Zwischen König und Karikatur: Das Bild Ptolemaios' VIII. im Spannungsfeld der Überlieferung

Abstract

In this volume, Peter Nadig discusses textual and iconographic evidence concerning Ptolemy vIII euergetes II, who reigned in egypt from 170 to 163 and from 145 to 116 bc. Nadig takes into account the contemporary sources in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic egyptian, as well as the ancient authors from Polybius, a Hellenistic historian of the second century bc, to Orosius, a Christian author of the fifth century ad. Nadig’s chief aim is not only to provide an overview of all relevant sources (p. 5), but also to critically examine why the literary sources judged Ptolemy vIII to be one of the most tarnished Hellenistic kings (p. 2). In other words, the author wants to scrutinise and look beyond the prejudices of the ancient authors, who provide a negative and almost caricatured picture which drastically diverges from the king’s self-presentation. To achieve this goal, Nadig analyses and compares the diverse sources from different points of view, including the king’s own provided by his fragmentary Hypomnemata (memoirs), and evaluates the king and the nature of his rule in this new light. As is necessary for many topics related to Graeco-Roman egypt, Nadig takes an interdisciplinary approach. The book was submitted in 2002 as a Habilitationsschrift in Ancient History, but he includes both egyptological and archaeological data in order to present a comprehensive picture of Ptolemy vIII. The result is a useful source book which sheds light on egypt’s development in the Hellenistic period, and on egypt’s connections with Rome. It does not, however, significantly change our picture of a king officially called Euergetes (benefactor) and denigrated as Kakergetes (malefactor) and Physkon (pot belly). The book begins with a brief review of the history of scholarship on Ptolemy vIII and a short biography (Chapter I); this overview includes the king’s difficult relationships with his siblings and co-rulers from 170 to 164, Ptolemy vI and Cleopatra II, his sole reign in 164/3, and the final period from 145 to 116 bc. From 142, he not only ruled with one, but with two queens or wives, his sister-