Cleopatra II

The causes of the Sixth Syrian War are obscure.

Eulaeus and Lenaeus, the two regents of the young king of Egypt, Ptolemy VI Philometor, declare war on the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 170.

Ptolemy's younger siblings Ptolemy VIII Physcon and Cleopatra II are in the same year declared co-rulers in order to bolster the unity of Egypt.

Military operations do not begin until 169, when Antiochus quickly gains the upper hand, seizing the important strategic town of Pelusium.

The Egyptians realize their folly in starting the war, Eulaeus and Lenaeus are overthrown and replaced by two new regents, Comanus and Cineas, and envoys are sent to negotiate a peace treaty with Antiochus.

Antiochus takes Ptolemy VI (who is his nephew) under his guardianship, giving him effective control of Egypt.

However, this is unacceptable to the people of Alexandria, who respond by proclaiming Ptolemy Physcon as sole king.

Antiochus besieges Alexandria but he is unable to cut communications to the city so, at the end of 169, he withdraws his army.

In his absence, Ptolemy VI and his brother are reconciled.

Antiochus, angered at his loss of control over the king, invades again.

The Egyptians send to Rome asking for help and the Senate dispatches Gaius Popilius Laenas to Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Antiochus has seized Cyprus and Memphis and is marching on Alexandria.

At Eleusis, on the outskirts of the capital, he meets Popilius Laenas, with whom he had been friends during his stay in Rom, but instead of a friendly welcome, Popilius offers the king an ultimatum from the Senate: he must evacuate Egypt and Cyprus immediately.

Antiochus begs to have time to consider but Popilius draws a circle round him in the sand with his cane and tells him to decide before he steps outside it.

Antiochus chooses to obey the Roman ultimatum.

The "Day of Eleusis" ends the Sixth Syrian War and Antiochus' hopes of conquering Egyptian territory.

Near East (177–166 BCE): The Sixth Syrian War and Roman Intervention

The era from 177 to 166 BCE in the Near East is dominated by the tumultuous events of the Sixth Syrian War, a significant conflict between the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt. The war's origins are obscure but are initiated by the Egyptian regents Eulaeus and Lenaeus in 170 BCE, during the reign of the young king Ptolemy VI Philometor. To fortify Egypt's unity, the king's younger siblings, Ptolemy VIII Physcon and Cleopatra II, are declared co-rulers.

Military operations commence in 169 BCE. The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes swiftly gains the advantage, capturing the strategic city of Pelusium and effectively controlling Egypt. Egyptian leaders quickly realize their miscalculation, depose Eulaeus and Lenaeus, and appoint new regents Comanus and Cineas to negotiate peace. Antiochus IV takes Ptolemy VI, his nephew, under his guardianship, effectively asserting dominance over Egypt. This arrangement proves unacceptable to the people of Alexandria, who instead proclaim Ptolemy Physcon sole king.

Antiochus retaliates by laying siege to Alexandria but withdraws at the end of 169 BCE, failing to isolate the city. During Antiochus's absence, reconciliation occurs between the Ptolemaic siblings, frustrating Antiochus, who launches another invasion. The Egyptians appeal to Rome for assistance, prompting the Roman Senate to dispatch envoy Gaius Popilius Laenas.

In a dramatic encounter at Eleusis near Alexandria, Antiochus is confronted by Popilius Laenas in 168 BCE. The Roman envoy delivers a stern ultimatum demanding immediate withdrawal from Egypt and Cyprus. Antiochus hesitates, prompting Popilius to famously draw a circle around him, insisting on an immediate decision before stepping out. Antiochus submits to Rome’s demands, marking the "Day of Eleusis," effectively ending the Sixth Syrian War and Antiochus's ambitions in Egypt.

Legacy of the Era

This era underscores the decisive role Rome begins to play in Near Eastern affairs, curbing Seleucid expansion and reinforcing Roman diplomatic dominance. The resolution of the Sixth Syrian War through Roman intervention signifies a pivotal shift toward Rome’s growing hegemony in the eastern Mediterranean, setting a precedent for future political dynamics in the region.

Ptolemy VI, a young man of pious and magnanimous character, marries his sister, Cleopatra II, the daughter of Ptolemy V and likely Cleopatra I, in 175.

Under his advisers' guidance, preparations are made to invade Coele Syria, Palestine, and Phoenicia, which Antiochus III, the late king of the Seleucid realms, had conquered in the Fifth Syrian War at the turn of the century, and leaving the Seleucid king in possession of Coele-Syria, while marrying off his daughter Cleopatra I to Ptolemy V.

The Egyptians realize their folly in starting the war, Eulaeus and Lenaeus are overthrown and replaced by two new regents, Comanus and Cineas, and envoys are sent to negotiate a peace treaty with Antiochus.

Antiochus takes Ptolemy VI (who is his nephew) under his guardianship, giving him effective control of Egypt.

Antiochus thus gives Rome no excuse for intervention.

This arrangement is, however, unacceptable to the people of Alexandria, who respond by proclaiming Ptolemy Physcon as sole king.

Antiochus besieges Alexandria but he is unable to cut communications to the city.

As he needs also to deal with the civil war in Judaea so, he withdraws his army at the end of 169.

In his absence, Ptolemy VI and his brother are reconciled.

Antiochus safeguards his access to Egypt with a strong garrison in Pelusium.

Rumors have Eumenes of Pergamon negotiating secretly with the enemy as the Third Macedonian War drags on.

The mere suspicion of disloyalty, whatever the truth of the report, is enough to put Eumenes permanently in the shadow of Rome's displeasure.

Antiochus, demanding that Cyprus and Pelusium be ceded to him, occupies Lower Egypt and camps outside Alexandria.

Antiochus accepts coronation at Memphis, and installs a Seleucid governor.

The cause of the Ptolemaeans seems lost, but the Roman defeat of Perseus and his Macedonians at Pydna also deprives Antiochus of the benefits of his recent victories.

Ptolemy VI, making common cause with his brother and sister, had sent a renewed request to Rome for aid and the Senate had dispatched Gaius Popilius Laenas to Alexandria.

In Eleusis, a suburb of Alexandria, Popillius, with whom Antiochus had been friends during his stay in Rome, presents the king with the Senate's ultimatum that he evacuate Egypt and Cyprus immediately.

Taken by surprise, Antiochus requests time for consultation.

Popillius, however, draws a circle in the sand around the king with his walking stick and demands an unequivocal answer before Antiochus leaves the circle.

After a brief time, the astonished king, dismayed by this public humiliation, agrees to “do all the Romans demand,” and Popilius extends his hand to the king as to a friend and ally.

Roman intervention has thus reestablished the status quo.

By being allowed to retain southern Syria, to which Egypt has laid claim, Antiochus is able to preserve the territorial integrity of his realm.

The "Day of Eleusis" ends the Sixth Syrian War and Antiochus' hopes of conquering Egyptian territory.

Jewish general Jonathan Apphus, leader of the Hasmonean family of Judea from 161, more than sustains the dignity of his slain brother Judas.

Jonathan has evidently used the peaceful period from 158 to 153 to good advantage, for he is soon in possession of great power.

The foreign relations of Seleucid monarch Demetrius I Soter with Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamon, Ptolemy VI of Egypt and his co-ruler Cleopatra II of Egypt are deteriorating, and they support a rival claimant to the Seleucid throne, Alexander Balas (also known as Alexander Epiphanes).

Demetrius is now forced to recall the garrisons of Judea, except those in the city of Acre and at Beth-zur; he also makes a bid for the loyalty of Jonathan, whom he permits to recruit an army and to take the hostages kept in the city of Acre.

Jonathan gladly accepts these terms and takes up residence at Jerusalem in 153 BCE.

He soon begins to fortify the city.

Alexander Balas offers Jonathan even more favorable terms, including official appointment as High Priest in Jerusalem, and despite a second letter from Demetrius promising prerogatives that are almost impossible to guarantee, Jonathan declares allegiance to Alexander.

Jonathan becomes the official leader of his people, and officiates at the Feast of Tabernacles of 153 BCE wearing the High Priest's garments.

The Hellenistic party can no longer attack him without severe consequences.

Alexander Balas, his claims recognized also by the Roman Senate after he defeats Demetrius I to win the Seleucid throne, receives the further honor of marriage to Cleopatra Thea, daughter of his allies Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II, who may have been engaged to her uncle Ptolemy VIII king of Cyrene in 154, but he eventually married her sister Cleopatra III.

The wedding takes place in Ptolemais (Acre) in the presence of Ptolemy VI.

According to 1 Maccabees, Jonathan Apphus had been invited but arrives after the wedding ceremony while celebrations continue.

He appears with presents for both kings, and is permitted to sit between them as their equal; Balas even clothes him with his own royal garment and otherwise accords him high honor.

With the battle death of Philometor at the Battle of Antioch, his younger son and, briefly, co-ruler, succeeds to the throne of Egypt in July, 145 BCE, named by his mother as Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (Greek: Philopator, the Younger). (Classical and even contemporary Egyptian sources are confused concerning the placement of Neos Philopator in the royal sequence because at least one other son of Philometor, also named Ptolemy, had served as co-ruler earlier in the reign. Modern scholars have gathered evidence to show that Neos Philopator became co-ruler in 147 BCE.)

Still a minor, Ptolemy is the ward of his mother, Cleopatra II, who also serves as his co-ruler.

His father's army, however, had been dispersed in Syria; and Neos Philopator and his mother enjoy only limited support.

After the opposition factions invites the return from Cyrenaica of the young king's uncle, Ptolemy Euergetes, also called Physcon (Greek: Potbellied”), he proposes joint rule and marriage to Cleopatra II, his sister.

Neos Philopator is deposed in late August.