Philotera

Who is Philotera?

Philotera was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman and a Greek Egyptian Princess of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Philotera was a daughter born to Ptolemy I Soter and Berenice I of Egypt. She had one older sister: Arsinoe II and a younger brother the future Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus. From her parent’s previous marriages, Philotera had various half-maternal and half-paternal siblings.

Little is known on her life. Philotera died sometime before the accession of Ptolemy II to the Ptolemaic throne and before Arsinoe II died. The fact that Philotera died before her sister did, is demonstrated by a hymn written by Callimachus on the death of Arsinoe II.

After Philotera died, Ptolemy II deified her as a Goddess. Ptolemy II erected a temple in her honor in Alexandria. Greeks and Egyptians worshipped her alongside with Arsinoe II and Ptolemy II created a religious cult in her honor. Ptolemy II also founded a port town in the Red Sea called Philotera, which is modern Safaga.