Editing Ptolemy of Mauretania (section)

===Reign===
When Ptolemy returned to Mauretania, Juba{{nbsp}}II made Ptolemy his co-ruler and successor. Coinage has survived from Juba{{nbsp}}II's co-rule with his son. On coinage, on one side is a central bust of Juba{{nbsp}}II with his title in Latin'' ‘King Juba’''. On the other side is a central bust of Ptolemy and the inscription stating in Latin'' ‘King Ptolemy son of Juba’''. Juba{{nbsp}}II died in 23 and was placed alongside Cleopatra Selene{{nbsp}}II in the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania. Ptolemy then became the sole ruler of Mauretania.

During his co-rule with Juba{{nbsp}}II, and into his sole rule, Ptolemy, like his father, appeared to be a patron of art, learning, literature and sports. In [[Athens]], [[Greece]], statues were erected to Juba{{nbsp}}II and Ptolemy in a gymnasium, and a statue was erected in Ptolemy's honor in reference to his taste in literature. Ptolemy dedicated statues of himself on the Acropolis. The Athenians honored Ptolemy and his family with inscriptions dedicated to them, and this reveals that the Athenians had respect towards the Roman Client Monarchs and their families, which was common in the 1st century.

[[File:Tolomeo re di numidia e mauretania, busto di restauro, inv. 2253.JPG|thumb|Bust of Ptolemy of Mauretania in the [[Vatican Museums]] (Museo Chiaramonti).]]
In the year 17, the local Berber tribes, the Numidian [[Tacfarinas]] and [[Garamantes]], started to revolt against the Kingdom of Mauretania and Rome. The war had ravaged Africa, and Berber forces included former slaves from Ptolemy's household who had joined in the revolt. Ptolemy through his military campaigns was unsuccessful in ending the Berber revolt. The war reached the point where Ptolemy summoned the Roman governor of Africa, Publius Cornelius Dolabella, and his army to assist him in ending the revolt. The war ended in the year 24. Although Ptolemy's army and the Romans won, both parties suffered considerable losses of infantry and cavalry.

The [[Roman Senate]], impressed by Ptolemy's loyal conduct, had sent a Roman senator to visit him. The Roman senator recognized Ptolemy's loyal conduct and awarded him an ivory scepter, an embroidered triumphal robe, and the senator greeted Ptolemy as ''king, ally, and friend''. This recognition was a tradition which recognized and rewarded the allies of Rome.

Ptolemy, through his military campaigns, had proven his capability and loyalty as an ally and Client King to Rome. He was a popular monarch with the Berbers and had travelled extensively throughout the Roman Empire, including [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]] and [[Ostia Antica|Ostia]], [[Italy]].

In Caesaria, prayers were offered for the health of Ptolemy at the [[Saturn (mythology)|Temple of Saturn ''frugifer dues'']]. Mauretania was a region that was abundant in agriculture, and a god [[interpretatio graeca|considered equivalent to]] Saturn was the god of agriculture. This cult was an important one in the kingdom. A temple and a sanctuary were dedicated to Saturn in Caesaria by 30 and, throughout Mauretania, various temples were dedicated to Saturn.

His mother originated from [[Egypt]], where there were various imperial cults dedicated to the Pharaohs and their relatives, and there is a possibility that his father's Royal Numidian ancestors may have had imperial cults dedicated to them.

A surviving inscription in Mauretania hints that either Juba{{nbsp}}II or Ptolemy established an imperial cult honoring [[Hiempsal II]], a previous Numidian King and paternal grandfather of Juba{{nbsp}}II. According to inscription evidence, Ptolemy may have established a Royal Mauretanian cult honoring himself and his late parents (see [[Traditional Berber religion|Berber mythology]]). One inscription is dedicated to his [[Genius (mythology)|genius]], and another inscription expressed wishes for his good health.

Evidence suggesting that Ptolemy could have deified Juba{{nbsp}}II after his death is from the writings of the Christian author of the 3rd century, [[Marcus Minucius Felix]]. In Felix's ''Octavius'', the writer records a dialogue between a Christian and a pagan from [[Cirta]]. This dialogue was part of a Christian argument that divinity is impossible for mortals. Felix lists humans who were said to have become divine: ''Saturn, Jupiter, Romulus and Juba''. Further literary evidence, suggesting the deification of Juba{{nbsp}}II by Ptolemy, is from the brief [[Euhemerism|euhemerist]] exercise entitled ''On the Vanity of Idols'' by the 3rd-century Christian saint [[Cyprian]]. In his exercise in deflating the gods, Cyprian observed and stated that the Mauretanians were manifestly worshiping their kings and did not conceal their name by any disguise. According to the surviving evidence, there is a strong probability that Juba{{nbsp}}II and Ptolemy were deified by the Berbers after their deaths.

Coinage from Ptolemy's sole reign is different from those during the time Ptolemy co-ruled with Juba{{nbsp}}II. His royal title on coinage is in Latin'' ‘King Ptolemy’'' and there is no surviving coinage that shows his royal title in Greek. On his coinage there is no [[Ancient Egypt]]ian imagery. The coinage from his sole reign displays a variety of themes. Ptolemy personified himself as an elephant on coins. Elephant personification is an ancient coinage tradition in which his late parents partook when they ruled Mauretania. The elephant has symbolic functions: an icon representing Africa and an iconic monetary characteristic from the [[Hellenistic period]] which displays influence and power. Another animal Ptolemy uses on coins is a lion leaping, which is a symbol of animal kingship and is a symbol representing Africa.

Other coins display Roman themes. A rare revealing gold coin, dated from the year 39, celebrates Ptolemy's ascent, his rule, and his loyalty to Rome. On one side of the coin is a central bust of Juba{{nbsp}}II inscribed in Latin ''‘King Juba son of Juba’''. Juba{{nbsp}}II is personified like a Greek Egyptian [[pharaoh]] from the Ptolemaic dynasty. The other side of the coin is an eagle with its wings displayed on a thunderbolt, and Ptolemy's initials are inscribed in Latin. Through his father's central bust and inscription, Ptolemy is celebrating and showing the continuation of his family and rule, while honoring his paternal ancestry. Ptolemy through the eagle is celebrating the Roman Peace, honoring the rule of the Roman Empire, while he is showing his allegiance and loyalty to Ancient Rome. Another coin, dating from the year 40, celebrates his senatorial decree. The coin shows, on one side, a [[Curule seat|curule chair]] upon which is a [[wreath]] and has a [[sceptre]] leaning against it. On the other side of the coin, Ptolemy is wearing a fillet on his head.

Ptolemy seemed to have had expensive tastes and enjoyed luxury items. He owned a custom-made citrus wood wine table. Mauretania had many citrus trees and produced many citrus wood tables, which were frequently sought out by aristocrats and monarchs.

Ptolemy married a woman named Julia Urania, who came from obscure origins. She is only known through a funeral inscription found at Caesaria through her freedwoman Julia Bodina. Bodina ascribed Julia Urania as "Queen Julia Urania". There is a possibility that Julia Urania was a member of the [[Emesene dynasty|royal family of Emesa]] (modern [[Homs]], [[Syria]]). Ptolemy married Julia Urania at an unknown date during the 1st century. She bore Ptolemy, in about 38, a daughter called [[Drusilla (daughter of Ptolemy of Mauretania)|Drusilla]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Roller |first=Duane W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZo6DwAAQBAJ |title=Cleopatra: A Biography |date=2011 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-982996-5 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Tyldesley |first=Joyce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fW4y5vvw2FUC |title=Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt |date=2011 |publisher=Profile Books |isbn=978-1-84765-044-3 |pages=202 |language=en}}</ref>