Ptolemy XIII

Relatives:

• Father: Ptolemy XII Auletes
• Mother: An Egyptian lady from a Memphite priestly family

Main deeds:

• 61: Born
• February/March 51: Death of Ptolemy's father, Ptolemy XII Auletes. He is succeeded by Cleopatra VII
• Summer 50: Cleopatra accepts her brother Ptolemy XIII as co-ruler
• Summer 49: Sole rule of Ptolemy XIII, recognized by both Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator, and his opponent, Pompey the Great.
• Cleopatra remains queen in the Thebaid, and accepts another brother, Ptolemy XIV, as co-ruler. His main courtiers are Achillas, Theodotus, and Pothinus.
• 48: Cleopatra tries to return, but her army is defeated near Pelusium.
• 48: Caesar defeats Pompey (battle of Pharsalus); Pompey flees to Egypt and is killed by courtiers of Ptolemy XIII
• Caesar arrives in Egypt and orders Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra VII to disband their armies, but instead, war breaks out (text).
• 14 January 47: Ptolemy is killed in action

Information on the web:

• Ptolemaic Genealogy (Chris Bennett)
• E.R. Bevan, The House of Ptolemy (1927), chapter 13.