Ptolemy VI, Philometor (“Mother-loving”), king of Egypt and Ptolemaic territories, b. c . 186 BCE

Ptolemy VI, Philometor (“Mother-loving”), king of Egypt and other Ptolemaic territories (180–64, 163–45 bce), born c. 186 bce, he was the elder son of Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I. He first ruled with his mother until she died in 177 bce. He then married his sister Cleopatra, and in 170 bce, they formed a so-called triarchy with their younger brother Ptolemy VIII. Three crises mark the first part of Ptolemy VI’s reign: the double invasion of Egypt by their uncle Antiochus IV, the political coup of Dionysius Petosarapis, and that of his brother, who expelled Ptolemy VI from Alexandria in 164–163 bce. But the Alexandrians recalled Ptolemy VI, who gave his brother Cyrenaica to rule. In contrast, in the second part of his reign, Ptolemy VI strengthened the Ptolemaic kingdom through administrative and economic measures, Egyptian temple building, and military reorganization. These reforms allowed him to pursue imperialistic politics against the Seleucids during the Seventh Syrian War (150–145 bce).