Ptolemy IV Philopator

Ptolemy IV Philopator
Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ Ancient Egyptian: Iwaennetjerwymenkhwy Setepptah Userkare Sekhemankhamun[1]
Gold octadrachm in the British Museum
Pharaoh
King of the Ptolemaic Kingdom
Reign	221 – 204 BC
Predecessor	Ptolemy III
Successor	Ptolemy V
Royal titulary Horus name ḥnw-ḳni sḫꜤi.n-sw-it.f Khunuqeni sekhaensuitef The strong youth whose father has allowed him to appear Nebty name wr-pḥtj mnḫ-jb-ḫr-nṯrw-nbw nḏtj-n-ḥnmmt Werpekhty menekhibkhernetjerunebu nedjtyenkhenmemet Whose might is great, whose heart is beneficial with all the Gods, who is the savior of mankind Golden Horus swḏꜢ-bꜢḳt sḥḏ-gsw-prw smn-hpw-mi ḏḥwti-ꜤꜢ-ꜤꜢ nb-ḥbw-sd-mi-ptḥ-tꜢ-ṯnn ity-mi-rꜤ Sewedjabaqet sekhedjgesuperu semenhepumi Djehutia'a nebkhabusedmiptah-tatjenen itymire Who has kept Baqet safe by illuminating the temples and establishing laws like the twice-great Thoth, possessor of Sed festivals like Ptah Tatenen and a sovereign like Ra Prenomen  (Praenomen) jwꜤ-n-nṯrwj-mnḫwj stp.n-ptḥ wsr-kꜢ-rꜤ sḫm-Ꜥnḫ-n-jmn Iwaennetjerwymenekhwy Setepenptah Userkare Sekhemankhamun The heir of the two potent gods, chosen by Ptah, the strong one of the ka of Ra, the living image of Amun Nomen ptwlmjs Ꜥnḫ-ḏt mrj-Ꜣst Ptolemys ankhdjet meryaset Ptolemaios, living forever, beloved of Isis
Consort	Arsinoe III, Agathoclea
Children	Ptolemy V
Father	Ptolemy III
Mother	Berenice II
Born	May or June 244 BC[2]
Died	July or August 204 BC (aged 40)[2]
Dynasty	Ptolemaic dynasty

Ptolemy IV Philopator^{[note 1]} (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ, romanized: Ptolemaĩos Philopátōr; "Ptolemy, lover of his Father"; May/June 244 – July/August 204 BC) was the fourth pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt from 221 to 204 BC.

Ptolemy IV was the son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II. His succession to the throne was accompanied by a wide-ranging purge of the Ptolemaic royal family, which left control of the realm's government largely in the hands of his courtiers Sosibius and Agathocles. His reign was marked by the Fourth Syrian War (219–217 BC) with the Seleucid empire, which culminated in a decisive Ptolemaic victory at the Battle of Raphia, one of the largest battles of the whole Hellenistic Age. In the final years of his rule, control over the southern portion of the country was lost to the rebel pharaoh Hugronaphor. Ptolemy IV died in mysterious circumstances in 204 BC and was succeeded by his young son Ptolemy V Epiphanes under the regency of Sosibius and Agathocles.

In ancient sources, Ptolemy IV was criticised for being more interested in luxury and court ceremony than government, politics, and foreign relations. The decline of the Ptolemaic dynasty is usually traced to his reign.

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