Purification ritual - Kom Ombo
Here's a bas relief showing purification of Ptolemy XII by the gods Horus and Thoth at Kom Ombo temple, Egypt (Thoth has the head of an ibis, Horus is the falcon; at night). The artwork is interesting as the carvings are brought up from the rock, rather than carved into it - which is typical and would be far less work.
Ptolemy XII ruled from 80-51 BC over a old and tired regime, torn by internecine warfare. He would be better known as the father of Cleopatra VII, who famously became the lover of first Julius Caesar and then Mark Antony.
The will of Ptolemy X had seemed to name Rome as its beneficiary in return for military protection, which was an excuse
for Rome to exact massive taxes. In 65, Crassus proposed a formal annex of the Nile valley, but this was opposed by Cicero in the Senate. In 59 the Romans annexed Cyprus, causing the ruler - Ptolemy's brother - to commit suicide. Crippled by taxes, the Alexandrians ousted Ptolemy who then had a couple of years' forced exile in Rome before returning with a Roman army to depose his daughter Berenica who had taken the throne. It seems that during his exile he was accompanied by Cleopatra, who on his death took the throne at 17 years of age.
Purification ritual - Kom Ombo
Here's a bas relief showing purification of Ptolemy XII by the gods Horus and Thoth at Kom Ombo temple, Egypt (Thoth has the head of an ibis, Horus is the falcon; at night). The artwork is interesting as the carvings are brought up from the rock, rather than carved into it - which is typical and would be far less work.
Ptolemy XII ruled from 80-51 BC over a old and tired regime, torn by internecine warfare. He would be better known as the father of Cleopatra VII, who famously became the lover of first Julius Caesar and then Mark Antony.
The will of Ptolemy X had seemed to name Rome as its beneficiary in return for military protection, which was an excuse
for Rome to exact massive taxes. In 65, Crassus proposed a formal annex of the Nile valley, but this was opposed by Cicero in the Senate. In 59 the Romans annexed Cyprus, causing the ruler - Ptolemy's brother - to commit suicide. Crippled by taxes, the Alexandrians ousted Ptolemy who then had a couple of years' forced exile in Rome before returning with a Roman army to depose his daughter Berenica who had taken the throne. It seems that during his exile he was accompanied by Cleopatra, who on his death took the throne at 17 years of age.