Ptolemy I Soter, one of the seven somatophylacs (bodyguards) who served as generals and representatives of Alexander the Great, was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. Alexander's empire collapsed. In 305 BC. the devoted general of Macedon declared himself Ptolemy the Savior - the ruler of Egypt.
The Egyptians soon accepted the Ptolemies as successors to the pharaohs of independent Egypt. A former Macedonian family ruled over Egypt until the Roman conquest in 30 BC
Characteristic of the dynasty
All male rulers of the dynasty took the name of Ptolemy. Ptolemaic princesses, some of whom were married to their brothers, were commonly referred to as Cleopatra, Arsinoe, or Berenice. The most famous member of this line is the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the political battles between Caesar and Pompey and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. She enteredhistory of a strong ruler and a great intriguer. Her apparent suicide during the Roman conquest marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.
Board Features
The dates in brackets later in the article are the actual dates of the pharaohs. They often ruled jointly with their wives, who were often their sisters as well. Several queens from this dynasty held supreme power over Egypt. One of the last and most famous was Cleopatra ("Philopator Cleopatra VII", 51-30 BC), and her two brothers and her son served as successive nominal co-rulers.
Hereditary ailments
Contemporaries describe a number of members of the Ptolemaic dynasty as extremely corpulent, while sculptures and coins reveal to us their large eyes and swollen necks. Apparently, these characteristic features were a kind of sign of a hereditary disease, such as morbid obesity. This is probably due to the widespread practice of incest in the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Due to the familial nature of these findings, members of this dynasty likely suffered from a multi-organ fibrotic disease such as Erdheim-Chester disease or familial multifocal fibrosclerosis, which coexisted with thyroiditis, obesity, and ocular proptosis.
Ptolemy the Egyptian
Ptolemy I (367 BC - 282 BC) was a companion and colleague of Alexander the Great who succeeded in establishing his empire. The former general became the ruler of Egypt (323-282 BC) and founded the eponymousa dynasty that ruled it for the next three centuries, turning Egypt into a Hellenistic kingdom and Alexandria into a center of Greek culture.
Ptolemy was the son of Arsina of Macedon, either by her husband Lagus, or by Philip II of Macedon, Alexander's father. Ptolemy was one of the most reliable companions and officers of the latter. They have been close friends since childhood.
In 285, our hero declared his son Berenice - Ptolemy II Philadelphus, his official co-ruler. His eldest legitimate son Ptolemy Keraunos, whose mother Eurydice was rejected, fled to Lysima. Ptolemy died in January 282 at the age of 84 or 85. He was shrewd and careful. He also had a compact and well-ordered kingdom that flourished at the end of the Forty Years' War. His reputation as a kindly and generous ruler brought him into the service of escaped Macedonian soldiers and other Greeks, although he did not neglect to recruit natives. He was a patron of writing, founded the Great Library of Alexandria.
Ptolemy himself wrote a memoir about his participation in Alexander's campaign. In the second century AD, the story of Ptolemy was used by Arrian of Nicomedia as one of his two main sources (along with that of Aristobulus Cassandrea) for his own surviving biography of Alexander, and consequently large passages from our hero's memoirs can be found in Arrian's work. Arrian only refers to Ptolemy by name a few times, but it is likely that large lengths of Arrian's anabasisreflect Ptolemy's version of events. Arrian once identified Ptolemy as the author to whom he most cites, and in his Preface states that Ptolemy seemed to him a particularly credible source, not only because he was present with Alexander in the campaign, but also because he himself was king, and therefore lying would be more dishonorable to him than to anyone else.
Ptolemy, king of Mauretania (Philadelphia)
Ptolemy II Philadelphia (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Φιλάδελφος, Ptolemaas Philadelphos "Ptolemy, lover of his sister", 308/9-246 BC) was the king of Egypt from 283 to 246 BC. He was the son of the founder of his dynasty, mentioned above, and Queen Berenice I, who came from Macedonia in northern Greece.
During the reign of Ptolemy II, the material and literary splendor of the Alexandrian court was at its height. He improved the Museum and Library of Alexandria. He built a memorial stele, the Great Stela of Mendes. He also led the Ptolemaic Kingdom against the rival Seleucid Empire in the first of a series of Syrian wars.
He had two sisters, Arsinoe II and Philotera. He was educated by the Filits of Kos. Two of his father's sons by his previous marriage to Eurydice, Ptolemy Keraunos and Meleager, became kings of Macedonia. Children from Berenice's first marriage to Philip included Magas Cyreneus. Pyrrhus of Epirus became his son-in-law through marriage to Ptolemy's maternal sister, Antigone.
The third descendant of the great general
Ptolemy III Euergetes (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Εὐεργέτης, Ptolemaĩos Euergétēs "Ptolemy the Benefactor", 284-222 BC) was the third king of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and reigned from 246 to 222 BC.
Fourth Generation
Ptolemy IV Philopator (Greek ΠτολεΜαῖος Φιλοπάτωρ, Ptolemyas Philopatra "Ptolemy, beloved of his Father", 245 / 4-204 BC), son of the previous ruler and his sister Berenice II, was the fourth pharaoh of Egypt from this dynasty from 221 to 204 BC. During his reign, the gradual degradation of the dynasty and the state it ruled began.
Ptolemy Epiphanes
Ptolemy Epiphanes (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Ἐπιφανής, Ptolemy Epiphanes "Ptolemy the Outstanding"); 210-181 BC), son of Philopator Ptolemy IV and his sister Arsina III, was the fifth ruler of the dynasty from 204 to 181 BC. He inherited the throne at the age of five, and under a series of regents, the kingdom was paralyzed. The Rosetta Stone was created during his reign.
Beloved mother
Ptolemy VI Philometor (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος ΦιλοΜήτωρ, Ptolemaos Philomentos "Ptolemy, lover of his mother") was king of Egypt from 180 to 164year BC and from 163 to 145 BC. As a child, his mother ruled on his behalf, and later, two foreign conspirators. Nevertheless, he soon achieved complete power over the state.
Father's New Beloved
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (Greek ΠτολεΜαῖος Νέος Φιλοπάτωρ, Ptolemyas Neos Philopatr "New Beloved of his Father"). His reign is controversial, and it is possible that he did not reign at all, but received a posthumous royal rank.
Everget II
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Εὐεργέτης, Ptolemaĩos Euergétēs "Ptolemy the Benefactor", 182 BC - 26 June 116 BC), nicknamed the "Physicist" (Ήύκσ "Fat"), was the next king of Egypt from this legendary dynasty.
Ptolemy VIII's difficult political career began in 170 BC. At that time, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire invaded and captured King Ptolemy VI Philometor and all of Egypt except for the city of Alexandria. Antiochus allowed Ptolemy VI to continue to rule as a puppet monarch. Meanwhile, the people of Alexandria chose Ptolemy Euergetes, his younger brother, as king. Instead of fighting against each other, the brothers wisely decided to jointly rule Egypt.
First woman on the throne of Hellenic Egypt
Cleopatra II(Greek: Κλεοπάτρα, circa 185 BC – 116/115 BC) was a queen of Ptolemaic Egypt who reigned from 175 to 116 BC. with two successive siblings and a daughter.
She ruled during her first reign until 164 BC. jointly with Ptolemy VI Philometor, her first husband and eldest of her brothers, and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, her younger brother. During her second reign, she was again with Ptolemy VI from 163 BC until her death in 145 BC. She then ruled jointly with Ptolemy VIII, whom she married, and her daughter Cleopatra III. She was the sole ruler of Egypt from 131 until 127 BC. Cleopatra II is practically not remembered for anything remarkable. However, like her daughter.
Daughter of the first queen
Cleopatra III (Greek Κλεοπάτρα; c.160-101 BC) was the Queen of Egypt. She first ruled jointly with her mother Cleopatra II and her husband Ptolemy VIII from 142 to 131 BC and again from 127 to 116 BC. She then ruled the country with her sons Ptolemy IX and Ptolemy X from 116 to 101 BC.
Sauter II
Ptolemy IX Soter II (Greek ΠτολεΜαῖος Σωτήρ, Ptolemyas Sōtḗr "Ptolemy the Savior"), commonly called Lathyros (Λάθυρος, Láthuros "chickpea"), reigned twice as king of Ptolemaic Egypt. Hetook the throne after the death of his father in 116 BC, and ruled jointly with his mother Cleopatra III.
He was deposed in 107 BC. by their mother and brother. He ruled Egypt again after the death of his brother in 88 BC until his own death in 81 BC. The legitimate Ptolemaic line in Egypt ended shortly after his death and that of his nephew. His illegitimate son soon seized the throne.
Named after Alexander
Ptolemy X Alexander I (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Ἀλέξανδρος, Ptolemaĩos Aléxandros) was king of Egypt from 110 BC. before 109 BC and 107 BC until his death in 88 BC, in co-regency with mother Cleopatra III until 101 BC, and then possibly with niece Berenice III.
Beautiful Berenice
Berenice III (Greek: Βερενίκη; 120-80 BC) was the regent of Egypt from 81 to 80 BC. She was previously queen of Egypt or possibly co-ruled with her uncle/husband Ptolemy X Alexander I, from 101 to 88 BC
She was born in 120 BC, the daughter of Ptolemy IX Lethyros and presumably Cleopatra Selene. She married her uncle Ptolemy X Alexander I in 101 BC, after he took the throne from Letyros and killed his mother (and her grandmother) Cleopatra III. When Letyros regained the throne in 88 BC, Berenice lost her role as the wife of the Egyptian ruler.
Alexander II
Ptolemy XI Alexander II (Greek: ΠτολεΜαῖος Ἀλέξανδρος, Ptolemaĩos Aléxandros) was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty who ruled Egypt for a few days in 80 BC.
Ptolemy Dionysus Theos Philopathor Theos Philadelph (ancient Greek: πτολεμαῖος νέος διόνυσος θεός φιλοπάτωρ θεός φιλάδελφος, “Ptolemy New Dionysus, God, the beloved of his father, God, 51 BC). was a pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He was popularly known as "Aulet" (Αὐλητής, Aulētḗs "flutist"), referring to his habit of playing the flute at Dionysus festivals.
He reigned from 80 to 58 B. C. and again from 55 to 51 BC, with a break in forced exile to Rome when his eldest daughter, Berenice IV, took the throne. Thanks to funding and military assistance from the Roman Republic, which officially considered Ptolemy XII as one of its client rulers, he was able to retake Egypt and kill his power-hungry daughter, Berenice IV. After his death, he was succeeded by his daughter Cleopatra VII and son Ptolemy XIII as joint rulers, as stipulated by his will and testament.
Mother of legend
Cleopatra of Egypt (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Τρύφαινα, died about 69/68 BC or about 57 BC) was the Queen of Egypt. She is the only undoubtedly attested wife of Ptolemy XII. Her only known child is Berenice IV, but she was also likely the mother of the great Cleopatra, beloved of Caesar and Mark Antony.
That same Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator (Ancient Greek: Κλεοπᾰτρᾱ Φιλοπάτωρ, translit: Kleopátrā Philopátōr; 69 - 10 or 12 August 30 BC) was the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt.
In 58 B. C. Cleopatra allegedly accompanied her father Ptolemy XII during his exile in Rome, after the revolt in Egypt allowed his eldest daughter Berenice IV to claim the throne. The latter was killed in 55 BC when Ptolemy XII returned to Egypt with Roman military assistance. When Ptolemy XII died in 51 BC, Cleopatra and her younger brother assumed the throne as joint rulers, but dissension between them led to open civil war. After losing a defeat in the battle of Pharsalus in Greece against his rival Julius Caesar, the Roman statesman Pompey fled to Egypt, which was then considered a vassal of Rome. Ptolemy XIII killed Pompey and Caesar occupied Alexandria. As consul of the Roman Republic, Caesar tried to reconcile Ptolemy XIII with Cleopatra. HoweverPtolemy XIII's chief adviser Poteinos viewed Caesar's words as favorable to Cleopatra. Therefore, his forces, which eventually fell under the control of Cleopatra's younger sister, Arsina IV, laid siege to Caesar and Cleopatra in the palace. The siege was lifted by reinforcements early in 47 BC, and Ptolemy XIII soon died in the Battle of the Nile. Arsinoe IV was eventually exiled to Ephesus and Caesar, now the elected dictator, declared Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIV the legitimate rulers of Egypt. However, Caesar maintained a personal relationship with Cleopatra, who produced a son of Caesarion (Ptolemy, son of Cleopatra). Cleopatra traveled to Rome as a client queen in 46 and 44 BC, staying at Caesar's villa. When Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Cleopatra attempted to make Caesarion the ruler of Rome, but that was Caesar's nephew Octavian (known as Augustus by 27 BC, when he became the first Roman emperor). Cleopatra then killed her brother Ptolemy XIV and elevated Caesarion as co-emperor.
After the fall of Cleopatra, the Ptolemaic dynasty sank into oblivion and Egypt was annexed by the Roman Empire.
Cleopatra's legacy has been preserved in numerous works of art, both ancient and modern, and her life has become the property of literature. She was described in various works of Roman historiography and Latin poetry, the latter of which formed a generally polemical and negative view of the queen, which affected later medieval and Renaissance literature. In the visual arts, ancient depictions of Cleopatra include Roman and Ptolemaic coins, statues, busts, reliefs, cameos, and paintings. She was the inspiration for many works of Renaissance and Baroque art, including sculptures, paintings, poetry, theatrical dramas such as William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra (1608) and operas (Giulio Cesare by George Frideric Handel at Eguitto, 1724)..). In modern times, Cleopatra is frequently depicted in both popular and visual art, burlesque satire, Hollywood films (e.g. Cleopatra, 1963) and brand imagery for commercial products, becoming an icon of Egyptian pop culture since the Victorian era.
Conclusion
This great dynasty is an example of the original greatness, resulting in degeneration. The latter was associated with a poor system of inheritance of power, internal intrigues, regular incest, and the low moral level of the Hellenic aristocracy of Egypt at that time. Nevertheless, Egypt of those times became the first example in history of European colonization of wild, underdeveloped and backward regions of the world, which Europeans, according to their old habit, turn into Paradise on earth. The Ptolemaic legacy was eventually wiped out by the barbarian invasion of the Arabs after the fall of the Roman Empire, of which Egypt was by then a part. It is worth noting that the ancient Greek scholar Ptolemy had nothing to do with this dynasty.
