Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (, Ptolemaĩos ; c. 62 BC – 13 January 47 BC) was Pharaoh of Egypt from 51 to 47 BC, and one of the last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty (305–30 BC). He was the son of Ptolemy XII and the brother of and co-ruler with Cleopatra VII. Cleopatra's exit from Egypt caused a civil war to break out between the pharaohs. Ptolemy later ruled jointly with his other sister, Arsinoe IV.

Biography Co-ruler of Egypt An engraving by Élisabeth Sophie Chéron, published c. 1736, based on a 1st-century BC medallion.

Cleopatra, Ptolemy XIII's sister-wife (Altes Museum) Son of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ptolemy XII (r. 80–58 BC and 55–51 BC), Ptolemy XIII succeeded his father as pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in the spring of 51 BC at the age of 11. His father had stipulated that Ptolemy XIII would be married to his older sister Cleopatra (ruled from 51–30 BC), with the couple ruling as co-rulers. In October 50 BC, Ptolemy XIII was promoted to senior ruler along with her, although the eunuch Pothinus acted as regent for him.

In the spring of 48 BC, Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus attempted to depose Cleopatra due to her increasing status as queen. Her face appeared on minted coins, for example, while Ptolemy XIII's name was omitted on official documents. Ptolemy intended to become main ruler, with Pothinus acting as the power behind the throne.

Civil war Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus managed to force Cleopatra to flee to Syria, but she soon organized her own army and a civil war began in Egypt. Soon their other sister started to claim the throne as Arsinoe IV of Egypt (r. 48–47 BC), further complicating the situation. Around this time, the burning of the Library of Alexandria occurred.

Upon the arrival of Roman reinforcements, the Battle of the Nile (47 BC) ensued and resulted in a victory for Caesar and Cleopatra, forcing Ptolemy XIII to flee the city. He reportedly drowned on 13 January 47 BC while attempting to cross the Nile river. Whether he was attempting to flee or was seeking negotiations remains uncertain from sources of the time. Cleopatra VII remained the unchallenged ruler of Egypt, although she named their younger brother Ptolemy XIV of Egypt (r. 47–44 BC) her new co-ruler.

Cultural depictions Ptolemy appears in George Frideric Handel's 1724 opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto ("Julius Caesar in Egypt") and George Bernard Shaw's play Caesar and Cleopatra, and was played by Richard O'Sullivan in the 1963 motion picture Cleopatra. Ptolemy and his fight with Caesar and Cleopatra for control of Egypt also feature in the HBO TV series Rome episode "Caesarion".

Ptolemy's civil war with Cleopatra figures prominently in the 2017 historical video game Assassin's Creed Origins, which incorporates historical events into an original story. Ptolemy is depicted as a weak puppet ruler to the Order of Ancients, the precursor to the Templar Order in the game, who drove him to depose his sister. During the Battle of the Nile, main character Aya draws an arrow to kill him, but holds back as his boat is attacked by crocodiles, causing him to fall into the river and drown.