Reorganization of the Eponymous Priesthood of Cleopatra I in 177–123 BCE

This article analyzes the transformation of priestly titles linked to Cleopatra I and their role in legitimizing power in 2nd-century BCE Egypt. It examines shifts in priesthood titulature as elements of a sacral-political strategy to stabilize power amid dynastic crises. The priesthood of Ptolemy and Cleopatra marked her unprecedented lifetime deification. This legitimized her regency for the underage Ptolemy VI, emphasizing maternal authority in dynastic succession. The study highlights that titulature change in 164 may have been a response to the uprising in the Thebaid and an attempt by Ptolemy VI to strengthen his cult, while change in 146 BCE reflects the rivalry between Ptolemy VI and VIII. In 164 BCE, separate priesthoods for Ptolemy VI and a priestess of Cleopatra (identified as mother of Ptolemy V’s son) sought to strengthen Ptolemy VI’s legitimacy through ties to Ptolemy V. By 146 BCE, the title was simplified to “priestess of Cleopatra, the divine mother Epiphanes,” likely part of Ptolemy VIII’s efforts to diminish his brother’s influence. Papyrological and archaeological sources reveal how religious narratives were adapted to redistribute power during political crises. These transformations illustrate the sacred-political interplay in Hellenistic monarchies, where religious institutions acted as an adaptive language of power, responsive to circumstances. By aligning cultic honors, the Ptolemies reinforced legitimacy during instability. Cleopatra I’s deification set a precedent for later queens – Cleopatra II and III, blending theology and statecraft to navigate succession conflicts. The study underscores how dynastic cults functioned as malleable tools, bridging divine sanction and temporal authority in a fragile political landscape.