Kleopatra Selene II was born 40 BCE as a Ptolemaic Princess and was the only daughter to Greek Ptolemaic queen Kleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. She was the fraternal twin of Alexander Helios, and was born, raised and educated in Alexandria, Egypt.
In 30 BCE, her parents committed suicide after being defeated by Octavian (later Caesar Augustus) in a naval battle. Subsequently, Octavian and his army invaded Egypt. Octavian captured Selene and her brothers and took them from Egypt to Italy. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome by parading the orphans in heavy golden chains in the streets. The chains were so heavy that they could not walk, eliciting sympathy from many of the Roman onlookers. Octavian gave the siblings to Octavia Minor to be raised in her household in Rome.
In 25 BCE, Augustus arrange for Selene to marry King Juba II of Numidia in Rome. The Emperor Augustus gave to Selene as a wedding present a huge dowry and she became an ally to Rome. By then her brothers, Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus, disappear from all known historical records and are presumed to have died, possibly from illness or assassination. When Selene married Juba, she was the only surviving member of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Juba and Selene could not return to Numidia as it had been made a Roman province in 4 6 BCe. The couple were sent to Mauretania, an unorganized territory that needed Roman supervision. They renamed their new capital Caesarea (modern Cherchell, Algeria), in honor of the Emperor. Selene is said to have exercised great influence on policies that Juba created. Through her influence, the Mauretanian Kingdom flourished. Mauretania exported and traded well throughout the Mediterranean. When Selene died in 5 BCE, she was placed in the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania in modern Algeria, built by her and Juba east of Caesarea and still visible. A fragmentary inscription was dedicated to Juba and Selene, as the King and Queen of Mauretania.
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