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Historical person

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator

63 BCE–48 BCE

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator was a young Ptolemaic king who ruled Egypt in conflict with his sister Cleopatra VII. His advisers opposed Cleopatra and became entangled with Julius Caesar after Pompey’s murder, leading to the Alexandrian War and Ptolemy’s death during the fighting.

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator also held the offices or ranks of pharaoh. Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty and operated within Ancient Egypt. Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator was born in Egypt and died in Nile.

Alex Gough’s Marius’ Mules XII places Ptolemy XIII at the centre of the Alexandrian War, where Caesar holds the young king while Ptolemaic forces contest the royal quarter and Cleopatra seeks restoration. Margaret George’s The Memoirs of Cleopatra presents Ptolemy as Cleopatra’s brother and co-ruler whose advisers drive her into exile before Caesar’s arrival overturns the balance of power. Caesar’s General follows the same crisis from Mark Antony’s Roman world, linking the Ptolemaic succession struggle to the larger civil war between Caesar and Pompey.

Periods

Periods linked to Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator

Alexandrian War48–47 BCE Caesar’s Civil War49–45 BCE Ptolemaic Egypt305–30 BCE

Series

Historical novels and book series featuring Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (2 series)

Marius’ Mules in Order

by Simon Turney 17 books 4.6(34,619)

The Marius’ Mules series follows Marcus Falerius Fronto and Caesar’s legions from the invasion of Gaul to the destruction of the Roman Republic. Battles recorded in Caesar’s commentaries are viewed through officers and soldiers who must endure the practical cost of his ambition, while conspiracies in Rome steadily…

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The Mark Antony Series in Order

by Alex Gough 4 books 4.5(1,714)

The Mark Antony series presents a biographical saga of the Roman commander from the Catilinarian crisis to his defeat by Octavian. Antony’s youth is shaped by the execution of his stepfather, service under Aulus Gabinius in Judaea and Egypt, and the campaigns in Gaul that bind him to…

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Standalone books

Standalone books featuring Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (1 book)