Ptolemy X Alexander

Relatives:

• Father: Ptolemy VIII Physcon
• Mother: Cleopatra III
• First wife: unknown
  • Son: Ptolemy XI Alexander
• Second wife: Cleopatra Berenice III (daughter of Ptolemy IX and Cleopatra IV)
  • Daughter

Main deeds:

• 28 June 116: Death of Ptolemy VIII Physcon, who is succeeded by Cleopatra III. She wants to rule with Ptolemy X Alexander, but the Alexandrines force her to accept Ptolemy IX Soter, who is fourteen years old, as co-ruler. Ptolemy X, even younger, is briefly made general of Cyprus.
• 114: Ptolemy X starts to call himself king.
• October 110-February 109: Ptolemy X replaces Ptolemy IX as co-ruler; this attempt to make Ptolemy X king is a failure, and he returns to Cyprus
• March 108: Ptolemy X briefly replaces Ptolemy IX, but this second attempt is a failure too, and Ptolemy IX returns to power
• October 107: Ptolemy IX is forced to flee to Cyprus; Ptolemy X Alexander finally becomes co-ruler
• c.105: Birth of Ptolemy XI Alexander
• Ptolemy X Alexander marries Cleopatra Berenice III (daughter of Ptolemy IX and Cleopatra IV); they have a daughter
• 103: Antiochus IX Cyzicenus supports the Samarians against the Hasmonaean king John Hyrcanus of Judaea; Ptolemy IX Soter supports Antiochus, hoping that Judaea will be a first step to a return to Egypt.
• 103: Ptolemy X Alexander sends his baby son Ptolemy XI Alexander to Kos, invades Judaea, reaches Damascus, and returns
• 20 February 102: Cleopatra III defeats Ptolemy IX Soter near Pelusium
• 26 October 101: Ptolemy X Alexander orders the killing of Cleopatra and continues as sole ruler
• 100: Berenice III accepts Ptolemy XI Alexander, who is still on Kos, as son; the boy is recognized as king, but stays in Greece
• 91: Revolt in the Thebaid
• 88: The Alexandrines expell their king, perhaps because his ties with the Jews were considered to be too close; Ptolemy IX Soter becomes king and defeats Ptolemy X Alexander (October 88)
• Ptolemy X flees to Myra, where he started to build an army; the Romans support him but demand that he changes his will; the king must one day leave his realm to Rome
• December (?) 88: On Cyprus, Ptolemy X Alexander fights against general Chaereas, and is defeated and killed

Information on the web:

• Ptolemaic Genealogy (Chris Bennett)
• E.R. Bevan, The House of Ptolemy (1927), chapter 11.