Alexander Helios(fl. first century B.C.E.) Son of
Cleopatra VII (51–30 B.C.E.) and Marc Antony
Hewas born in 40 B.C.E., the twin of CLEOPATRA SELENE.
Alexander Helios was designated the ruler of “Farther
Asia,” an area that included Armenia, Medea, and the
unconquered realms of the Parthians. He vanishes from
the scene after the Battle of ACTIUMand the suicides of
CLEOPATRA VIIand Marc ANTONY.
Alexandria The capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, founded
in 331 B.C.E. by ALEXANDER THE GREATas the result of a
vision, the conqueror chose the site of Rhakotis in the
western Delta of the Nile. Rhakotis was an ancient
town, dating to the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.)
and was located on the westernmost Nile tributary. Two
limestone ridges run parallel to the coast of Alexandria,
the outer one breaking the waves and the inner ridge
protecting the city against shifting alluvium. Alexander
ordered a causeway, called the Heptastadion, “seven
stades long,” to link the ridges. Two ancient harbors
were on either side: the Eunostos or Harbor of Safe
Return on the west, and the Great Harbor on the east. A
third harbor, on Lake MAREOTIS, linked the city to the
Nile.
Two suburban areas, Neopolis and the Island of
Pharos, were included in Alexander’s original plans. He
did not remain in Egypt, however, and never saw the city
being constructed in his name. Alexander’s viceroy,
CLEOMENES OF NAUKRATIS, was thus the actual creator of
Egypt’s new capital, which was ideally situated for trade
and commerce and expanded rapidly. Dinocrates, the
Greek city planner from Rhodes, supervised the actual
construction.
The center of the city was designed to provide TRADE
centers, residences, sunken courts, and even catacombs.
The SERAPEUM(2), the sacred burial site and shrine of the
sacred APISbulls, was built on the hill of Rhakotis in the
city’s oldest section. Royal residences, municipal build-
ings, and government seats were also introduced. Two
other structures also brought acclaim to the new capital:
the LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA and the LIGHTHOUSE at
Pharos. The remains of Alexander the Great were report-
edly placed in the Soma of the city after being restored to
the capital by PTOLEMY I SOTERin 323 B.C.E. Ptolemaic
mausoleums and the tombs of ANTONYand CLEOPATRA VII
have disappeared over the centuries, along with the con-
queror’s body.
Thousands of new residents flocked to Alexandria,
and grants of property, called a cleruchy,were given to
foreign mercenaries who resided in the city and made
themselves available for military service. A Greek elite
moved from NAUKRATIS(el-Nibeira), the original Hellenic
outpost, and special laws and regulations were passed to
protect their unique status.22 Alexander HeliosSphinxes and other monuments displayed in Old Alexandria.(Hulton Archive.)