Issue #1: Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopater

Fig.1- Ptolemy XIII (13th in Roman Numerals)

Let’s talk about Ancient Egypt’s Kid Ruler featured in Assassin’s Creed Origins:

PTOLEMY XIII, or as I am going to call him Kid Ptolemy!

Kid Ptolemy was 11 yrs old when he ascended to the throne of Egypt with his 18-year-old sister, Cleopatra.

Due to being young, Ptolemy had a regent named Pothinus (Shown in Assassin’s Creed Origins) & through that regent, close contacts, chief among them, Achillas (Army General) and Theodotus (Tutor) that acted as the real Order of Ancients to the Kid Pharoah.

So let’s start untangling Kid Ptolemy’s drama!

GROWING UP IN DEPENDENCE

In order for Ptolemy to rule with his sister, Cleopatra, tradition dictated that a boy Pharoh should have a regent to act on his behalf. Hence, the Eunuch (a man who’s been castrated & is highly political) Pothinus took the responsibility for this kid. (Think of this guy like Varys from Game of Thrones)

Pothinus (Shown in-game, See Pic. 2) started to form a close group that would depose Cleopatra from the throne. This is because she was already making headway in Egyptian politics doing acts like, “appearing on coinage and (being) names alone in official documents.” (Tom Cox, WorldHistory.Org) Clearly, she was a threat and they took care of her by expelling her from Egypt (for the time being). She then raised her own army in Arabian lands (Britannica), waiting for a true opportunity to strike; and it did!

Among this close group called the Clique, two main figures were Ptolemy’s General and Tutor, Achillas and Theodotus respectively; joined by Pothinus, who in 48 BCE, thought it a great idea to enter into Roman politics to gain favor with the winning victor of that era, Julius Caesar.

But how?

Fig. 2- Pothinus in “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

ACTING A HEAD OF THEMSELVES

During this time of Egyptian drama, another was brewing on Roman lands as 2 greats of the Roman Republic were fighting against one another in a Civil War; Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (aka Pompey the Great).

Pompey was losing the war. Therefore, he sought asylum in Egypt, calling in the favor for once helping Kid Ptolemy’s father, Ptolemy XII (12th) Auletes gain official recognition of Rome for his claim to the throne of Egypt. What he did not know was the people he was dealing with.

Ptolemy’s “advisers” thought to win favor with the winning side (Caesar) by cutting the head off of the losing side, literally. This way, Caesar can help them officially get rid of Cleopatra & recognize kid Ptolemy as the official ruler.

As you might already know, Pompey was killed & his head was put on a platter for Caesar. Julius had expected to see Pompey in Egypt after chasing him there, but what he saw was a disgrace done to a Roman hero, so he was angry and decided to use his powers to influence Egyptian politics.

Fig. 3- Pompey’s Head shown to Caesar in “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

PTOLEMY IN CAESAR’S HANDS

You might know the fable of Cleopatra coming into the room (hidden in a carpet) where Ptolemy and Caesar were talking in and wowing him. After this event, Caesar took it upon himself to be in possession of and reunify both brother and sister in the rulership (Or Pharohship?!) of Egypt.

He had 2 claims to do this:

1. He was the dictator of Rome, you can’t say no to him.
2. & this is the official reason… He had “an apparent will left by Ptolemy XII-the former pharaoh having conveniently sent one copy to Rome and kept one in Alexandria- to reunite the two as co-rulers of Egypt.” (Tom Cox, Worldhistoy.org).

He even persuaded Cleopatra to kill Pothinus upon their meeting at Caesar’s camp, in which he was executed, one clique down! (Britannica)

Caesar did not only take control of Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra, but he also took possession of their younger siblings Arsinoe IV and Ptoelmy XIV (their sister and brother respectively) and made them rule Cyprus under his authority.

Arsinoe escaped however and formed an alliance with General Achillas (one of the Cliques of Ptolemy), who now after occupying Alexandria, had some sort of legitimacy of rulership. Achillas’ rulership though was shortened when a dispute between Arsinoe and another advisor, Ganymedes, went south, leaving him dead in the middle. (2 Cliques down)

This infighting had Egyptians scared, that they pleaded with Caesar to exchange Arsinoe with Ptolemy, to which Caesar accepted. Julius Caesar used the process of the exchange to buy time for the Roman army to invade Egypt. He was successful!

This set the stage for the battles to come in Egypt and Kid Ptolemy, now left with no right hand or cliques to depend on; was inexperienced to go head to head with a great Roman general.

All will be lost at the Battle of the Nile for the Kid Pharaoh, as Caesar obliterated his forces. At the age of just 15, Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopater would drown in the Nile, having his sister taking control of Egypt with her even younger brother, Ptolemy XIV. He wouldn’t dare cross Caesar.

FIG. 4- Ptolemy XIII Drowning in “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

REAL LIFE EVENTS PORTRAYED IN “ASSASSIN’S CREED ORIGINS”

• The game, “Assassin’s Creed Origins” uses the Order of Ancients, as a close group of political figures influencing the actions of Ptolemy XIII, in a similar way to how Pothinus, Achillas and Theodotus influenced him in real life to go against his sister.
• Pothinus is actually portrayed as one of the key figures of the Order of the Ancients.
• “Assassin’s Creed Origins” makes it clear that Cleopatra had her own gold coin engraved upon having Aya present it to Pompey, in the hope of an alliance with the Roman hero.
• Pompey’s head is shown in “Assassin’s Creed Origins” to be put on a platter (box) to gift to Caesar. The dictator’s anger of this atrocity however, is not shown and the plot of the game just proceeds going straight into discussing alliances.
• The death of Ptolemy XIII is portrayed in “Assassin’s Creed Origins” to be accurate. He did drown in the Nile, though whether Crocodiles ate him up is to be questioned.

Fig. 5- Cleopatra’s Coin Portrayed in “Assassin’s Creed Origins” w/ a real side comparison

IN CONCLUSION…

The Kid Pharaoh, Ptolemy XIII (13th) lived his life being controlled by whoever wanted to have a political advantage by using his name. After all is said and done, Ancient Egypt once again had Cleopatra be co-ruler with another brother, but this time, there was no opposition.

Though, as you will know in the future, Caesar’s nephew, Octavian Augustus, will strike Egypt again and this time, there will be no going back to tradition.

Fig. 6- Ptolemy XIII’s last moments in “Assassin’s Creed Origins”

IN CLOSING…

Thank you for having the time to read my piece on Ptolemy XIII. I really appreciate you spending the time to read and educate yourself on the past and see how gaming has used history to influence our minds today.

I plan on being consistent with having an article go up every Thursday so submit future Assassin’s Creed Landmarks or Figures you want me to cover in this type of format.

Till then, I’ll see you here at the next one!

REFERENCES

Cox, Tom. “Ptolemy XIII Theos Phiopator.” World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Ptolemy_XIII_Theos_Philopator/

“Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator.” Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-XIII-Theos-Philopator