As it says on the tin. Cleopatra's certainly the most famous of Ptolemy XII of Egypt's five children. His two sons, Ptolemies XIII (possibly Arsinoe IV's twin brother) and XIV are remembered as little more than Cleopatra's successive husbands. His other two daughters are likewise reduced to the significance of historical footnotes: Berenice IV and Arsinoe IV. Berenice rose up in rebellion against Ptolemy XII and ended up losing her head.
Arsinoe, on the other hand, came within a hair's breadth of defeating Caesar, only for her soldiers to change sides at the last minute and arrange to hand her over to Caesar in exchange for Ptolemy XIII. Arsinoe was then included in Caesar's triumphal procession in Rome, where the sight of her even aroused pity from the Romans themselves. Unusually for a prominent prisoner in a triumph, she wasn't executed thereafter (probably not by Caesar's own choosing (or Cleopatra's)), since he was pressured to send her to Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
Then, the Romans decided to get all stabbity-stab with Julie-with-the-Lettuce-Leaves. Cleopatra quickly had her little brother (Ptolemy XIV) killed to make way for her infant son Caesarion (Little Caesar) as joint ruler, and the players prepared to make their moves. At first it looked good for Arsinoe; Mark Antony, Caesar’s friend and now the leading man in a post-Caesar Rome, seems to have awarded Cyprus jointly to both Cleopatra and Arsinoe, and after receiving no help from Egypt in the next bout of civil war, the Roman general angrily summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus in Asia Minor to give an explanation.
However, it didn't pan out so well for Arsinoe. Her sister very quickly charmed her way into Mark Antony's graces (bed, and heart). And Arsinoe, probably not even 20 years old (according to some historians) wound up decorating the steps of the Temple of Artemis with her blood. Murdered at Cleopatra's order. With Antony's tacit support.
But, after her death, Arsinoe was quickly forgotten. This was a woman (who if she was 20 at the time of her death) would've been fifteen when she had Caesar on the ropes at Alexandria. While Cleopatra has gone on to inspire poetry, art, books, movies. Arsinoe gets a sentence? Most modern people with little to no knowledge of the period recognize the name Cleopatra, mention Arsinoe and they're like "who?"
So, how can Arsinoe IV become as well-known as Cleo? Could Arsinoe get to Antony first? Maybe if she actually defeats Caesar (and could this delay or stay her mutinous troops' hands?)
Arsinoe, on the other hand, came within a hair's breadth of defeating Caesar, only for her soldiers to change sides at the last minute and arrange to hand her over to Caesar in exchange for Ptolemy XIII. Arsinoe was then included in Caesar's triumphal procession in Rome, where the sight of her even aroused pity from the Romans themselves. Unusually for a prominent prisoner in a triumph, she wasn't executed thereafter (probably not by Caesar's own choosing (or Cleopatra's)), since he was pressured to send her to Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
Then, the Romans decided to get all stabbity-stab with Julie-with-the-Lettuce-Leaves. Cleopatra quickly had her little brother (Ptolemy XIV) killed to make way for her infant son Caesarion (Little Caesar) as joint ruler, and the players prepared to make their moves. At first it looked good for Arsinoe; Mark Antony, Caesar’s friend and now the leading man in a post-Caesar Rome, seems to have awarded Cyprus jointly to both Cleopatra and Arsinoe, and after receiving no help from Egypt in the next bout of civil war, the Roman general angrily summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus in Asia Minor to give an explanation.
However, it didn't pan out so well for Arsinoe. Her sister very quickly charmed her way into Mark Antony's graces (bed, and heart). And Arsinoe, probably not even 20 years old (according to some historians) wound up decorating the steps of the Temple of Artemis with her blood. Murdered at Cleopatra's order. With Antony's tacit support.
But, after her death, Arsinoe was quickly forgotten. This was a woman (who if she was 20 at the time of her death) would've been fifteen when she had Caesar on the ropes at Alexandria. While Cleopatra has gone on to inspire poetry, art, books, movies. Arsinoe gets a sentence? Most modern people with little to no knowledge of the period recognize the name Cleopatra, mention Arsinoe and they're like "who?"
So, how can Arsinoe IV become as well-known as Cleo? Could Arsinoe get to Antony first? Maybe if she actually defeats Caesar (and could this delay or stay her mutinous troops' hands?)