Political Economy and Imperial Integration: The Importance of the Arsinoe Cult in Shaping Ptolemaic Power

The name of Arsinoe II, or Philadelphus , occurs very often in documents related to Ptolemaic imperial agendas throughout the Mediterranean. In this article my aim is twofold: first, by using the island of Cyprus as a case study, I will provide the historical context of the period, addressing issues of changing political economies and imperial integration. Then, using the available epigraphic, other textual and archaeological evidence (i.e. the association of the queen with Aphrodite Euploia , the establishment of Arsinoe cities on the island, and the epigraphic corpus from the Kafizin sanctuary in a comparative perspective), I will focus on the cult of Arsinoe Philadelphus. This analysis clearly illustrates how the development of this royal cult – which functioned in both official and popular religious spheres and operated as a mechanism connecting local communities with the Ptolemaic administration – and its recurrence in realms that pertain to the relationship between Ptolemaic political economies and imperial integration, lie between specific royal agendas and local receptivity. Comprehending what the name Arsinoe Philadelphus stood for in a local context can result in a better understanding of the Ptolemaic politico-economic policies, and their impact on various forms of identities (socio-political, socio-economic and religious) across the Ptolemaic sphere of influence.