Editing Ptolemy VI Philometor (section)

==Background and early life==
[[File:Ptolemy VI Philometor ring.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Golden ring depicting Ptolemy VI wearing a [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] diadem]]
Ptolemy VI was the eldest son of [[Ptolemy V]] and [[Cleopatra I]]. The early reign of Ptolemy V was dominated by the [[Fifth Syrian War]] (204–198&nbsp;BC) against the [[Seleucid]] king [[Antiochus III]], who completely defeated the Ptolemaic forces, annexed [[Coele-Syria]] and [[Judaea]] to his empire, and reduced [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Egypt]] to a subordinate position.<ref name="Grainger 2010 274">{{harvnb|Grainger|2010|p=274}}</ref> Under a peace treaty, Ptolemy V married Antiochus III's daughter Cleopatra I in 194&nbsp;BC.<ref name=BennettC>{{cite web|url=http://www.instonebrewer.com/TyndaleSites/Egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_i_fr.htm|title=Cleopatra I|author=Chris Bennett|publisher=Tyndale House|access-date=September 28, 2019}}</ref>

Ptolemy VI was born in 186&nbsp;BC, probably in May or June.<ref group=note name="birthdate">The year is deduced from: (1) the award of extensive divine honours to his mother Cleopatra I in the Philae I decree of 185 BC, (2) the fact that Ptolemy VI's [[Horus name]] refers to him as 'twin brother of the living [[Apis Bull]]', which suggests that he was born in the same year as an Apis Bull - the only available candidate was born and installed in 185 BC: {{cite journal |last1=Koenen |first1=Ludwig |title=Die 'demotische Zivilprozessordnung' und die Philanthropa vom 9. Okt. 186 vor Chr. |journal=Archiv für Papyrusforschung |date=1960 |volume=17 |page=13 n. 2}}. The month is known from an inscription on Cyprus (''[[Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum|SEG]]'' 20.311), recording birthday celebrations in his honour in the month of Pharmouthi: {{cite journal |last1=Mitford |first1=T. B. |title=Further Contributions to the Epigraphy of Cyprus |journal=American Journal of Archaeology|date=1961 |volume=65 |issue=2 |page=129|doi=10.2307/502666 |jstor=502666 |s2cid=191391700 }}</ref><ref name=Tyndale/> He had two siblings: a sister, [[Cleopatra II]], who was probably born between 186 and 184&nbsp;BC, and a younger brother, [[Ptolemy VIII]]. His father advertised Ptolemy VI's position as heir within Egypt and to the wider world, for example by entering a chariot team under his name in the [[Panathenaic Games]] of 182&nbsp;BC.<ref>[[Inscriptiones Graecae|IG II²]] 2314 line 56; {{cite journal |last1=Tracy |first1=Stephen V. |last2=Habicht |first2=Christian |title=New and Old Panathenaic Victor Lists |journal=Hesperia |date=1991 |volume=60 |issue=2 |page=221 |jstor=148087 }}</ref><ref name=Tyndale/> The defeat in the Fifth Syrian War cast a shadow over the rest of Ptolemy V's reign. One prominent faction within the Ptolemaic court agitated for a return to war in order to restore Egyptian prestige, while another faction resisted the expense involved in rebuilding and remilitarising the realm.<ref name="Grainger 2010 274"/> Ptolemy V died unexpectedly in September 180&nbsp;BC, at the age of only 30. It is possible that he was murdered as a result of this factional infighting – a late source claims that he had been poisoned.<ref>[[Jerome]], ''Commentary on Daniel'' 11.20</ref>