The Power Wars of Cleopatras of Ptolemaic Origin, Who Attended the Seleucid Kingdom Through Marriage

Abstract

Marriages arranged to support political alliances between Hellenistic kingdoms were a symbol of peace between dynasties. These marriages were especially applied between the two important kingdoms of the Hellenistic world, the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties. With diplomatic marriages, the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms aimed to make the peace process permanent. In the peace text that will come into effect after the Second Syrian War (260-253 BC) between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, the marriage to be realized between these two dynasties was reflected in the text of the treaty and the Seleucid King II. Antiochos Theos and Ptolemaic Princess Berenike Phernophoros formalized their marriage in 252 BC. With the political marriages between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, the peace establishment was tried to be preserved and consolidated. Cleopatras of Ptolemaic origin took place in the Seleucid Dynasty and assumed an active role in the kingdom, with Cleopatra Thea as of 150 BC. The increasing dominance of Queen Cleopatra Thea with her attempts to gain political power in the Seleucid Kingdom showed that Cleopatras of Ptolemaic origin tried to be permanent and active. Cleopatra Trypheana, Cleopatra IV and Cleopatra V Selene, as Seleucid queens of Ptolemaic origin, entered into a struggle for existence with a series of political and social activities in the Seleucid Dynasty. In this study, the political existence struggles of the Ptolemaic origin Cleopatras in the Seleucid Kingdom were examined, and it was aimed to analyze the effects of these activities on the Seleucid Kingdom in line with ancient and modern sources.

Keywords

• Hellenistic Period
• Seleucids
• Ptolemies
• Cleopatra Thea
• Cleopatra IV

Seleukos Krallığı’na Evlilik Yolu İle Katılan Ptolemaios Kökenli Kleopatraların Güç Savaşları

Abstract

Hellenistik krallıklar arasında siyasi ittifakları desteklemek amacıyla düzenlenen evlilikler hanedanlar arası barış sembolü niteliği taşımıştır. Bu evlilikler Hellenistik dünyanın önemli iki krallığı Seleukos ve Ptolemaios hanedanlıkları arasında da özellikle uygulanmıştır. Diplomatik evlilikler ile Seleukos ve Ptolemaios krallıkları barış sürecini kalıcı kılmayı hedeflemiştir. Seleukos ve Ptolemaios krallıkları arasındaki İkinci Suriye Savaşı’nın (MÖ 260-253) ardından yürürlüğe girecek olan barış metninde bu iki hanedan arasında gerçekleştirilecek olan evlilik, antlaşma metnine yansıtılmış ve Seleukos Kralı II. Antiokhos Theos ile Ptolemaios Prensesi Berenike Phernophoros MÖ 252 yılındaki evliliklerini resmileştirmiştir. Seleukos ve Ptolemaios krallıkları arasında gerçekleştirilen siyasi evliliklerle barış tesisi korunmaya ve sağlamlaştırılmaya çalışılmıştır. Ptolemaios kökenli Kleopatraların Seleukos Hanedanlığı’nda yer edinmesi ve krallık içerisinde etkin bir rol üstlenmesi ise MÖ 150 yılı itibariyle Kleopatra Thea ile gerçekleşmiştir. Kraliçe Kleopatra Thea’nın, Seleukos Krallığı’nda siyasi güç elde etme girişimleriyle birlikte artan egemenliği Ptolemaios kökenli Kleopatraların aktif ve kalıcı olmaya çalıştıklarını göstermiştir. Kleopatra Trypheana, IV. Kleopatra ve V. Kleopatra Selene Ptolemaios kökenli Seleukos kraliçeleri olarak Seleukos Hanedanlığı’nda bir dizi siyasi ve sosyal faaliyetlerle varlık mücadeleleri içerisine girmiştir. Bu çalışmada Ptolemaios kökenli Kleopatraların Seleukos Krallığı içerisindeki siyasi varlık mücadeleleri incelenmiş, antik ve modern kaynaklar doğrultusunda bu faaliyetlerin Seleukos Krallığı’na etkilerinin analizi hedeflenmiştir.

Keywords

• Hellenistik Dönem
• Seleukoslar
• Ptolemaioslar
• Kleopatra Thea
• IV. Kleopatra

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