Cleopatra V facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cleopatra V of Egypt |
|
|---|---|
| Cleopatra V Tryphaena | |
A likely sculpture of Cleopatra V Tryphaena (also known as Cleopatra VI), 1st century BC, from Lower Egypt, now in the Musée Saint-Raymond
|
|
| Queen from the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt | |
| Reign | with Ptolemy XII and Berenice IV |
| Predecessor | Ptolemy XII (brother or cousin and husband) |
| Successor | Berenice IV (daughter) |
| Consort | Ptolemy XII (brother or cousin) |
| Children | Known: Berenice IV Probably: Cleopatra VII Possibly: Cleopatra Tryphaena II Arsinoe IV Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV |
| Father | Uncertain: Ptolemy IX or Ptolemy X |
| Mother | Uncertain: Possibly an unknown mistress of Ptolemy IX, Cleopatra IV or Berenice III |
| Died | c. 69–68 BC or c. 57 BC |
Cleopatra V (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Τρύφαινα) was an ancient Egyptian Queen from the Ptolemaic family. She was the only confirmed wife of Ptolemy XII, who was a king of Egypt.
Cleopatra V was the mother of Berenice IV. Many historians also believe she was the mother of the famous Cleopatra VII. It's not fully clear when Cleopatra V died. She might have died around 69 BC, when Cleopatra VII was born. Or, she might have lived longer and ruled Egypt with her daughter Berenice IV from 58 to 57 BC. This happened when Ptolemy XII was away in Rome. After 57 BC, there are no more records of Cleopatra V.
Contents
Who Was Cleopatra V?
Cleopatra V is a bit of a mystery because there aren't many old writings about her. This makes it hard for historians to know many details about her life.
She was often called Tryphaena. This might have been her name before she became queen and took the royal name Cleopatra. Some modern historians call her Cleopatra VI to help tell her apart from other queens named Cleopatra.
Her Family and Marriage
We don't know for sure who Cleopatra V's parents were. She might have been a daughter of Ptolemy IX or Ptolemy X. One idea is that she was the daughter of Ptolemy X who left Egypt in 88 BC.
Cleopatra V is first mentioned in old Egyptian papers called papyri in 79 BC. In that same year, she married Ptolemy XII, who was the king of Egypt. They were seen as divine rulers, meaning people worshipped them like gods.
As queen, Cleopatra V had important Egyptian titles. These titles included Daughter of Re (the sun god), Female Ruler, and Mistress of Two Lands.
When Did Cleopatra V Die?
Historians are not sure exactly when Cleopatra V died. It's also confusing because many queens in the Ptolemaic family were named Cleopatra. The numbers we use today (like Cleopatra V or Cleopatra VII) were added much later by historians.
Cleopatra V's name starts to disappear from monuments and papyri around 69 BC. This was the same year Cleopatra VII was born. Some old papers from Ptolemy XII in 69 BC don't mention Cleopatra V, even though they usually would if she were still alive.
Different Ideas About Her Death
One idea is that Cleopatra V died in 69 BC. She might have died while giving birth, or perhaps she was killed. If she died so early, then the "Cleopatra Tryphaena" who ruled with Berenice IV in 58 and 57 BC must have been her daughter. Some historians call this daughter Cleopatra VI Tryphaena.
However, there's a carving on the Temple of Edfu from 57 BC that includes Cleopatra Tryphaena's name next to Ptolemy XII's. This suggests she was still alive and was the king's wife, not his daughter. If this is true, then Cleopatra V and the supposed Cleopatra VI are the same person, and Cleopatra V lived until about 57 BC. This would also mean Ptolemy XII only had three daughters, which were Berenice IV, Cleopatra VII, and Arsinoe IV.
Some historians believe that Cleopatra V and Ptolemy XII had disagreements in 69 BC. These arguments might have led to Cleopatra V stepping down from her role as queen.
Mother of Cleopatra VII?
Most experts agree that Cleopatra V was probably the mother of Cleopatra VII. If Cleopatra VII had been born outside of marriage, her many enemies in Rome would have used that information against her. Since they didn't, it suggests she was seen as legitimate.
Cleopatra V was definitely the mother of Berenice IV. It's possible that Ptolemy XII had other children with a different wife, such as Arsinoe IV, Ptolemy XIII, and Ptolemy XIV. However, some historians think Cleopatra V was the mother of all of Ptolemy XII's known children.
In 55 BC, Ptolemy XII returned to Egypt with help from the Roman army. He then had his daughter Berenice IV executed because she had taken his throne.
See also
In Spanish: Cleopatra V para niños
