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The cranium from the Octagon in Ephesos.

Gerhard W Weber1,2, Petra G Šimková3,4, Daniel M Fernandes4,5

  • 1Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030, Vienna, Austria. gerhard.weber@univie.ac.at.

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|January 10, 2025
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Summary

Archaeologists identified a skeleton from Ephesos using advanced genetic and dating methods. The remains belong to a young boy, not Arsinoë IV, with Italian or Sardinian ancestry, dating between 205-36 BC.

Keywords:
Ancient DNAArsinoë IVCranial morphologyEphesosPtolemean

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Area of Science:

  • Bioarchaeology
  • Ancient Genetics
  • Radiocarbon Dating

Background:

  • A well-preserved skeleton was discovered in Ephesos in 1929, sparking speculation about its identity, with a prominent theory suggesting it belonged to Arsinoë IV.
  • Arsinoë IV, daughter of Ptolemy XII and sister of Cleopatra VII, was reportedly killed in Ephesos in 41 BC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the identity and origin of the skeleton found in the Octagon at Ephesos.
  • To resolve the long-standing archaeological debate regarding the skeleton's potential connection to Arsinoë IV.

Main Methods:

  • State-of-the-art morphological, genetic, and radiocarbon (14C) dating analyses were performed on the cranium and bone samples (femur, rib).
  • Genetic analyses confirmed the cranium and femur belonged to the same individual.
  • 14C dating provided a date range for the cranium.

Main Results:

  • Genetic analyses confirmed the cranium and femur belong to the same individual.
  • 14C dating of the cranium yielded a date range of 205–36 BC.
  • The individual was identified as a male, excluding the possibility of it being Arsinoë IV.
  • The boy was 11–14 years old and exhibited significant developmental disturbances.
  • Genetic ancestry analysis suggested origins from the Italian peninsula or Sardinia.

Conclusions:

  • The skeleton is definitively not Arsinoë IV, but rather a young boy of likely Italian or Sardinian descent who lived between 205–36 BC.
  • The findings allow for new avenues of research into the boy's life, social background, and fate.
  • The actual burial place and fate of Arsinoë IV in Ephesos remain undetermined.