Sosibius
Encyclopedia
Sosibius was the chief minister of Ptolemy Philopator (221
–203 BC
), king of Egypt
. Nothing is known of his origin or parentage, though he may have been a son of Sosibius of Tarentum
; nor have we any account of the means by which he rose to power; but we find him immediately after the accession of Ptolemy (221 BC
), exercising the greatest influence over the young king, and virtually holding the chief direction of affairs. He soon proved himself, as he is termed by Polybius
, a ready and dexterous instrument of autocracy: it was by his ministration, if not at his instigation, that Ptolemy put to death in succession his uncle Lysimachus
, his brother Magas
, and his mother Berenice. Not long after, Cleomenes
, of whose influence with the mercenary troops Sosibius had at this time dexterously availed himself, shared the same fate.
While the young king gave himself up to luxury and debauchery, the whole administration of the kingdom appears to have been left to Sosibius, who allowed both the finances and military defences to fall into a state of the greatest decay, so that when Antiochus the Great
declared war against Ptolemy, and invaded Coele-Syria
, it was some time before the Egyptian monarch or his ministers could muster an army to oppose him. Sosibius, however, displayed some dexterity in delaying the progress of Antiochus by negotiation until he had time to organise a mercenary force: and when, in 218 BC
, Ptolemy at length took the field in person, Sosibius accompanied him, and was present at the decisive battle of Raphia
. After the close of the campaign he found a more congenial occupation in negotiating the terms of the treaty of peace, which Ptolemy commissioned him to arrange with Antiochus.
During the remainder of the reign of Ptolemy Sosibius seems to have retained his power, without opposition, though sharing it in some degree with the infamous Agathocles, but we have very little information with regard to the latter years of his rule. We are told, however, that he was once more the minister of Ptolemy in putting to death his wife and sister Arsinoë
, as he had previously been in the murder of his other relations. But great as was the address of Sosibius in all the arts and intrigues of a courtier, he was no match for his colleague Agathocles
; and although, after the death of Ptolemy Philopator
(203 BC
), the two ministers at first assumed in conjunction the guardianship of the young king, Ptolemy Epiphanes (203
–181 BC
), Sosibius seems to have been soon supplanted and put to death by his insidious rival. All particulars of these events are, however, lost to us.
221 BC
Year 221 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Rufus/Lepidus...
–203 BC
203 BC
Year 203 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Geminus...
), king of Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
. Nothing is known of his origin or parentage, though he may have been a son of Sosibius of Tarentum
Sosibius of Tarentum
Sosibius was a Tarentine, one of the captains of the body-guards of Ptolemy Philadelphus , king of Egypt. It is not improbable he may have been the father of Sosibius, minister of Ptolemy Philopator ....
; nor have we any account of the means by which he rose to power; but we find him immediately after the accession of Ptolemy (221 BC
221 BC
Year 221 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Rufus/Lepidus...
), exercising the greatest influence over the young king, and virtually holding the chief direction of affairs. He soon proved himself, as he is termed by Polybius
Polybius
Polybius , Greek ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 220–146 BC in detail. The work describes in part the rise of the Roman Republic and its gradual domination over Greece...
, a ready and dexterous instrument of autocracy: it was by his ministration, if not at his instigation, that Ptolemy put to death in succession his uncle Lysimachus
Lysimachus of Egypt
Lysimachus was a son of king Ptolemy Philadelphus by Arsinoe, the daughter of Lysimachus, king of Thrace...
, his brother Magas
Magas of Egypt
Magas was a grandson of Magas of Cyrene, being a son of Ptolemy Euergetes and Berenice...
, and his mother Berenice. Not long after, Cleomenes
Cleomenes III
Cleomenes III was the King of Sparta from 235-222 BC. He succeeded to the Agiad throne of Sparta after his father, Leonidas II in 235 BC.From 229 BC to 222 BC, Cleomenes waged war against the Achaean League under Aratus of Sicyon. Domestically, he is known for his attempt to reform the Spartan state...
, of whose influence with the mercenary troops Sosibius had at this time dexterously availed himself, shared the same fate.
While the young king gave himself up to luxury and debauchery, the whole administration of the kingdom appears to have been left to Sosibius, who allowed both the finances and military defences to fall into a state of the greatest decay, so that when Antiochus the Great
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Seleucid Greek king who became the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. Antiochus was an ambitious ruler who ruled over Greater Syria and western Asia towards the end of the 3rd century BC...
declared war against Ptolemy, and invaded Coele-Syria
Coele-Syria
Coele-Syria , or Cœle-Syria or Celesyria, traditionally given the meaning 'hollow' Syria, was the region of southern Syria disputed between the Seleucid dynasty and the Ptolemaic dynasty. Rather than limiting the Greek term to the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, it is often used to cover the entire area...
, it was some time before the Egyptian monarch or his ministers could muster an army to oppose him. Sosibius, however, displayed some dexterity in delaying the progress of Antiochus by negotiation until he had time to organise a mercenary force: and when, in 218 BC
218 BC
Year 218 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Scipio and Longus...
, Ptolemy at length took the field in person, Sosibius accompanied him, and was present at the decisive battle of Raphia
Battle of Raphia
The Battle of Raphia, also known as the Battle of Gaza, was a battle fought on 22 June 217 BC near modern Rafah between the forces of Ptolemy IV Philopator, king of Egypt and Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom during the Syrian Wars...
. After the close of the campaign he found a more congenial occupation in negotiating the terms of the treaty of peace, which Ptolemy commissioned him to arrange with Antiochus.
During the remainder of the reign of Ptolemy Sosibius seems to have retained his power, without opposition, though sharing it in some degree with the infamous Agathocles, but we have very little information with regard to the latter years of his rule. We are told, however, that he was once more the minister of Ptolemy in putting to death his wife and sister Arsinoë
Arsinoe III of Egypt
Arsinoe III was Queen of Egypt . She was a daughter of Ptolemy III and Berenice II.Between late October and early November 220 BC she was married to her brother, Ptolemy IV. She took active part in the government of the country, at least in the measure that it was tolerated by the all-powerful...
, as he had previously been in the murder of his other relations. But great as was the address of Sosibius in all the arts and intrigues of a courtier, he was no match for his colleague Agathocles
Agathocles of Egypt
Agathocles was a Ptolemaic minister and together with his sister Agathoclea were very close to Egyptian Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy IV Philopator who reigned 221 BC–205 BC....
; and although, after the death of Ptolemy Philopator
Ptolemy IV Philopator
Ptolemy IV Philopator , son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II of Egypt was the fourth Pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt...
(203 BC
203 BC
Year 203 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Geminus...
), the two ministers at first assumed in conjunction the guardianship of the young king, Ptolemy Epiphanes (203
203 BC
Year 203 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Geminus...
–181 BC
181 BC
Year 181 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cethegus and Tamphilus...
), Sosibius seems to have been soon supplanted and put to death by his insidious rival. All particulars of these events are, however, lost to us.