Ptolemaic Dynasty
The Ptolemaic Dynasty was established following the death of Alexander the Great, with Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander's generals, becoming the ruler of Egypt in 323 BCE. He declared himself king in 305 BCE and implemented policies that would influence his successors, including the creation of a strong military and a centralized bureaucracy to manage Egypt's wealth. Ptolemy I's reign marked a significant cultural shift as he promoted Greek civilization and sought to make Alexandria a leading center of Hellenic culture, notably founding the famed Library of Alexandria. The dynasty is characterized by its rulers' limited engagement with Egyptian culture, treating the local populace as subordinate while supporting their religious practices to secure their loyalty. Despite initial successes, including territorial expansion and military victories, the dynasty faced challenges in the second century BCE, leading to internal revolts and increased influence from foreign powers, particularly Rome. The dynasty's decline culminated in the reign of Cleopatra VII, whose alliance with Rome during its civil wars ultimately led to her demise and the end of Ptolemaic rule in 30 BCE, when Egypt was annexed as a Roman province. The Ptolemaic Dynasty remains a significant chapter in the history of ancient Egypt, blending Greek and Egyptian cultures while navigating complex political landscapes.
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Related civilizations: Hellenistic Greece, Macedonia, Egypt.
Date: 323-30 b.c.e.
Locale: Egypt, Cyrenaica, Palestine
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Following Alexander the Great’s death, his lieutenants divided his vast empire. Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Great’s ablest generals, chose Egypt as his share, becoming satrap in 323 b.c.e. and taking the title of king in 305 b.c.e. Ptolemy’s policies set precedents for his successors.
Ptolemy I Soter created a large army and navy to maintain and expand his possessions. He granted land to Greek and Macedonian settlers willing to serve in his army and hired many mercenaries. By 321 b.c.e., Ptolemy dominated Cyprus and had turned Cyrenaic (modern Libya) into a protectorate. The Ptolemies fought five wars with the Seleucid Dynasty over possession of Palestine and Phoenicia before finally losing the territories in the second century b.c.e.
Having limited interest in Egyptian people or culture, Ptolemy I treated the inhabitants as inferior to Greeks and Macedonians. He supported Egyptian religion and rebuilt native temples in return for being recognized as pharaoh and worshiped as a god. Ptolemy used a highly centralized bureaucracy to control all aspects of the country’s economic life, extracting enormous wealth from Egypt. Until Cleopatra VII, Egypt’s last monarch, no Ptolemaic (tah-leh-MAY-ihk) ruler bothered to learn the Egyptian language.
Ptolemy I esteemed Greek civilization and wanted his capital, Alexandria, to replace Athens as the dominant center of Hellenic culture. He established a great library and museum, assembling a huge collection of written works and attracting outstanding artists, poets, scholars, and scientists from the entire Greek world. During his reign, he began construction of the great Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Ptolemy Philadelphus (r. 288-246 b.c.e.), an even more voracious collector than his father; sought to obtain copies of every known work, expanding his father’s library to some half million papyrus rolls, many containing more than one book. By wedding his sister Arsinoë, he began the Ptolemaic practice of sister-brother marriage. Under Ptolemy Euergetes (r. 246-221 b.c.e.), the Ptolemaic Empire expanded to its maximum size, dominating many Aegean islands and coastal areas of Asia Minor.
The decline of Ptolemaic power began under Ptolemy Philopator (r. 221-205 b.c.e.). To defeat the Seleucids at the Battle of Raphia (217 b.c.e.), he enlisted Egyptians into his army. The resulting surge in Egyptian nationalism set off thirty years of native rebellions. In 164 b.c.e., the Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, defeated the Egyptian army and captured Ptolemy VI Philometor. Only the intervention of Rome forced Antiochus to withdraw; Rome then treated Egypt as a protectorate. After choosing to ally with what proved to be the losing side in the Roman civil wars, Cleopatra VII committed suicide in 30 b.c.e. Her death ended the Ptolemaic Dynasty and Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire.
Bibliography
Bowman, A. K. Egypt After the Pharaohs, 332 b.c.-a.d. 642: From Alexander to the Arab Conquest. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986.
Ellis, Walter M. Ptolemy of Egypt. New York: Routledge, 1994.
Foss, Michael. The Search for Cleopatra. New York: Arcade, 1997.