Most people don’t know that the Egyptian queen Cleopatra had a younger sister who was murdered after challenging her rule. Cleopatra’s sister was named Arsinoe IV, and she was killed in 41 B.C.E. by Mark Antony’s assassins in the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
Arsinoe, who was just a teenager at the time, had tried to lead a rebellion against Cleopatra during the Alexandrian War in order to take her throne. However, the rebellion failed. Arsinoe was captured and sent to Rome.
She managed to avoid execution and became a priestess at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. But Cleopatra was worried that her younger sister might strike again, so she arranged Arsinoe’s murder in 41 B.C.E.
As the youngest of all her sisters in the royal family, no one paid much attention to Arsinoe. She still received a good education and studied topics like politics and philosophy.
In 58 B.C.E., the eldest daughter in their family stole the throne from their father, Ptolemy XII. Some siblings were sent into exile with him, including Cleopatra and Arsinoe.
In 56 B.C.E., Ptolemy XII returned to Egypt to reclaim his throne, with the help of some powerful figures in Rome like Julius Caesar.
He executed his eldest daughter and named Cleopatra as his co-ruler. After he died, Egypt was soon thrown into chaos, as Arsinoe attempted to dethrone 18-year-old Cleopatra.
Cleopatra teamed up with Julius Caesar, just as her father did. Caesar kept a close eye on Cleopatra, Arsinoe, and other Ptolemaic heirs because he was worried about his own position of power in Egypt.
In 48 B.C.E., the local Egyptian population was unhappy about the rise of Roman power. They rioted and marched on to take back their capital.
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In the middle of the madness, Arsinoe escaped. The Egyptians sided with her since she wasn’t associated with Caesar and declared her their queen.
But then, Caesar unleashed his secret weapon, Ptolemy XIII, Arsinoe’s younger brother. With a competing male heir in the picture, the Egyptians turned on Arsinoe, giving Caesar the opportunity to send in troops and squash the uprising.
When Ptolemy XIII died, Cleopatra became the sole ruler of Egypt, and Arsinoe was imprisoned. She was forced to march through the streets of Rome, wrapped in gold chains, in a walk of shame.
Caesar spared her life and let her become a priestess of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Rumors circulated that Arsinoe might come back into power in the future.
In 44 B.C.E., Caesar was assassinated, which destabilized Cleopatra’s rule. She aligned herself with Mark Antony, and they plotted to kill Arsinoe.
He sent assassins to the temple in 41 B.C.E. Arsinoe died at the temple in her 20s. It is unclear where her final resting place is located.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
