tryphaena hated her sister Cleopatra IV, who had taken refuge in the temple of

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

, and wanted her to be killed. She accused Cleopatra IV of introducing foreign armies into the dispute between the Seleucid stepbrothers and marrying outside Egypt against the will of her mother. Antiochus VIII asked his wife in vain to spare her sister. He said that his ancestors had never dealt so violently with women. He added that the temple, where Cleopatra IV had taken refuge, was sacred, and that he had to respect the gods, with whose help he had won. But Tryphaena was not to be persuaded by her husband and ordered several soldiers to execute her sister. They penetrated into the temple and killed Cleopatra IV. Before dying Cleopatra IV cursed her murderers and left her revenge to the discretion of the dishonoured gods. A year later, in 111 BC, Tryphaena was taken prisoner by Antiochus IX after he had beaten his stepbrother in another battle. Antiochus IX had her executed and sacrificed her to the manes of his wife.Justin, ''Epitoma historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi'' 39.3.4-12, our only source for these events

Notes

References

* Felix Stähelin: ''Kleopatra 25)''. In: '' Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft'' . Vol. XI, 1 (1921), col. 787–788.

External links