AE Dichalkon 287-281 BCE under Aristagoras
4.23g
Vs.: verschleierter Kopf der Arsinoe II. n. r.
Rs.: Hirsch lagert n. l., Kopf n. r.
SNG v. Aulock 1840; Svoronos 134, 883 Taf. 26, 13
Arsinoe II ascended as queen at a young age of fifteen, but was soon a seasoned pro, albeit with some casualties.
She was born in Egypt to Ptolemy I Soter, and was the elder sister to Ptolemy‘s eventual successor, Ptolemy II Philadelphos.
As an aside, for a long time I thought the Greeks were just not inventive in names, but now I realize why kings – especially lagid ones – had the same names. When I lived in Michigan, instead of a DMV to get your driver’s license, you have to visit the Secretary of State. Yes, every time there’s a new election they have to change all the signs. The Greeks figured this out much earlier than Michigan. Since the rulers had the same name, they didn’t have to change any of the signs.
But, back to Arsinoe II. As part of an alliance with Lysimachos, she was shipped off to him despite the fact that he was sixty and would be arrested nowadays. Nevertheless, he was still fit, since she bore him three sons including Ptolemy Epigonos.
During that time, she must have watched some Game of Thrones, because she started to play. One of her first challenges was the fact that Lysimachos already had elder children by Nicaea, daughter of Antipater. The eldest, Agathokles, was in line for the throne. That wouldn’t do at all.
So, Arsinoe convinced Lysimachos that Agathokles committed treason, and since Lysimachos was an irate guy, had him executed.
This turned out badly, though, when Agathokles‘ wife ran over to Seleukos I Nikator, who sent an army and killed Lysimachos. There was now no throne for her sons to inherit.
Her fortunes changed shortly after the battle, when her half-brother Ptolemy Keraunos(through Ptolemy I) offered to join Seleukos in prayer, then stabbed him in the back (literally). Now, Seleukos was out of the picture.
Since both Ptolemy Keraunos and Arsinoe II had eyes on Macedon, they chose a strategic marriage alliance as the solution, despite the fact they were half-siblings. This turned immediately tragic since they didn’t get along at all and similar high dispositions. Arsinoe II turned against Ptolemy Keraunos, and he retaliated by killing her two youngest children.
Arsinoe escaped with her remaining son Ptolemy Epigonos, and they took refuge in her native Egypt.
There, she met with her brother, now king, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, and decided the best course of action was to get married.
Whoah! I bet a lot of you didn’t see that one coming. Weren’t they brother and sister…like in having the same mother and father? Yes! That’s where the name “Philadelphos” comes from, which literally means “sibling lover.” It was also a common Egyptian practice at the time.
Uncommon with participants in this Game of Thrones, Arsinoe II actually died of old age. Her brother started a religion based on her, and it was actually quite successful.