Born around 185-187 BC, the only daughter of Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I, Cleopatra II makes her first notable appearance in the sources in March 175 BC, when she married her oldest brother Ptolemy VI (who was about 11 at the time). Cleopatra II ascended the throne with Ptolemy VI as his co-ruler, and her image as Egypt’s queen was celebrated enthusiastically. In temple scenes, the new queen was depicted carrying out rituals, always standing behind her husband, but embodying between them the important ancient Egyptian concept of duality. On the great pylon at Philae, the royal couple are shown offering wine, perfume, and flowers to Isis, Horus, Hathor, Harpocrates, and Meret; another Philae scene shows Cleopatra and Ptolemy make cult offerings to Khnum, Satet, and Anuket. At the Temple of Kom Ombo, Cleopatra once more plays a supporting role to her husband (who wears the double crown) as they both stand before Khonsu, Haroeris, and Sobek.
Puppet rulers?
In reality, due to the youth and inexperience of both Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra, real power lay behind the throne, with two ineffectual ‘guardians’: Eulaeus and Lenaeus. Despite a total lack of military experience, these two Greek courtiers quickly set Egypt on a collision course with king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who had just ascended to the Seleucid throne. Eulaeus and Lenaeus inaugurated a new form of rulership within the royal family when, in November 170 BC, they established a triumvirate of co-rulers: Ptolemy VI, Cleopatra II, and their youngest sibling ‘Ptolemy the brother’as he was known at the time, although he was later called ‘Potbelly’ because of his enormous size. The rationale for the unorthodox and momentous move to put three siblings on the throne together remains unknown – it certainly had no pharaonic or Hellenistic precedent. It is possible that Eulaeus and Lenaeus were attempting to quell the power which Ptolemy VI (now aged 18) was beginning to accrue for himself as he grew in age and experience. Unfortunately, when Potbelly was prematurely elevated to the joint throne of his siblings, a monster was born.
The official nature of the relationship between Potbelly and his two siblings is unclear, but he does not appear to have wed his sister, and there is no evidence that Cleopatra II entered a polyandrous marriage at this date – that notion was too much even for the incestuous Ptolemies. Instead, Cleopatra II found herself in the role of mediator. In her dealings with the brothers, Cleopatra II revealed herself to be a superb manipulator. The era of the tripartite co-rule ushered in the dawn of female supremacy – an age of ‘girl power’, which was to last until the sunset of the dynasty. Cleopatra II built on her mother’s reputation for solid governance, and she established herself as a notable authority in domestic and international politics. However, at the time of the triple monarchy, not even her talents for negotiation could end the discord within her own palace.
