Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

B.C.E.) named the site when the area was taken by Egypt.
Ptolemais served as a port for trading ships and flour-
ished throughout many historical periods until the 14th
century C.E.

Ptolemy, Claudius(fl. second century B.C.E.)Alexan-
drian scholar
He served in the reign of PTOLEMY VI PHILOMETOR(180–
164, 163–145 B.C.E.). Claudius Ptolemy is famous for the
map that he made of the known world.

Ptolemy I Soter(d. 284 B.C.E.) Founder of the Ptole-
maic Period
He ruled from 304 B.C.E. until his death. Ptolemy I was
the son of LAGUS, a Macedonian military companion of
ALEXANDER[III]THE GREAT. His title Soter, meaning Savior,
was bestowed upon him by the city of Rhodes when he
relieved that small state during a siege.
When Alexander died in 323 B.C.E., Ptolemy I served
as satrap of Egypt for PHILIP III ARRHIDAEUS(r. 323–316
B.C.E.) and ALEXANDER IV(r. 316–304 B.C.E.). He ruled as
well over parts of Libya and the adjacent Arabian regions.
When the body of Alexander the Great was being trans-
ported in a giant, mobile sarcophagus to Vergina, Mace-
donia’s necropolis, Ptolemy took an army and intercepted
the funeral cortege. He stole the body of Alexander the

Great and returned to Egypt, stating that the conqueror

had expressed the desire to be buried in the SIWAOasis.

The remains were displayed at MEMPHISand then buried

in ALEXANDRIA.

The SATRAP STELA, inscribed in 311 B.C.E., proclaims

Ptolemy I’s role in defeating the Persians. Following a war

against PERDICCAS, another heir to the empire of Alex-

ander the Great, Ptolemy I owned Egypt and Cyrenaica.

In 304 B.C.E., resisting an attack by Antigonus, he

assumed the title of pharaoh. He married EURYDICE, the

daughter of King Antipater of Macedonia, having set

aside the daughter of Nectanebo or some other ruler of

the Thirtieth Dynasty. Later on, he also married Queen

BERENICE(1).

Ptolemy I then joined LYSIMACHUS and Cassander

against ANTIGONUS I MONOPHTHALMUS. He marched on

Antigonus’s son, DEMETRIUS I POLIORCETES, at Gaza and

defeated him. That campaign and victory set the seal

upon Ptolemy I’s claim upon Egypt. He fought as well at

SALAMISand lost; but ultimately, he repelled Antigonus,

who was killed at Ipsus in 301 B.C.E. Ptolemy I added

Palestine and southern Syria to his domains.

In Egypt, Ptolemy I built a shrine to THOTHin Tuna

el-Gebel. He founded a museum at Alexandria, called

“the Shrine of the Muses,” to house sages and ancient

papyri. This became the famed LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA

and research center. He built a temple to SERAPISand a

mausoleum and also planned the Pharos, the famed

LIGHTHOUSE. Ptolemy I had four children by Queen Eury-

dice, and three by Queen Berenice. He set aside Queen

Eurydice and disinherited her children in favor of

Berenice’s son, PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHUS, who served as

coregent for a year.

314 Ptolemy, Claudius

An engraving of Ptolemy I, founder of the Ptolemaic Period in

Egypt, c. 304–30 B.C.E.(Hulton Archive.)

Map area

Ptolemaic Empire,

ca. 250 B.C.E.

0 400 Kilometers

(^0) 400 Miles
N

Egypt under the Ptolemies, c. 250 B.C.E.

At hens

CYRENAIC A

EGYPT

Aswan

Thebes

Ptolemais

Memphis

Pelusium

Gaza

Alexandria

Paraetonium

Cyrene Byblos

Tyre DamascusBabylon

Salarnis

Athens

Knossos

Miletus

SYRIA

LYDIA CILICIA

PHRYGIA

THRACIA

LIBYA ARABIA

CYRENAICA

EGYPT

Tig

ris

R.

Black Sea

Ae

ge

an

Se

a

Nil

eR

.

Mediterranean

Sea

Re

d

Se

a

Eu

ph

rates

R.

Crete

Cyprus