Berenice II of Egypt
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Monarchs, Kings & Royalty • Historical Archive • 🇱🇾 Libya • 14 views

Berenice II of Egypt 🇱🇾

Βερενίκη (Known as "Berenice the Benefactress")
Queen Regnant of Cyrenaica, Queen Consort of Ptolemaic Egypt, Olympic Chariot Victor
Born c. 266 BCE 🇱🇾 Cyrene, Libya
Passed Away 221 BCE Alexandria, Egypt
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Notice / Correction
"Not in the dust of earthly tombs, but among the burning stars of the northern sky, does the lock of the queen shine forever."

Archival Overview

Formidable Hellenistic Queen of Egypt and Cyrene who won Panathenaic and Nemean chariot races, unified Libya and Egypt through her marriage to Ptolemy III, and whose sacrificed hair inspired the constellation Coma Berenices.

Biographical Record

Daughter of King Magas of Cyrene, Berenice II was trained in equestrian arts and political rule, winning chariot races at the Nemean Games. Marrying Ptolemy III Euergetes in 246 BCE, she reunited Cyrenaica with Egypt, ruling Alexandria as sovereign co-regent with immense popular acclaim.

When her husband departed for the Third Syrian War, she dedicated a lock of her hair at the temple of Aphrodite for his safe return; court astronomer Conon of Samos famously announced that the gods had transported the hair to the heavens, giving rise to the modern constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair), immortalized in verse by Callimachus and Catullus.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Soma Royal Ptolemaic Necropolis
Alexandria, Egypt
GPS: 31.2000, 29.9167
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