Alexander Helios: Difference between revisions

Alexander Helios
Alexander Helios
Prince of Ptolemaic Egypt
	Bronze statuette identified as Alexander Helios, mid-1st century BC, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Born	40 BC (presumed, exact date unknown); Alexandria, Egypt
Died	possibly between 29 and 25 BC; Rome, Roman Empire
Dynasty	Ptolemaic
Father	Mark Antony
Mother	Cleopatra VII Philopator

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Alexander Helios (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος Ἥλιος; late 40 BC – unknown, but possibly between 29 and 25 BC)^[1] was a Ptolemaic prince and son of Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of the Ptolemaic dynasty and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. Alexander's fraternal twin sister was Cleopatra Selene II.^[2]^[3] Cleopatra named her son after Alexander the Great.^[4] His second name in Ancient Greek means "Sun"; this was the counterpart of his twin sister's second name Selene (Σελήνη), meaning "Moon".^[5]

Life

Alexander Helios was born and educated in Alexandria. He was the second of Cleopatra's three sons, Caesarion being the oldest. In late 34 BC, at the Donations of Alexandria, Alexander Helios, aged six, was dressed in a Median costume and was given the title king of Kings and the ruler of Armenia, Media, Parthia and any countries yet to be discovered between the Euphrates and Indus Rivers.^[6]^[7]^[8] Although most of this territory stood outside of their control at that time.^[9] These areas were, in fact, already ruled by Artaxias II of Armenia (who had been elected King that same year after Antony captured his father Artavasdes II), Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene and Phraates IV of Parthia. In 33 BC, Alexander was engaged to his distant relative Iotapa,^[10]^[11] a princess of Media Atropatene and daughter of Artavasdes I.^[12] However, Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. The next year, they committed suicide as Octavian and his army invaded Egypt. Iotapa left Egypt to return to her father and later married her maternal cousin King Mithridates III of Commagene, who was of Armenian and Greek descent.^[13]

When Octavian conquered Egypt he spared Alexander but took him, his sister and his brother, Ptolemy Philadelphus, from Egypt to Rome. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome by parading the children in heavy gold chains in the streets behind an effigy of their mother clutching an asp to her arm. It is unclear whether Ptolemy Philadelphus survived the journey to Rome, as Cassius Dio mentions the twins only in his History of Rome.^[14] Octavian gave the children to Octavia Minor, his elder sister and a former wife of Mark Antony, to be raised under her guardianship in Rome. They were generously received by Octavia, who educated them with her own children.^[15]

Later life

The fate of Alexander Helios is unknown. Plutarch, Cassius Dio and Suetonius state that Octavian killed Antony's son Marcus Antonius Antyllus and Cleopatra's son with Julius Caesar, Caesarion.^[16] The only further mention of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus comes from Cassius Dio, who states that when their sister, Cleopatra Selene II, married King Juba II, Octavian (by then named Augustus) spared the lives of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus as a favor to the couple.^[17] After Helios arrives in Rome he disappears from historical records.

References

^ D. W. Roller, The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene, 2003, p. 77
^ Desmond, Alice (1983). Cleopatra's children. New York, Dodd, Mead. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-396-06376-6.
^ Magnusson, Magnus; Moorcroft, Christine (1998). Cleopatra (Famous People Story Books). p. 16. ISBN 978-1-86215-354-7.
^ Sapet, Kerrily (2007). Cleopatra: Ruler of Egypt (World Leaders). p. 110. ISBN 978-1-59935-035-6.
^ Mason, Charles Peter (1867). "Alexander". In William Smith (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 112. Archived from the original on 2007-04-05.
^ History, Hourly (2017). Cleopatra: A Life From Beginning to End. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-9797-5184-1.
^ Jones, Prudence (2006). Cleopatra: the last pharaoh. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-904950-25-7.
^ Hughes-Hallett, Lucy (1991). Cleopatra: histories, dreams and distortions. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-06-092093-7.
^ Plutarch, Antony 54.6-9; Cassius Dio xlix. 41.1-3; Livy, periochae 131
^ "Ptolemaic Dynasty Affiliates". www.tyndalehouse.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
^ Southern, Pat (2007). Cleopatra. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-7524-4336-2.
^ Weigall, Arthur (1914). The life and times of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. p. 332.
^ Cassius Dio xlix. 40.2; xlix. 44.1-4; li. 16.2; Plutarch, Antony 53.12
^ Cassius Dio li. 21.8
^ Plutarch, Antony 87.1; Suetonius, Augustus 17.5
^ Plutarch, Antony 81.1 - 82.1; 87.1; Cassius Dio li. 15.5; Suetonius, Augustus 17.5
^ Cassius Dio li. 15.6; compare Plutarch, Antony 87.1-2

Sources

"Alexander Helios". Archived from the original on 2003-11-02.
Cleopatra Selene II & Juba II
Plutarch - Antony

[1] D. W. Roller, The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene, 2003, p. 77

[2] Desmond, Alice (1983). Cleopatra's children. New York, Dodd, Mead. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-396-06376-6.

[3] Magnusson, Magnus; Moorcroft, Christine (1998). Cleopatra (Famous People Story Books). p. 16. ISBN 978-1-86215-354-7.

[4] Sapet, Kerrily (2007). Cleopatra: Ruler of Egypt (World Leaders). p. 110. ISBN 978-1-59935-035-6.

[DGRBM-5] Mason, Charles Peter (1867). "Alexander". In William Smith (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 112. Archived from the original on 2007-04-05.

[6] History, Hourly (2017). Cleopatra: A Life From Beginning to End. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-9797-5184-1.

[7] Jones, Prudence (2006). Cleopatra: the last pharaoh. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-904950-25-7.

[8] Hughes-Hallett, Lucy (1991). Cleopatra: histories, dreams and distortions. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-06-092093-7.

[9] Plutarch, Antony 54.6-9; Cassius Dio xlix. 41.1-3; Livy, periochae 131

[10] "Ptolemaic Dynasty Affiliates". www.tyndalehouse.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2017-06-09.

[11] Southern, Pat (2007). Cleopatra. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-7524-4336-2.

[12] Weigall, Arthur (1914). The life and times of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. p. 332.

[13] Cassius Dio xlix. 40.2; xlix. 44.1-4; li. 16.2; Plutarch, Antony 53.12

[14] Cassius Dio li. 21.8

[15] Plutarch, Antony 87.1; Suetonius, Augustus 17.5

[16] Plutarch, Antony 81.1 - 82.1; 87.1; Cassius Dio li. 15.5; Suetonius, Augustus 17.5

[17] Cassius Dio li. 15.6; compare Plutarch, Antony 87.1-2

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+{{Short description|Son of Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra VII}}
 {{more citations needed|date=January 2014}}
 {{Infobox royalty
 | name         = Alexander Helios
 | title        = Prince of [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Ptolemaic Egypt]]
-| image        =
+| image        = Bronze statuette of a boy in Eastern dress MET DT7206.jpg
+| caption      = Bronze statuette identified as Alexander Helios, mid-1st century BC, [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]
-| caption      =
 | spouse       =
 | issue        =
+| dynasty      = [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]]
 | father       = [[Mark Antony]]
 | mother       = [[Cleopatra|Cleopatra VII Philopator]]
@@ Line 14: / Line 16: @@
 | death_place  = [[Rome]], [[Roman Empire]]
 | burial_place =
-| dynasty        = [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]]
 }}
-'''Alexander Helios''' ({{lang-el|Ἀλέξανδρος Ἥλιος}}; late 40 BC – unknown, but possibly between 29 and 25 BC)<ref>D. W. Roller, ''The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene'', 2003, p. 77''</ref> was a [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]] prince and was a son of the [[Ancient Macedonians|Macedonian]] queen [[Cleopatra VII]] of Ptolemaic Egypt by [[Roman Republic|Roman]] triumvir [[Mark Antony]]. Alexander's [[fraternal twin]] sister was  [[Cleopatra Selene II]]. Cleopatra named her son after [[Alexander the Great]]. [[Helios|His second name]] in Ancient Greek means "Sun"; this was the counterpart of his twin sister's second name [[Selene]] (Σελήνη), meaning "Moon".<ref name="DGRBM">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Mason |first=Charles Peter |title=Alexander |editor=William Smith |encyclopedia=[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]] |volume=1 |page=112 |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |location=Boston |year=1867 |url=http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0121.html |editor-link=William Smith (lexicographer) |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405210127/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0121.html |archivedate=2007-04-05 }}</ref>
+'''Alexander Helios''' ({{langx|el|Ἀλέξανδρος Ἥλιος}}; late 40 BC – unknown, but possibly between 29 and 25 BC)<ref>D. W. Roller, ''The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene'', 2003, p. 77''</ref> was a [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]] prince and son of [[Pharaoh]] [[Cleopatra VII]] of the [[Ptolemaic dynasty]] and [[Roman Republic|Roman]] triumvir [[Mark Antony]]. Alexander's [[fraternal twin]] sister was [[Cleopatra Selene II]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Desmond |first=Alice |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatraschildr00desm/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Alexander+ |title=Cleopatra's children. |year=1983 |page=1 |publisher=New York, Dodd, Mead |isbn=978-0-396-06376-6 |language=En}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Magnusson |first1=Magnus |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatrac7030bc0000moor/page/16/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Alexander+ |title=Cleopatra (Famous People Story Books) |last2=Moorcroft |first2=Christine |date=1998 |page=16 |isbn=978-1-86215-354-7 |language=En}}</ref> Cleopatra named her son after [[Alexander the Great]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sapet |first=Kerrily |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatrarulerof0000sape/page/110/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=legend |title=Cleopatra: Ruler of Egypt (World Leaders) |date=2007 |page=110|isbn=978-1-59935-035-6 }}</ref> [[Helios|His second name]] in [[Ancient Greek]] means "Sun"; this was the counterpart of his twin sister's second name [[Selene]] (Σελήνη), meaning "Moon".<ref name="DGRBM">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Mason |first=Charles Peter |title=Alexander |editor=William Smith |encyclopedia=[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]] |volume=1 |page=112 |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]] |location=Boston |year=1867 |url=http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0121.html |editor-link=William Smith (lexicographer) |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405210127/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0121.html |archivedate=2007-04-05 }}</ref>
 ==Life==
+[[File:The twins of Cleopatra and Mark Antony - Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II.png|thumb|Alexander Helios with his twin sister, adorned by Egyptian and Greek cultural references, e.g. [[Cleopatra Selene II]] is crowned with a crescent Moon, referring to her namesake the lunar deity.]]
-Alexander Helios was born and educated in [[History of Alexandria#Ptolemaic Period|Alexandria]]. He was the second of Cleopatra's three sons, [[Caesarion]] being the oldest. In late 34 BC, at the [[Donations of Alexandria]], he was given the title of "King of Kings". His parents also made him ruler of [[Armenia#Antiquity|Armenia]], [[Atropatene|Media]], [[Parthia]] and any countries yet to be discovered between the Euphrates and Indus Rivers, despite the fact that most of this territory stood outside of their control at that time.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Antony'' 54.6-9; [[Cassius Dio]] xlix. 41.1-3; [[Livy]], ''periochae'' 131</ref> These areas were, in fact, already ruled by [[Artaxias II]] of Armenia (who had been elected King that same year after Antony captured his father [[Artavasdes II of Armenia|Artavasdes II]]), [[Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene]] and [[Phraates IV]] of [[Parthia]]. In 33 BC, Alexander was engaged to his distant relative [[Iotapa (daughter of Artavasdes I)|Iotapa]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tyndalehouse.com/Egypt/ptolemies/affilates/aff_ptolemies.htm |title=Ptolemaic Dynasty Affiliates |website=www.tyndalehouse.com |access-date=2017-06-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716100716/http://www.tyndalehouse.com/Egypt/ptolemies/affilates/aff_ptolemies.htm |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}</ref> a princess of Media [[Atropatene]] and daughter of [[Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene|Artavasdes I]]. However, Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by [[Octavian]] at the [[Battle of Actium]] in 31 BC. The next year, they committed suicide as Octavian and his army invaded Egypt. Iotapa left Egypt to return to her father and later married her maternal cousin King [[Mithridates III of Commagene]], who was of Armenian and Greek descent.<ref>Cassius Dio xlix. 40.2; xlix. 44.1-4; li. 16.2; Plutarch, ''Antony'' 53.12</ref>
+Alexander Helios was born and educated in [[History of Alexandria#Ptolemaic Period|Alexandria]]. He was the second of Cleopatra's three sons, [[Caesarion]] being the oldest. In late 34 BC, at the [[Donations of Alexandria]], Alexander Helios, aged six, was dressed in a Median costume and was given the title king of Kings and the ruler of [[Armenia#Antiquity|Armenia]], [[Atropatene|Media]], [[Parthia]] and any countries yet to be discovered between the [[Euphrates]] and Indus Rivers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=History |first=Hourly |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatralifefro0000hist/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=six |title=Cleopatra: A Life From Beginning to End |date=2017 |page=32|isbn=978-1-9797-5184-1 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Prudence |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatralastpha0000jone/page/n1/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Alexander+ |title=Cleopatra: the last pharaoh |date=2006 |page=96 |isbn=978-1-904950-25-7 |language=En}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hughes-Hallett |first=Lucy |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatrahistori0000hugh_k2y9/page/98/mode/1up?view=theater&q=Alexander+ |title=Cleopatra: histories, dreams and distortions |date=1991 |page=99|isbn=978-0-06-092093-7 }}</ref> Although most of this territory stood outside of their control at that time.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Antony'' 54.6-9; [[Cassius Dio]] xlix. 41.1-3; [[Livy]], ''periochae'' 131</ref> These areas were, in fact, already ruled by [[Artaxias II]] of Armenia (who had been elected King that same year after Antony captured his father [[Artavasdes II of Armenia|Artavasdes II]]), [[Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene]] and [[Phraates IV]] of [[Parthia]]. In 33 BC, Alexander was engaged to his distant relative [[Iotapa (daughter of Artavasdes I)|Iotapa]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tyndalehouse.com/Egypt/ptolemies/affilates/aff_ptolemies.htm |title=Ptolemaic Dynasty Affiliates |website=www.tyndalehouse.com |access-date=2017-06-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716100716/http://www.tyndalehouse.com/Egypt/ptolemies/affilates/aff_ptolemies.htm |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Southern |first=Pat |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatra0000sout?view=theater |title=Cleopatra |date=2007 |page=168 |isbn=978-0-7524-4336-2 |language=En}}</ref> a princess of Media [[Atropatene]] and daughter of [[Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene|Artavasdes I]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Weigall |first=Arthur |url=https://archive.org/details/lifetimesofcleop00weig/page/n338/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=lotapa |title=The life and times of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt |date=1914 |page=332}}</ref> However, Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by [[Octavian]] at the [[Battle of Actium]] in 31 BC. The next year, they committed suicide as Octavian and his army invaded Egypt. Iotapa left Egypt to return to her father and later married her maternal cousin King [[Mithridates III of Commagene]], who was of Armenian and Greek descent.<ref>Cassius Dio xlix. 40.2; xlix. 44.1-4; li. 16.2; Plutarch, ''Antony'' 53.12</ref>
-When Octavian conquered Egypt, he spared Alexander, but took him, his sister and his brother, [[Ptolemy Philadelphus (son of Cleopatra)|Ptolemy Philadelphus]] from Egypt to [[Rome]]. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome by parading the children in heavy golden chains in the streets behind an effigy of their mother clutching an asp to her arm. It is unclear whether Ptolemy Philadelphus survived the journey to Rome, as [[Cassius Dio]] only mentions the twins in his ''History of Rome''.<ref>Cassius Dio li. 21.8</ref> Octavian gave the children to [[Octavia Minor]], his elder sister and a former wife of Mark Antony, to be raised under her guardianship in Rome. They were generously received by Octavia, who educated them with her own children.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 87.1; [[Suetonius]], ''Augustus'' 17.5</ref>
+When Octavian conquered Egypt he spared Alexander but took him, his sister and his brother, [[Ptolemy Philadelphus (son of Cleopatra)|Ptolemy Philadelphus]], from Egypt to [[Rome]]. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome by parading the children in heavy gold chains in the streets behind an effigy of their mother clutching an asp to her arm. It is unclear whether Ptolemy Philadelphus survived the journey to Rome, as [[Cassius Dio]] mentions the twins only in his ''History of Rome''.<ref>Cassius Dio li. 21.8</ref> Octavian gave the children to [[Octavia Minor]], his elder sister and a former wife of Mark Antony, to be raised under her guardianship in Rome. They were generously received by Octavia, who educated them with her own children.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 87.1; [[Suetonius]], ''Augustus'' 17.5</ref>
 ===Later life===
-The fate of Alexander Helios is unknown. [[Plutarch]], [[Cassius Dio]] and [[Suetonius]] state that Octavian killed Antony's son [[Marcus Antonius Antyllus]] and Cleopatra's son with Julius Caesar, [[Caesarion]].<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 81.1 - 82.1; 87.1; Cassius Dio li. 15.5; Suetonius, ''Augustus'' 17.5</ref> The only further mention of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus comes from Cassius Dio, who states that when their sister Cleopatra Selene II married King [[Juba II]], Octavian (then named Augustus) spared the lives of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus as a favor to the couple.<ref>Cassius Dio li. 15.6; compare Plutarch, ''Antony'' 87.1-2</ref> After Helios arrived in Rome, he disappears from historical records, implying that he died before reaching maturity.
+The fate of Alexander Helios is unknown. [[Plutarch]], [[Cassius Dio]] and [[Suetonius]] state that Octavian killed Antony's son [[Marcus Antonius Antyllus]] and Cleopatra's son with Julius Caesar, [[Caesarion]].<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' 81.1 - 82.1; 87.1; Cassius Dio li. 15.5; Suetonius, ''Augustus'' 17.5</ref> The only further mention of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus comes from Cassius Dio, who states that when their sister, Cleopatra Selene II, married King [[Juba II]], Octavian (by then named Augustus) spared the lives of Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus as a favor to the couple.<ref>Cassius Dio li. 15.6; compare Plutarch, ''Antony'' 87.1-2</ref> After Helios arrives in Rome he disappears from historical records.
 ==See also==
 *[[List of people who disappeared mysteriously: pre-1970|List of people who disappeared]]
-*[[List of people whose parent committed suicide]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 42: / Line 43: @@
 [[Category:20s BC deaths]]
 [[Category:40 BC births]]
-[[Category:Antonii]]
-[[Category:Cleopatra]]
 [[Category:Fraternal twins]]
-[[Category:Missing person cases in Egypt]]
 [[Category:Ptolemaic dynasty]]
 [[Category:Roman-era Egyptians]]
-[[Category:Twin people from Egypt]]
+[[Category:Egyptian twins]]
 [[Category:Year of death unknown]]
 [[Category:Children of Cleopatra]]
+[[Category:Children of Mark Antony]]
+[[Category:Sons of queens regnant]]
+[[Category:People of the War of Actium]]