An Ancient Crime Scandal: The Sister of Cleopatra

For those of you who find Egyptian Politics fascinating, the story of Arsinoe will be especially intriguing, When the Father of Cleopatra died, it left three siblings competing for the throne. Many realize that her brother Ptolemy was poisoned--but few know the tragic story of Arsinoe, Cleopatra's younger half-sister. With the arrival of the Mighty Julius Ceasar, Arsinoe was forced to flee Egypt with her faction. Ceasar won, of course, and escorted the younger sister through the streets of Rome as a War Trophy.

The people of Rome had compassion--Arsinoe was barely 13 years old, and probably reminded them of their own daughters at home. Instead of executing her for rebellion, she was sent to an amazing place of safety and refuge called The Artemesian, or Temple of Artemis.There, in a marble palace which faced the sea, she could live in regal loneliness, safe from the grasp of her powerful sister. In fact, the Temple of Artemis was known to be a safe place for those seeking asylum from political enemies. It was listed as one of the seven wonders of the world, and far from being a shabby destination point.

After the Murder of Ceasar during the "Ides of March," things changed. Mark Anthony became Roman Governor of, among other things, Ephesus, where the temple was located. In need of money to finance his war compaigns and lavish partying, he turned to Cleopatra for help. Possibly to his surprise, she demanded the death of her sister Arsinoe IV as part of the bargain. (Mark Anthony was a seasoned military man and probably got no joy from ordering the execution of a teenage girl. We do not know how she was killed, simply that her death was sudden).

In 41 BC this murder shocked Rome deeply. It was unheard of to enter the Artemesian without express permission, let alone bash your way in to commit some evil-doing. The very sacredness of the Temple of Artemis had been affronted, as well as the sensibilities of Rome. Arsinoe was very young, and seemed scarely a threat to anyone, let alone the Great Cleopatra. Yet Mark Anthony had ordered her murder in the very temple where she lived with her back against the sea.

Archaeologists uncovered what they strongly feel to be the tomb of Arsinoe. With the help of expert Forensic reconstruction from parts of her skull,. they have shown us the face of a Ptolemy. Eleven years after this murder, Anthony and Cleopatra would commit suicide after losing a crucial battle to Octavian of Rome.

Today the Temple of Artemis is a wind-blown, rubble against dry grass..only the stars know what greatness it used to display, and what tragedies it came to know.