Arsinoe
Family: Egyptian · Role: sister and wife of Ptolemy · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 7
In Book 1, Chapter 7, Philadelphus married Arsinoe, his sister. She predeceased him and was childless. In Chapter 10, Lysimachus married her although his son Agathocles had children by Lysandra, Arsinoe’s sister. Arsinoe conspired against Agathocles, and Lysimachus permitted her to put him to death.
Later references identify Arsinoe as the daughter of Leucippus and the mother of Æsculapius. Book 3, Chapter 12, names her as sister of the wives of Polydeuces and Castor, and Book 4, Chapter 31, includes her among the figures in paintings.
Relationship record
Life events
- Ptolemy married Arsinoe, his sister.(Book 1 · Chapter 7)
- With: Philadelphus
- “This Ptolemy being enamoured of Arsinoe, his sister on both sides, married her, doing what was by no means usual among the Macedonians, but not uncommon among his Egyptian subjects.”
- Arsinoe predeceased Ptolemy and was childless.(Book 1 · Chapter 7)
- With: Philadelphus
- “for although he was married to his sister and lived with her, she pre-deceased him and was childless”
- Lysimachus married Arsinoe despite Agathocles having children with Lysandra.(Book 1 · Chapter 10)
- With: Lysimachus
- “although his son Agathocles had children by Lysandra, yet married Arsinoe Lysandra’s sister.”
- Arsinoe conspired against Agathocles, and Lysimachus permitted his execution.(Book 1 · Chapter 10)
- With: Agathocles Lysimachus
- “For when Lysimachus permitted Arsinoe to put Agathocles to death”
- Ptolemy married Arsinoe, despite their being siblings.(Book 9 · Chapter 31 · 📍 Helicon)
- With: Philadelphus
- “There is also at Helicon a statue of Arsinoe, whom Ptolemy married though he was her brother.”
Book 1 · Chapter 7
- siblings with Philadelphus “This Ptolemy being enamoured of Arsinoe, his sister on both sides, married her, doing what was by no means usual among the Macedonians, but not uncommon among his Egyptian subjects.”
- married with Philadelphus “This Ptolemy being enamoured of Arsinoe, his sister on both sides, married her, doing what was by no means usual among the Macedonians, but not uncommon among his Egyptian subjects.”
Book 1 · Chapter 8
- siblings with Philadelphus (Arsinoe was Philadelphus' sister.) “near him is also a statue of his sister Arsinoe”
Book 1 · Chapter 10
- married with Lysimachus “yet married Arsinoe Lysandra’s sister”
- siblings with Lysandra “Arsinoe Lysandra’s sister”
- enemies with Agathocles “for these reasons conspired against Agathocles”
- admired: Agathocles (The text attributes passionate love to Arsinoe.) “some writers have alleged that Arsinoe was violently in love with Agathocles,”
- with Lysimachus (Lysimachus permitted Arsinoe to kill Agathocles.) “For when Lysimachus permitted Arsinoe to put Agathocles to death,”
Book 2 · Chapter 26
- parent: Leucippus “Æsculapius the son of Arsinoe, the daughter of Leucippus.”
- child: Æsculapius (This is explicitly presented as a less likely and disputed tradition.) “which makes Æsculapius the son of Arsinoe, the daughter of Leucippus.”
Book 3 · Chapter 12
- with Polydeuces (Arsinoe was sister of Polydeuces's wife.) “And near Hellenium is the temple of Arsinoe, the daughter of Leucippus, and the sister of the wives of Polydeuces and Castor.”
- with Castor (Arsinoe was sister of Castor's wife.) “And near Hellenium is the temple of Arsinoe, the daughter of Leucippus, and the sister of the wives of Polydeuces and Castor.”
- parent: Leucippus “the temple of Arsinoe, the daughter of Leucippus”
Book 3 · Chapter 26
- parent: Leucippus “Æsculapius here most of all the gods, as the son of Arsinoe the daughter of Leucippus.”
- child: Æsculapius “Æsculapius here most of all the gods, as the son of Arsinoe the daughter of Leucippus.”
Book 4 · Chapter 3
- child: Æsculapius “Æsculapius was the son of Arsinoe the daughter of Leucippus”
- parent: Leucippus “Arsinoe the daughter of Leucippus”
Book 4 · Chapter 31
- parent: Leucippus “a conduit called Arsinoe, which got its name from the daughter of Leucippus”
- child: Æsculapius “Æsculapius, (the son of Arsinoe according to the tradition of the Messenians,)”
- with Omphalion (Omphalion executed the paintings; Arsinoe was one of the depicted figures.) “There are paintings also of Leucippus the brother of Aphareus, and of Hilaira, Phœbe, and Arsinoe.”
Book 9 · Chapter 31
- married with Philadelphus “There is also at Helicon a statue of Arsinoe, whom Ptolemy married though he was her brother.”
- siblings with Philadelphus “There is also at Helicon a statue of Arsinoe, whom Ptolemy married though he was her brother.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.