List of Ptolemaic governors of Cyprus

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The Ptolemaic governors of Cyprus ruled the island on behalf of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, from the abolition of the traditional kingdoms on the island in 312 BC until the conquest of the island by the Romans.

First period (312–306 BC)[]

The governors in this period are referred to as strategos (general) in literary sources, but as basileus (king) on their coinage.

Name Header text King
Nicocreon of Salamis 312–310 BC Ptolemy I Soter
Menelaus, son of Lagus 310–306 BC

Ptolemy lost Cyprus to Demetrius Poliorcetes after the Battle of Salamis in 306 BC.

Second period (287–217 BC)[]

Cyprus was regained by Ptolemy after the death of Demetrius Poliorcetes in 287, but there is no certain evidence for a governor of Cyprus for the rest of his reign, or during the reigns of his successors, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283–246 BC) and Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–222 BC). The office may or may not have existed.[1]

Third period (217–58 BC)[]

During this period, the governors of Cyprus bore the title of strategos kai archiereus (general and high priest). After 142 BC, they also bore the title of nauarchos (admiral). Governors usually held the rank of syngenes (royal kinsman) in the aulic titulature. The order and dates are according to Roger Bagnall.[2]

Name Dates King
Pelops, son of Pelops 217–203 BC Ptolemy IV Philopator
Polycrates of Argos 203–197 BC Ptolemy V Epiphanes
197–180 BC
Ptolemy Macron 180–168 BC Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes
unknown 168–164 BC
Archias 163–158 BC Ptolemy VI Philometor
Xenophon? 158–152 BC
Andromachus? 152–145 BC
Seleucus, son of Bithys 144–ca. 130 BC Ptolemy VIII Euergetes
Crocus ca. 130–124 BC
Theodorus, son of Seleucus 123–118 BC
Helenus of Cyrene (1st time) 118–117 BC
Ptolemy IX Soter 117–116 BC
Ptolemy X Alexander 116–114 BC Ptolemy IX Soter
Helenus of Cyrene (2nd time) 114 BC–106 BC
King Ptolemy IX Soter (direct rule) 105–88 BC himself
Potamon (deputy governor) 105–88 BC Ptolemy IX Soter
Chaereas? 88–80 BC
King Ptolemy of Cyprus (direct rule) 80–53 BC himself

Fourth period (40s–30 BC)[]

Name Dates Overlord
Serapion ca. 43–41 BC Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII
Diogenes, son of Noumenios 40 BC
Demetrius? 39 BC

See also[]

  • Hellenistic Cyprus

References[]

  1. ^ Bagnall 1976, pp. 38–45.
  2. ^ Bagnall 1976, pp. 45, 252–262.

Bibliography[]

  • Bagnall, Roger (1976). The Administration of the Ptolemaic Possessions Outside Egypt.
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