Alexander Helios

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Alexander Helios (Greek: ο Αλέξανδρος Ήλιος, 25 December 40 BC - between 29 BC - 25 BC) was a Ptolemaic Prince and was the eldest son to Greek Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. His younger twin was Ptolemaic Princess Cleopatra Selene. He was of Greek and Roman heritage.

Cleopatra named him, Alexander in honor of her Greek Macedonian heritage and after her maternal grandfather. His second name in Ancient Greek means "Sun"; Plutarch explains this was the counterpart of his twin sister’s second name Selene, meaning "Moon".

Alexander Helios was born, raised, and educated in Alexandria, Egypt. In late 34 BC, at the Donations of Alexandria, he was made ruler of Armenia, Media and Parthia. These kingdoms were, in fact, already ruled by Artavasdes II of Armenia (he was captured by Mark Antony), Artavasdes I of Media and Phraates IV of Parthia. He was probably intended to only control these thrones eventually. In 33 BC, he was engaged to Iotapa, a Princess of Media and daughter of King Artavasdes I of Media.

Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian (future Roman Emperor Augustus) at the Battle of Actium, Greece in 31 BC. The next year, they committed suicide as Octavian and his army invaded Egypt. Iotapa left Egypt to return to her father, after which her fate is unknown.

Octavian took Alexander Helios, his sister and his brother Ptolemy Philadelphus from Egypt to Italy. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome by parading the three orphans in heavy golden chains in the streets. The chains were so heavy that they couldn’t walk. The three siblings were given to Octavia Minor to be raised in her house in Rome under her guardianship. Octavia Minor was Octavian's second elder sister and was the former wife of Mark Antony, the children's father. The fate of Alexander Helios is unknown. Plutarch states that the only child that Octavian killed out of Antony’s children was Marcus Antonius Antyllus. The ancient sources do not mention any military service, political career, involvement in scandals, marriage plans or descendants; if he had survived to adulthood, at least one of these would probably have been noted. Alexander most likely died from illness in Rome.