Arsinoe IV facts for kids

Arsinoë IV (born between 68 and 63 BC – died 41 BC) was a princess of Ancient Egypt. She was the youngest daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, a pharaoh of Egypt. Arsinoë was also the half-sister of the famous Cleopatra VII.

For a short time, Arsinoë was a co-ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt with her brother Ptolemy XIII. This was from 48 BC to 47 BC. She was one of the very last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family that ruled Egypt for a long time.

Arsinoë played a part in a war against her sister Cleopatra. After her brother Ptolemy XIII was defeated, the Roman general Julius Caesar took Arsinoë as a prisoner to Rome. She was later sent away to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Sadly, in 41 BC, she was killed there by order of Mark Antony, who was a powerful Roman leader and Cleopatra's lover.

Early Life and Family

Arsinoë was a daughter of King Ptolemy XII. Her mother is not known for sure. When her father died in 51 BC, his oldest children, Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra VII, were supposed to rule Egypt together.

But Ptolemy XIII soon removed Cleopatra from power. He forced her to leave the city of Alexandria.

Conflict with Rome

In 48 BC, the Roman general Julius Caesar came to Alexandria. He was chasing his enemy, Pompey. Pompey was killed, which changed Caesar's plans. Caesar then decided to support Cleopatra.

Caesar announced that Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII should rule Egypt together, as their father had wanted. He also gave the island of Cyprus to Arsinoë and her youngest brother, Ptolemy XIV. Cyprus had been taken by Rome earlier.

However, Arsinoë did not agree with Caesar's plans. She escaped from the royal palace with her helper, Ganymedes. Arsinoë then took charge of the Egyptian army. She declared herself Queen Arsinoë IV. She also put Ganymedes in charge of the army under her.

Under Arsinoë's leadership, the Egyptians had some success against the Romans. They trapped Caesar's forces in a part of Alexandria. Arsinoë ordered Ganymedes to pour seawater into the canals that supplied Caesar's troops with fresh water. This caused a lot of trouble for the Romans. Caesar tried to fix this by digging wells. He also sent ships to find more fresh water.

Caesar then tried to take control of the harbor and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. But Arsinoë's forces fought back and pushed him away. Caesar had to swim to a Roman ship to escape.

Capture and Exile

Later, some Egyptian officers were unhappy with Ganymedes. They talked with Caesar and agreed to trade Arsinoë for Ptolemy XIII. After Ptolemy was released, he continued the war. But the Romans received more soldiers and defeated the Egyptians in the Battle of the Nile.

Arsinoë was now a prisoner of the Romans. In 46 BC, she was taken to Rome. She was forced to walk in Caesar's victory parade, known as a Roman triumph. She was paraded behind a burning model of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. This was a symbol of her earlier victory over Caesar.

The crowd felt sorry for Arsinoë. Caesar decided to spare her life. He sent her to live in the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Arsinoë lived there for a few years.

Death

Cleopatra saw Arsinoë as a threat to her power. In 41 BC, Cleopatra asked Mark Antony to have Arsinoë killed. Mark Antony ordered Arsinoë's death right on the steps of the temple.

This act was seen as a terrible crime in Rome. Killing someone in a temple was a serious offense. The priest who had welcomed Arsinoë to the temple was later pardoned.

See also

In Spanish: Arsínoe IV para niños