Roman Bronze Bust of Ptolemy Apion, King of Cyren

From the Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum

Ptolemy Apion or simply known as Apion (between 150 BC & 145 BC - 96 BC) was the last Greek Cyrenaean King and was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Ptolemy was Greek and native Egyptian in descent. His second name Apion is a name of ancient Egyptian origin and could be a name from his maternal ancestry.

The Villa of the Papyri is a private house in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum. Situated north-west of the township, the residence sits halfway up the slope of the volcano Vesuvius without other buildings to obstruct the view. The villa suburbana was perhaps owned by Julius Caesar’s father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.