Shortly after his marriage, the King of Egypt Ptolemy III, received word of imminent danger to his sister. In return for his safety as his marched to Syria to save his sister’s life, his loving wife promised to sacrifice a lock of her hair in return for his safety. Upon his return from the campaign, a lock of hair from the Queen’s head was cut and dedicated to the gods, only to disappear by the following day. Later, the court astronomer Conon then announced that he had discovered the lock in the night. To this day, the constellation is called Coma Berenices ("Berenice's Lock").
Key quotes:
- “Berenice was already hailed as Basilissa (queen) on coins even in her father’s lifetime and, upon her marriage, she would be known as Berenice II Euergetis (‘Berenice the Benefactress’).”
- “Allegedly, Demetrius and Apama soon became lovers. According to legends, Berenice killed Demetrius after seeing him in bed with her mother.”
- “Controlling the narrative of the retelling of Demetrius’ murder would have been one of the earliest challenges that the newlyweds faced.”
- “Ptolemy III needed to introduce a new mythological basis for the new chapter brought about by his own marriage to Berenice, strengthening his dynastic continuity.”
- “In the poem Berenice’s Lock, Callimachus provided further details of the event, that Zephyrus carried off the lock at the command of Aphrodite who then placed it among the stars.”
Join us as we unravel the romance, drama and politic of Berenice II, the girl who became Queen.
For more historical insights, visit Martini Fisher’s website and check out her book “Time Maps: Mesopotamia”.
