Berenice

For other uses, see Berenice (disambiguation).

Berenice or Berenike (Greek: Βερενίκη, Berenikē) is the Ancient Macedonian form for Attic Greek Φερενίκη (Pherenikē), meaning "bearer of victory", from φέρω (pherō) "to bear" + νίκη (nikē) "victory". Berenika priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC is the oldest epigraphical evidence. The name also has the form Bernice. An additional Latin form of the same name is Veronica.

Many historical figures bear the name "Berenice":

• Several Ptolemaic and Seleucid queens as well as royal daughters in Cyrenaica and Egypt:
  • Berenice I of Egypt, mother of Magas of Cyrene and wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt
  • Berenice (Seleucid queen), daughter of Ptolemy II of Egypt and wife of Seleucid monarch Antiochus II Theos
  • Berenice II of Egypt, daughter of Magas of Cyrene, wife of Ptolemy III of Egypt and traditional namesake of the constellation Coma Berenices
  • Berenice III of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy IX of Egypt; she first married Ptolemy X of Egypt, and later Ptolemy XI of Egypt
  • Berenice IV of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy XII of Egypt and elder sister of Cleopatra VII
  • Berenice A, daughter of Ptolemy III and Berenice II
  • Berenice B, probable daughter of Ptolemy VIII and wife of Pasherenptah (high priest of Ptah)
  • Berenice C, descendant of Ptolemy VIII (great-great-granddaughter)
  • Berenice, great-granddaughter of Ptolemy I Epigone

• Judean princesses:
  • Berenice (daughter of Salome), daughter of Salome I, a sister of Herod the Great
  • Berenice (daughter of Herod Agrippa I)
  • Berenice (daughter of Mariamne), daughter of Mariamne, a daughter of Herod Agrippa I

• Saints:
  • Berenice, also known as Saint Veronica, saint from Jerusalem
  • Domnina, Berenice, and Prosdoce, 4th century martyrs

• Others:
  • Berenice of Chios, one of the wives of Mithridates VI of Pontus

References

• Berenice Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology