View source for Caesarion

{{Short description|Last pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 44 to 30 BC}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox pharaoh
| name         = Caesarion
| alt_name     = Theos Philopator Philometor
| image        = Caesarion granite head.jpg
| role         = [[Basileus|King]] of the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]] 
| reign        = 2 September 44&nbsp;BC – late August 30&nbsp;BC with [[Cleopatra VII]] (until 12 August 30&nbsp;BC)
| predecessor  = [[Ptolemy XIV]] and [[Cleopatra VII]]
| dynasty      = [[Ptolemaic dynasty]]
| father       = [[Julius Caesar]] (reputedly)
| mother       = [[Cleopatra VII]]
| birth_date   = 47 BC
| birth_place  = [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]]
| death_date   = Late August 30&nbsp;BC (aged 16–17)<ref name="Ptolemy XV Caesarion">{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Chris |title=Ptolemy XV Caesarion |url=https://www.instonebrewer.com/TyndaleSites/Egypt/ptolemies/ptolemy_xv_fr.htm |website=Tyndale House |access-date=2025-01-21}}</ref>
| death_place  = [[Alexandria]], [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]]
|Successor=[[Octavian]] (As Roman Emperor){{efn|The Ptolemaic Kingdom was [[Roman Egypt|annexed by the Roman Republic]] in 30 BC and hence the office of pharaoh ceased to exist. However, due to the pharaoh's central position in Egyptian religion, the local people recognized [[Augustus]] and all subsequent [[Roman emperor]]s as pharaohs for the sake of continuity; no emperor ever bore or recognized the title. See [[Roman pharaoh]]}}|Caption=Granite head attributed to Caesarion, hosted in [[Bibliotheca Alexandrina]] Antiquities Museum, Egypt|Nomen={{center|''ptwlmys''<br />''Ptolemys''<br />Ptolemy}} {{Infobox pharaoh/Nomen|Nomen=<hiero>p:t-wA-l:M-i-i-s</hiero>}}{{center|''kysrs''<br />''Kyseres''<br />Caesar}}{{Infobox pharaoh/Nomen|Nomen=<hiero>k-i-i-z:r-s</hiero>}}|Horus={{center|''ḥwnw''<br />''Hunu''<br />The youth}}|horus_hiero=<hiero>H-wn:n-nw:W-A17</hiero>|Prenomen={{center|''iwꜤ pꜢ nṯr nti nḥm stp n ptḥ iri mꜢꜤt rꜤ sḫm (Ꜥnḫ) n imn''<br />''Iwapanetjernetynehem setepenptah irmaatra sekhem(ankh)enamun''<br />The heir of the saviour god, chosen by Ptah, who brings forth the Maat of Ra, the living image of Amun<ref>{{cite book|last=Leprohon |first=Ronald J. |title=The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary |url=https://archive.org/details/LEPROHON2013TheGreatNameAncientEgyptianRoyalTitulary/page/n198/mode/1up |access-date=4 January 2024 |date=2013 |publisher=SBL Press |isbn=978-1-58983-736-2|page=178}}</ref>}}{{Infobox pharaoh/Prenomen|Prenomen=<hiero>p-nTr-nw:t-N41:a-p:t-H-U21:n-ir:N36-C12-C2-n</hiero>}}}}

'''Ptolemy XV Caesar'''{{efn|Later full name: '''Ptolemy Caesar Theos Philopator Philometor''' ({{langx|el|Πτολεμαῖος Καῖσαρ Θεὸς Φιλοπάτωρ Φιλομήτωρ}}).<ref>[[Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft|''RE'']] [[s:de:RE:Ptolemaios 37|Ptolemaios 37]]</ref><ref>''[[Oxford Classical Dictionary]]'', "Ptolemy XV Caesar"</ref>}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɒ|l|əm|i}}; {{langx|grc|Πτολεμαῖος Καῖσαρ}}, {{Lang|grc-Latn|Ptolemaios Kaisar}}; 47 BC – late August 30 BC),<ref name="Ptolemy XV Caesarion">{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Chris |title=Ptolemy XV Caesarion |url=https://www.instonebrewer.com/TyndaleSites/Egypt/ptolemies/ptolemy_xv_fr.htm |website=Tyndale House |access-date=2025-01-21}}</ref> nicknamed '''Caesarion''' ({{langx|el|Καισαρίων}}, {{Lang|grc-Latn|Kaisaríōn}}, "Little Caesar"), was the last [[pharaoh]] of the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]] of [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]], reigning with his mother [[Cleopatra|Cleopatra VII]] from 2 September 44 BC until her death by 10 or 12 August 30 BC, then as sole ruler until his death was ordered by [[Octavian]] (who would become the first [[Roman emperor]] as Augustus).

Caesarion was the eldest son of [[Cleopatra]], and was the only known biological son of [[Julius Caesar]], after whom he was named. He was the last [[wikt:sovereign|sovereign]] member of the [[Ptolemaic dynasty]] of Egypt.

==Early life==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Dendera Cesarion.jpg
| width1 = 197
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Limestone stela of a high priest of god Ptah. It bears the cartouches of Cleopatra and Caesarion. From Egypt. Ptolemaic Period. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London.jpg
| width2 = 205
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = Left: reliefs of Cleopatra and Caesarion at the [[Dendera Temple complex|Temple of Dendera]]<br>Right: a limestone stela of the [[High Priest of Ptah]] bearing the [[cartouch]]es of Cleopatra and Caesarion, Egypt, Ptolemaic Period, the [[Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology]], London
}}
Ptolemy Caesar was born in [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Egypt]] in mid to late 47&nbsp;BC.<ref>Bennett, Chris. "Ptolemy XV Caesarion". Tyndale House. Retrieved 21.01.2025.</ref><ref>Tyldesley, Joyce (2009). Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. Profile Books. pp. 136–137. ISBN 978-1861979018.</ref> His mother [[Cleopatra]] gave him the royal names Theos Philopator Philometor{{Efn|{{langx|el|Θεὸς Φιλοπάτωρ Φιλομήτωρ}}}} (lit. 'father-loving, mother-loving God') and insisted that he was the son of [[Political institutions of ancient Rome|Roman politician]] and [[Roman dictator|dictator]] [[Julius Caesar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hornblower |first1=Simon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVWcAQAAQBAJ |title=The Oxford Classical Dictionary |last2=Spawforth |first2=Antony |last3=Eidinow |first3=Esther |year=2012 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-954556-8 |page=1236 |language=en}}</ref> While he was said to have inherited Caesar's looks and manner,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sergeant |first=Philip |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatraofegypt00sergiala/page/93/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater |title=Cleopatra of Egypt, Antiquity's Queen of Romance |year=2024 |page=94 |language=En}}</ref> Caesar did not officially acknowledge him.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brooks |first=Polly |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatragoddess0000broo/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=Juilius |title=Cleopatra: goddess of Egypt, enemy of Rome |year= 1995 |page=64}}</ref><ref>''Cleopatra'' 1996 by Green Robert p. 24 {{ISBN?}}</ref> All accusations of bastardy against Caesarion were cast from a Roman perspective; their intention was not to portray Caesarion as inappropriate for the throne of Egypt, but rather to deny that he was Julius' heir by Roman law.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ogden |first=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L-rDEAAAQBAJ&dq=caesarion+&pg=PA102 |title=Polygamy, Prostitutes and Death: The Hellenistic Dynasties |date=2023 |publisher=Classical Press of Wales |isbn=978-1-914535-40-6 |page=102 |language=en}}</ref> One of Caesar's supporters, [[Gaius Oppius]], even wrote a pamphlet which attempted to prove that Caesar could not have fathered Caesarion. Nevertheless, Caesar may have allowed Caesarion to use his name.<ref name = "roller">Duane W. Roller, ''Cleopatra: A Biography'', Oxford University Press US, 2010, pp.&nbsp;70–73 {{ISBN?}}</ref> The matter became contentious when Caesar's adopted son, [[Octavian]], came into conflict with Cleopatra.<ref name="Gray-Fow2014"/>[[File:Cartouche Caesarion Dendera Temple.jpg|thumb|269x269px|Cartouches of Caesarion in the [[Dendera Temple complex|Dendera Temple]], Egypt]]

Caesarion spent two of his infant years, from 46 to 44&nbsp;BC, in [[Rome]], where he and his mother were Caesar's guests at his villa, [[Horti Caesaris]]. Cleopatra hoped that her son would eventually succeed his father as the head of the [[Roman Republic]], as well as of Egypt. After [[Caesar's assassination]] on 15 March 44&nbsp;BC, Cleopatra and Caesarion returned to Egypt. Caesarion was named co-ruler by his mother on 2 September 44&nbsp;BC at the age of three,<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Caesarion |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/caesarion/ |last=King |first=Arienne |access-date=29 August 2020 |encyclopedia=[[World History Encyclopedia]] }}</ref> although he was pharaoh in name only, with Cleopatra keeping actual authority. Cleopatra compared her relationship to her son with that of the Egyptian goddess [[Isis]] and her divine child [[Horus]].<ref name="roller" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tyldesley, Joyce A |first=Joyce |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatralastque0000tyld |title=Cleopatra: last queen of Egypt |publisher=New York: Basic Books |year=2008 |page=64 |language=En}}</ref>

There is no historical record of Caesarion between 44&nbsp;BC until the Donations of Antioch in 36&nbsp;BC. Two years later he also appears at the [[Donations of Alexandria]]. Cleopatra and Antony staged both "Donations" to donate lands dominated by Rome and [[Parthia]] to Cleopatra's children: Caesarion, the twins [[Alexander Helios]] and [[Cleopatra Selene II]], and [[Ptolemy Philadelphus (son of Cleopatra)|Ptolemy Philadelphus]] (the last three were his maternal half-siblings fathered by [[Mark Antony]]). Octavian gave public approval to the Donations of Antioch in 36&nbsp;BC, which have been described as an Antonian strategy to rule the East making use of Cleopatra's unique royal [[Seleucid]] lineage in the regions donated.<ref>{{cite book |author=Rolf Strootman |article=Queen of Kings: Cleopatra&nbsp;VII and the Donations of Alexandria |pages=139–158 |editor1=M. Facella |editor2=T. Kaizer |year=2010 |title=Kingdoms and Principalities in the Roman Near East |series=Occidens et Oriens |volume=19 |location=Stuttgart|publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag}}</ref>

== Pharaoh ==
In 34&nbsp;BC, Antony granted further eastern lands and titles to Caesarion and his own three children with Cleopatra in the [[Donations of Alexandria]]. Caesarion was proclaimed to be [[Deification|a god]], [[Divi filius|a son of [a] god]], and "[[King of Kings]]".<ref name="Meyer Reinhold 2002 58">{{cite book |author=Meyer Reinhold |title=Studies in Classical History and Society |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=US |year=2002 |page=58}}</ref> This grandiose title was "unprecedented in the management of Roman client-king relationships" and could be seen as "threatening the 'greatness' of the Roman people".<ref name="Meyer Reinhold 2002 58"/> Antony also declared Caesarion to be Caesar's true son and heir. This declaration was a direct threat to Octavian (whose claim to power was based on his status as Julius Caesar's grandnephew and adopted son). These proclamations partly caused the fatal breach in Antony's relations with Octavian, who used Roman resentment over the Donations to gain support for war against Antony and Cleopatra.<ref>{{cite book |author-first=Stanley Mayer |author-last=Burstein |title=The Reign of Cleopatra |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2007 |page=29}}</ref>
== Death ==
[[File:Roman Wall painting from the House of Giuseppe II, Pompeii, 1st century AD, death of Sophonisba, but more likely Cleopatra VII of Egypt consuming poison.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Roman painting from [[Pompeii]], early 1st&nbsp;century&nbsp;AD, most likely depicting Cleopatra VII, wearing her royal [[diadem]], taking poison in an [[Death of Cleopatra|act of suicide]], while Caesarion, also wearing a royal diadem, stands behind her<ref>{{cite book |author=Roller, Duane W. |year=2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZo6DwAAQBAJ |title=Cleopatra: A Biography |location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780195365535 |pages=178–179}}</ref>]]
After the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the [[Battle of Actium]] in 31&nbsp;BC, Cleopatra seems to have groomed Caesarion to take over as "sole ruler without his mother".<ref name="roller" /> She may have intended to go into exile, perhaps with Antony, who may have hoped that he would be allowed to retire as [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (triumvir)|Lepidus]] had. Caesarion reappears in the historical record in 30&nbsp;BC, when Octavian invaded Egypt and searched for him. Cleopatra may have sent Caesarion, 17&nbsp;years old at the time, to the [[Red Sea]] port of [[Berenice Troglodytica|Berenice]] for safety, possibly as part of plans for an escape to [[Middle kingdoms of India|India]].<ref name="Gray-Fow2014">{{cite journal |last1=Gray-Fow |first1=Michael |title=What to Do With Caesarion |journal=Greece & Rome |series=Second Series |date=April 2014 |volume=61 |issue=1 |page=62 |doi=10.1017/S0017383513000235 |jstor=43297487 |s2cid=154911628 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43297487 |access-date=25 October 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref> [[Plutarch]] does say that Caesarion was sent to India, but also that he was lured back by false promises of the kingdom of Egypt: <blockquote>Caesarion, who was said to be Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, was sent by his mother, with much treasure, into India, by way of Ethiopia. There Rhodon, another tutor like Theodorus, persuaded him to go back, on the ground that [Octavian] Caesar invited him to take the kingdom.<ref>Plutarch, ''Life of Antony''. As found in the Loeb Classical Library, ''[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015002170010;view=1up;seq=335 Plutarch's Lives: With an English Translation by Bernadotte Perrin].'' Volume 9. p. 321.</ref></blockquote>

Octavian captured the city of [[Alexandria]] on 1 August 30&nbsp;BC, the date that marks the official annexation of Egypt to the Roman Republic. Around this time Mark Antony and Cleopatra died, traditionally said to be by [[suicide]].

Octavian may have temporarily considered permitting Caesarion to succeed his mother and rule Egypt (though now a smaller and weaker kingdom), however, he is supposed to have had Caesarion executed in Alexandria in late August, possibly on 29 August 30 BC, following the advice of his companion [[Arius Didymus]], who said "Too many Caesars is not good"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Draycott |first=Jane |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZIBwEAAAQBAJ&dq=caesarion&pg=PT94 |title=Cleopatra's Daughter: From Roman Prisoner to African Queen |year=2023|publisher=Liveright Publishing |isbn=978-1-324-09260-5 |language=en}}</ref> (a pun on a line in [[Homer]]).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Powell |first=Anton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d_ZODgAAQBAJ&dq=death+of+caesarion&pg=PA193 |title=Hindsight in Greek and Roman History |year=2013 |publisher=Classical Press of Wales |isbn=978-1-910589-12-0 |page=194 |language=en}}</ref><ref>David Braund et al, ''Myth, History and Culture in Republican Rome: Studies in Honour of T.P. Wiseman'', University of Exeter Press, 2003, p.&nbsp;305. The original line was "ουκ αγαθόν πολυκοιρανίη" ("ouk agathon polukoiranie"): "too many leaders are not good", or "the rule of many is a bad thing". (Homer's ''Iliad'', Book&nbsp;II. vers&nbsp;204–205) In Greek "ουκ αγαθόν πολυ''καισαρ''ίη" ("ouk agathon polu''kaisar''ie") is a variation on "ουκ αγαθόν πολυ''κοιραν''ίη" ("ouk agathon polu''koiran''ie"). "Καισαρ" (Caesar) replacing "κοίρανος", meaning leader.</ref> Surviving information on the death of Caesarion is scarce.<ref name=":0" /> Octavian then assumed absolute control of [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Egypt]]. The year 30&nbsp;BC was considered the first year of the new ruler's reign according to the traditional chronological system of Egypt.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

==Depictions==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Venus and Cupid from the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus at Pompeii, most likely a depiction of Cleopatra VII.jpg|This mid-1st&nbsp;century&nbsp;AD [[Pompeian Styles|Roman wall painting]] in [[Pompeii]], Italy, showing [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] holding a [[cupid]] is most likely a depiction of [[Cleopatra VII]] of [[Ptolemaic Egypt]] as [[Venus (mythology)#Epithets|Venus Genetrix]], with her son Caesarion as the cupid<ref>The wall-painting of Venus Genetrix is similar in appearance to the now-lost statue of Cleopatra erected by Julius Caesar in the [[Temple of Venus Genetrix]], within the [[Forum of Caesar]]. The owner of the House at Pompeii of Marcus Fabius Rufus, walled off the room with this painting, most likely in immediate reaction to the execution of Caesarion on orders of [[Augustus]] in 30&nbsp;BC, when artistic depictions of Caesarion would have been considered [[Damnatio memoriae|a sensitive issue]] for the ruling regime.</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Roller, Duane W. |year=2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZo6DwAAQBAJ |title=Cleopatra: A Biography |location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0195365535 |page=175}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Walker, Susan |year=2008 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0068246200000404 |title=Cleopatra in Pompeii? |journal=Papers of the British School at Rome |volume=76 |pages=35–46, 345–348|doi=10.1017/S0068246200000404 |s2cid=62829223 }}</ref>
File:Statue of Horus in Edfu Temple.jpg|One of two statues of the falcon god [[Horus]] behind a smaller depiction of Caesarion at the [[Temple of Edfu]] in [[Edfu]], [[Upper Egypt]]<ref>{{Citation |last=Fletcher |first=Joann |author-link=Joann Fletcher |title=Cleopatra the Great: The Woman Behind the Legend |year=2008 |publisher=Harper |location=New York |isbn=978-0-06-058558-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/cleopatragreatwo00flet/page/219 219, image plates and caption between 246–247] |url=https://archive.org/details/cleopatragreatwo00flet/page/219 }}</ref>
File:RPC-3901 Cleopatra VII with baby Ptolemy XV Caesarion son of Julius Caesar on coin of Cyprus 47BC displayed in the British Museum.jpg|A coin depicting [[Cleopatra|Cleopatra VII]] with her son Caesarion as an infant, [[British Museum|British museum]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Stuart |first1=Reginald |url=https://archive.org/details/cataloguegreekc01medagoog/mode/1up?q=Cleopatra+ |title=BMC Greek (Ptolemies) / Catalogue of Greek coins: the Ptolemies, kings of Egypt |last2=L |first2=Poole |year=1883 |page=122 |publisher=The Trustees |language=En}}</ref> 
</gallery>
Few images of Caesarion survive. He is thought to be depicted in a partial statue found in the harbour of Alexandria in 1997 and is also portrayed twice in relief, as an adult pharaoh, with his mother on the Temple of [[Hathor]] at [[Dendera]]. His infant image appears on some bronze coins of Cleopatra.<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Sear |title=Greek Coins and Their Values |volume=II}}</ref>

==Egyptian names==
In addition to his Greek name and nicknames, Caesarion also had a full set of royal names in the [[Egyptian language]]:<ref name = "clayton">{{cite book |last=Clayton |first=Peter |title=[[Chronicle of the Pharaohs]] |date= 1994|page=213 |isbn=0500050740}}</ref>
*''Iwapanetjer entynehem'' – "Heir of the god who saves"
*''Setepenptah'' – "Chosen of [[Ptah]]"
*''Irmaatenre'' – "Carrying out the rule of [[Ra]]" or "Sun of righteousness"
*''Sekhemankhamun'' – "Living image of [[Amun]]"

==See also==
*[[Caesareum of Alexandria]]
*[[Julia gens]]
*[[Reign of Cleopatra]]
*[[List of unsolved murders (before the 20th century)|List of unsolved murders]]
*[[Kaisarion (poem)]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://virtualreligion.net/iho/ptolemy_15 Ptolemy XV Caesarion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004000821/http://virtualreligion.net/iho/ptolemy_15 |date=4 October 2018 }} entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Ptolemaic dynasty]]||47 BC||30 BC}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Cleopatra VII Philopator]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Pharaohs#Ptolemaic Dynasty|Pharaoh of Egypt]]|years=44–30 BCE
|regent1='''[[Cleopatra VII]]'''}}
{{s-non|reason=[[History of Roman Egypt|Egypt annexed by Rome]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Hellenistic rulers}}
{{Pharaohs}}
{{Julius Caesar}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:30 BC deaths]]
[[Category:47 BC births]]
[[Category:1st-century BC executions]]
[[Category:1st-century BC pharaohs]]
[[Category:Caesarion| ]]
[[Category:Children of Cleopatra]]
[[Category:Children of Julius Caesar]]
[[Category:Executed ancient Egyptian people]]
[[Category:Executed children]]
[[Category:Executed monarchs]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in Egypt]]
[[Category:People executed by the Roman Republic]]
[[Category:People murdered in Egypt]]
[[Category:Pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty]]
[[Category:Sons of queens regnant]]
[[Category:People of the War of Actium]]