His
parents were defeated by Octavian (future Roman Emperor Augustus) during the naval battle at Actium, Greece in 31
BC. The next year, his parents committed suicide as Octavian
and his army invaded Egypt.

Octavian
took him and elder siblings Alexander
Helios and Cleopatra Selene
II from Egypt to Italy. The
three children became orphans. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in
Rome, by parading the three orphans in heavy golden
chains in the streets of Rome. The chains were so heavy,
they could not walk. The three siblings were taken by Octavian and
given to Octavia Minor, Octavian’s
second elder sister and their father’s former wife.

The fate of Ptolemy Philadelphus is unknown. Plutarch states that the only child that Octavian
killed out of Antony’s children was Marcus Antonius Antyllus. The
ancient sources do not mention any military service or political
career, if he was involved in any scandals, any marriage plans or
any descendants, and if he survived to adulthood, it would have
been mentioned. Ptolemy probably died from illness in the winter of
29 BC, but this is not verified.