Unknown wife of Ptolemy Ceraunus
Unknown1, possibly a daughter of Lysimachus2, probably married to Ptolemy Ceraunus3 c300/2954, by whom she probably had a daughter5.
[1] Not in PP. Her probable existence is inferred from the daughter mentioned in Justin 17.2, 24.1 whom Ceraunus married to Pyrrhus in 281/0. The only known marriage of Ceraunus, to his half-sister Arsinoe II, occurred in the same year, therefore Arsinoe II cannot have been the mother of this daughter. Ý
[2] While there is no reason to suppose a priori that she was necessarily of royal origin (A. Bouché-Leclercq, Histoire des Lagides I 100 n. 3), the estimated date of the marriage does fit with the clear policy of Ptolemy I to engage in diplomatic marriages in the aftermath of the battle of Ipsus. If this inferred first marriage of Ceraunus is assumed to have been part of Ptolemy's marriage alliance strategy, then Ceraunus' bride ought to be associated with one of the leading diadochi. All of them married daughters of Ptolemy I at this time except Seleucus, who was at odds with Ptolemy at this time over Coele-Syria (Diodorus 21.5). Thus, if this putative wife of Ceraunus was married as part of the same policy, then she was married as an exchange of brides. Possibly the marriage was to a daughter of Lysimachus, who had married Arsinoe II at about this time, and who had previously been a rival of Ptolemy's. This marriage may account for the confusing notices of Plutarch (Demetrius 31) and Pausanias 1.10.3 that Agathocles, the heir of Lysimachus, was married to a daughter of Ptolemy I at the time Lysimachus married Arsinoe II -- see discussion under Lysandra. Ý
[3] Since her daughter was married to a king of Epirus it is reasonable to suppose that the union was of legitimate status. Ý
[4] The existence of the daughter mentioned in Justin 17.2, 24.1, of marriageable age in 281/0, would imply a first marriage for Ceraunus around 300/295, which is certainly plausible given his age. Ý
[5] Justin 17.2, 24.1. Ý
Update Notes:
8-9 Feb 2002: Added individual trees
17 Feb 2002: Split out into separate entry. Expanded discussion of speculative paternity of Lysimachus.
23 Aug 2003: Added Xref to online JustinWebsite © Chris Bennett, 2001-2003 -- All rights reserved