From 170 BC Ptolemy VIII joined in coregency with his brother Ptolemy VI and their sister, the remarkable Cleopatra II (not to be confused with the more famous Cleopatra VII). In 168 BC Lower Egypt was overrun by the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV, from Syria, and the Ptolemaic dynasty might have been brought to its end, had not Rome intervened to make the Seleucid king withdraw: this is a decisive turning-point in Egyptian history, with Egypt now brought within the Roman sphere of power. Struggles between the brother kings forced first Ptolemy VI into exile in Cyprus, then Ptolemy VIII into exile in Cyrenaica: when Ptolemy VI died in battle, Ptolemy VIII was able to return to rule alone. However, dynastic strife continued, with a civil war between Ptolemy VIII and Cleopatra II in 132-124 BC.

Attestation in the Petrie Museum:

caricature of the king ? (click on the image to see a larger picture)

Further Attestations:

• Temple fortress at Taposiris Magna (Arnold 1999: 193)
• Bark chapel at Denderah (Arnold 1999: 194)
• Gate at Koptos (Arnold 1999: 194)
• Work at the Mont temple at Medamud (Arnold 1999: 194-197)
• Small scale work at Karnak (Arnold 1999: 197)
• Portico at the Amun temple at Medinet Habu (Arnold 1999: 198)
• Small temple at Qasr el-'Aguz (Arnold 1999: 198)
• The Amun sanctuary in the Hatshepsut temple of Deir el-Bahari was transformed into a chapel for Imhotep (Arnold 1999: 200)
• Further work at the Horus temple at Edfu (Arnold 1999: 200-202)
• Birth house at Kom Ombo (Arnold 1999: 202)
• Temple on Elephantine (Arnold 1999: 202)
• Building work at Philae (Arnold 1999: 202-204)
• Thot temple at Dakka was enlarged (Arnold 1999: 204)

Bibliography:

• Hölbl 2001: 194-204

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