| Berenice II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Octodrachma of Berenice II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Queen regnant of Cyrenaica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 258–247/246 BCE[1][2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Magas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Annexed by Ptolemaic Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Co-rulers | Magas (until 250 BCE) Demetrius (250–249 BCE) Republican government (249–246 BCE) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Queen of Egypt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 246–221 B.C.E.[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Co-rulers | Ptolemy III (246–222 BCE) Ptolemy IV (222–221 BCE) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | c. 267/266 BCE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 221 BCE (aged 45 or 46) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy III Euergetes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issue | Ptolemy IV Arsinoe III Alexander Magas of Egypt Berenice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dynasty | Ptolemaic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Magas of Cyrene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Apama II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Berenice II Euergetis (267 or 266 – 221 BCE; Greek: Βερενίκη Ευεργέτις, Berenikē Euergetis, "Berenice the Benefactress"[4]) was queen regnant of Cyrenaica from 258 to 246 BCE and co-regent queen of Ptolemaic Egypt from 246 to 222 BCE as the wife of Ptolemy III.
She married Demetrius, thus giving him the throne of Cyrenaica, on the death of her father Magas in 250/249 BCE. After a short power struggle with her mother, Berenice married her half-cousin Ptolemy III, the third ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom. This marriage led to the re-incorporation of Cyrenaica into the Ptolemaic empire. As queen of Egypt, Berenice participated actively in government, was incorporated into the Ptolemaic state cult alongside her husband and worshipped as a goddess in her own right. She is best known for sacrificing her hair as a votive offering, which led to the constellation Coma Berenices being named after her. Berenice was murdered by the regent Sosibius shortly after the accession of her son Ptolemy IV Philopator in 221 BCE.
- ^ Reginald Stuart Poole; British Museum Dept. of Coins and Medals (1883). Catalogue of Greek Coins: The Ptolemies, Kings of Egypt. The Trustees. p. 59.
i. Queen Regnant of Cyrenaïca, ʙ.ᴄ. 258–247.
- ^ "Libya Heads". guide2womenleaders.com. Retrieved 2022-12-25.
- ^ Stanwick, Paul Edmund (22 July 2010). Portraits of the Ptolemies: Greek Kings as Egyptian Pharaohs. University of Texas Press. p. xviii. ISBN 9780292787476.
- ^ "Berenice II Euergetis". World History Encyclopedia.