Ptolemy I Soter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the astronomer, see Ptolemy; for others named "Ptolemy" or "Ptolemaeus", see Ptolemy (disambiguation).

Ptolemy I Soter I Founder of the Ptolemaic Kingdom
Bust of Ptolemy I in the Louvre Museum
Born	367 BC Macedon
Died	283 BC (aged 84) Alexandria, Egypt
Spouse(s)	Artakama Thaïs Eurydice Berenice I
Children	With Berenice I: Ptolemy II Philadelphus Arsinoe II Philotera With Thaïs: Lagus Leontiscus Eirene With Eurydice: Ptolemy Keraunos Meleager Argaeus Lysandra Ptolemais
Parents	Lagus and Arsinoe of Macedonia

Ptolemy I Soter I (Ancient Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Σωτήρ, Ptolemaĩos Sōtḗr, i.e. Ptolemy (pronounced /ˈtɒləmi/) the Savior), also known as Ptolemy Lagides,^[1] c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC, was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt (323–283 BC) and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty. In 305/4 BC he demanded the title of pharaoh.

His mother was Arsinoe of Macedon, and, while his father is unknown, ancient sources variously describe him either as the son of Lagus, a Macedonian nobleman, or as an illegitimate son of Philip II of Macedon (which, if true, would have made Ptolemy the half-brother of Alexander), but it is possible that this is a later myth fabricated to glorify the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Ptolemy was one of Alexander's most trusted generals, and was among the seven somatophylakes (bodyguards) attached to his person. He was a few years older than Alexander, and had been his intimate friend since childhood.

He was succeeded by his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

Early career

Ptolemy served with Alexander from his first campaigns, and played a principal part in the later campaigns in Afghanistan and India. He participated in the Battle of Issus and accompanied Alexander during his journey to the Oracle in the Siwa Oasis where he was proclaimed a son of Zeus.^[2] Ptolemy had his first independent command during the campaign against the rebel Bessus whom Ptolemy captured and handed over to Alexander for execution.^[3] During Alexander's campaign in the Indian subcontinent Ptolemy was in command of the advance guard at the siege of Aornos and fought at the Battle of the Hydaspes River.

Successor of Alexander

When Alexander died in 323 BC, Ptolemy is said to have instigated the resettlement of the empire made at Babylon. Through the Partition of Babylon, he was appointed satrap of Egypt, under the nominal kings Philip III Arrhidaeus and the infant Alexander IV; the former satrap, the Greek Cleomenes, stayed on as his deputy. Ptolemy quickly moved, without authorization, to subjugate Cyrenaica.

By custom, kings in Macedonia asserted their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Probably because he wanted to pre-empt Perdiccas, the imperial regent, from staking his claim in this way, Ptolemy took great pains in acquiring the body of Alexander the Great, placing it temporarily in Memphis, Egypt. Ptolemy then openly joined the coalition against Perdiccas.^[4]

Perdiccas appears to have suspected Ptolemy of aiming for the throne himself, and may have decided that Ptolemy was his most dangerous rival. Ptolemy executed Cleomenes for spying on behalf of Perdiccas — this removed the chief check on his authority, and allowed Ptolemy to obtain the huge sum that Cleomenes had accumulated.^[4]

Rivalry and wars

In 321, Perdiccas attempted to invade Egypt only to fall at the hands of his own men.^[5] Ptolemy decided to defend the Nile, against Perdiccas's. This failure was a fatal blow to Perdiccas' reputation, and he was murdered in his tent by two of his subordinates. Ptolemy immediately crossed the Nile, to provide supplies to what had the day before been an enemy army. Ptolemy was offered the regency in place of Perdiccas; but he declined.^[6] Ptolemy was consistent in his policy of securing a power base, while never succumbing to the temptation of risking all to succeed Alexander.^[7]

In the long wars that followed between the different Diadochi, Ptolemy's first goal was to hold Egypt securely, and his second was to secure control in the outlying areas: Cyrenaica and Cyprus, as well as Syria, including the province of Judea. His first occupation of Syria was in 318, and he established at the same time a protectorate over the petty kings of Cyprus. When Antigonus One-Eye, master of Asia in 315, showed dangerous ambitions, Ptolemy joined the coalition against him, and on the outbreak of war, evacuated Syria. In Cyprus, he fought the partisans of Antigonus, and re-conquered the island (313). A revolt in Cyrene was crushed the same year.

In 312, Ptolemy and Seleucus, the fugitive satrap of Babylonia, both invaded Syria, and defeated Demetrius Poliorcetes ("besieger of cities"), the son of Antigonus, in the Battle of Gaza. Again he occupied Syria, and again—after only a few months, when Demetrius had won a battle over his general, and Antigonus entered Syria in force—he evacuated it. In 311, a peace was concluded between the combatants. Soon after this, the surviving 13-year-old king, Alexander IV, was murdered in Macedonia, leaving the satrap of Egypt absolutely his own master.

The peace did not last long, and in 309 Ptolemy personally commanded a fleet that detached the coastal towns of Lycia and Caria from Antigonus, then crossed into Greece, where he took possession of Corinth, Sicyon and Megara (308 BC). In 306, a great fleet under Demetrius attacked Cyprus, and Ptolemy's brother Menelaus was defeated and captured in another decisive Battle of Salamis. Ptolemy's complete loss of Cyprus followed.

Kingdom of Ptolemy I Soter

Other diadochi

Kingdom of Cassander

Kingdom of Lysimachus

Kingdom of Seleucus I Nicator

Epirus

Other

Carthage

Rome

Greek colonies

The satraps Antigonus and Demetrius now each assumed the title of king; Ptolemy, as well as Cassander, Lysimachus and Seleucus I Nicator, responded by doing the same. In the winter of 306 BC, Antigonus tried to follow up his victory in Cyprus by invading Egypt; but Ptolemy was strongest there, and successfully held the frontier against him. Ptolemy led no further overseas expeditions against Antigonus. However, he did send great assistance to Rhodes when it was besieged by Demetrius (305/304). Pausanias reports that the grateful Rhodians bestowed the name Soter ("saviour") upon him as a result of lifting the siege. This account is generally accepted by modern scholars, although the earliest datable mention of it is from coins issued by Ptolemy II in 263 BC.

When the coalition against Antigonus was renewed in 302, Ptolemy joined it, and invaded Syria a third time, while Antigonus was engaged with Lysimachus in Asia Minor. On hearing a report that Antigonus had won a decisive victory there, he once again evacuated Syria. But when the news came that Antigonus had been defeated and slain by Lysimachus and Seleucus at the Battle of Ipsus in 301, he occupied Syria a fourth time.

The taking of Jerusalem by Ptolemy Soter ca. 320 BC, by Jean Fouquet.

The other members of the coalition had assigned all Syria to Seleucus, after what they regarded as Ptolemy's desertion, and for the next hundred years, the question of the ownership of southern Syria (i.e., Judea) produced recurring warfare between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties. Henceforth, Ptolemy seems to have mingled as little as possible in the rivalries between Asia Minor and Greece; he lost what he held in Greece, but reconquered Cyprus in 295/294. Cyrene, after a series of rebellions, was finally subjugated about 300 and placed under his stepson Magas.

Successor

In 289, Ptolemy made his son by Berenice—Ptolemy II Philadelphus—his co-regent. His eldest (legitimate) son, Ptolemy Keraunos, whose mother, Eurydice, the daughter of Antipater, had been repudiated, fled to the court of Lysimachus. Ptolemy also had a consort in Thaïs, the Athenian hetaera and one of Alexander's companions in his conquest of the ancient world. Ptolemy I Soter died in 283 at the age of 84. Shrewd and cautious, he had a compact and well-ordered realm to show at the end of forty years of war. His reputation for bonhomie and liberality attached the floating soldier-class of Macedonians and Greeks to his service, and was not insignificant; nor did he wholly neglect conciliation of the natives. He was a ready patron of letters, founding the Great Library of Alexandria.^[8]

He himself wrote a history of Alexander's campaigns that has not survived. This used to be considered an objective work, distinguished by its straightforward honesty and sobriety. However, Ptolemy may have exaggerated his own role, and had propagandist aims in writing his History.^{[citation needed]} Although now lost, it was a principal source for the surviving account by Arrian of Nicomedia.

Euclid

Ptolemy personally sponsored the great mathematician Euclid, but found Euclid's seminal work, the Elements, too difficult to study, so he asked if there were an easier way to master it. According to Proclus Euclid famously quipped: "Sire, there is no Royal Road to Geometry."^[9]

Fictional portrayals

Ptolemy was played by Virgilio Teixeira in the film Alexander the Great (1956) and by Robert Earley, Elliot Cowan, and Anthony Hopkins in the Oliver Stone film Alexander (2004).
L. Sprague de Camp's novel The Bronze God of Rhodes features Ptolemy as a minor character. He also appears in Harry Turtledove's novel The Gryphon's Skull.
Duncan Sprott's novel The Ptolemies features Ptolemy as a central character and founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
Ptolemy appears as a character in Mary Renault's novels Fire From Heaven, The Persian Boy, and Funeral Games. He also appears in her non-fictional The Nature of Alexander.
Ptolemy is one of the minor characters in the historical novel Roxana Romance by A. J. Cave with the Hellenic spelling of Ptolemaios.
Ptolemy is the main protagonist of Christian Cameron's God of War (2012), a fictional account of Alexander the Great's life and campaigns as narrated by Ptolemy himself.

Gallery

A rare coin of Ptolemy I, a reminder of his successful campaigns with Alexander in India. Obv: Ptolemy in profile at the beginning of his reign.Rev: Alexander triumphantly riding a chariot drawn by elephants.
Ptolemy coin with Alexander wearing an elephant scalp, symbol of his conquest of India.
Ptolemy I gold stater with elephant quadriga, Cyrenaica.

References

↑ The decree of Ptolemy Lagides
↑ Grimal 1992, p. 382
↑ Arrian 1976, III, 30
↑ 4.0 4.1 Peter Green, Alexander to Actium, 1990, pp 13-14
↑ Anson, Edward M (Summer 1986). "Diodorus and the Date of Triparadeisus". The American Journal of Philogy (The Johns Hopkins University Press) 107 (2): 208–217. doi:10.2307/294603. JSTOR 294603.
↑ Peter Green p14
↑ Peter Green pp 119
↑ Phillips, Heather A., "The Great Library of Alexandria?". Library Philosophy and Practice, August 2010
↑ Robinson, Victor (2005). The Story of Medicine. Kessinger Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-4191-5431-7.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press

Bibliography

Walter M. Ellis: Ptolemy of Egypt, London 1993.
Christian A. Caroli: Ptolemaios I. Soter - Herrscher zweier Kulturen, Konstanz 2007.
Waterfield, Robin (2011). Dividing the Spoils - The War for Alexander the Great’s Empire (hardback|format= requires |url= (help)). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 273 pages. ISBN 978-0-19-957392-9.

External links

Ptolemy Soter I at LacusCurtius — (Chapter II of E. R Bevan's House of Ptolemy, 1923)
Ptolemy I (at Egyptian Royal Genealogy, with genealogical table)
Livius, Ptolemy I Soter by Jona Lendering
Ptolemy I Soter entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
A genealogical tree of Ptolemy, though not necessarily reliable Alexander the Great

Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemaic Dynasty Born: 367 BC Died: 283 BC
Preceded by Alexander IV Aegus	Pharaoh of Egypt 305–283 BC	Succeeded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus

v t e The Division of Alexander's Empire

v t e Hellenistic rulers

Argeads	Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV Aegus

Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)

Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy Keraunos Meleager Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra V Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Seleucus VII Philometor Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus

Lysimachids	Lysimachus

Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes

Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III

Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I

Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenios Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebios Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II

Kings of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus

Kings of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II

Kings of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV

Kings of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus

Kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius’ attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon with Pythodorida Aspurgus Mithridates III with Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I incorporated as part of the Roman province of Moesia Inferior Rhescuporis I briefly with Eunice Sauromates I Cotys II Rhoemetalces Eupator Sauromates II Rhescuporis II Rhescuporis III Cotys III Sauromates III Rhescuporis IV Ininthimeus Rhescuporis V Pharsanzes Synges Teiranes Sauromates IV Theothorses Rhescuporis VI Rhadamsades

Pharaohs (list)

Dynastic genealogies: 4^th
12^th
18^th
19^th
20^th
21^st
25^th
26^th
27^th
31^st
Ptolemaic

Protodynastic Period
(prior to 3150 BC)

Lower Egypt	Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh Double Falcon

Upper Egypt	Scorpion I Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer

Early Dynastic Period
(3150–2686 BC)

Dynasty I	Narmer Hor-Aha Djer Djet Merneith♀ Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird

Dynasty II	Hotepsekhemwy Raneb Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

Dynasty III	Nebka Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Khaba Qahedjet Huni

Dynasty IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis

Dynasty V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Shepseskare Neferefre Niuserre Menkauhor Djedkare Unas

Dynasty VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Pepi II

1^st Intermediate Period
(2181–2040 BC)

Dynasties VII & VIII	Wadjkare Qakare Iby

Dynasties IX & X	Wakhare Khety I Meryibre Khety Merykare Kaneferre Nebkaure Akhtoy

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

Dynasty XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV

Dynasty XII	Amenemhet I Senusret I Amenemhet II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhet III Amenemhet IV Sobeknefru♀

2^nd Intermediate Period
(1802–1550 BC)

Dynasty XIII	Sekhemre Khutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi

Dynasty XIV	Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Wazad Merdjefare Yaqub-Har

Dynasty XV	Sakir-Har Khyan Apepi I Khamudi

Dynasty XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III

Abydos Dynasty	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib

Dynasty XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Intef V Intef VII Senakhtenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

Dynasty XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Tuthmosis I Tuthmosis II Tuthmosis III Hatshepsut♀ Amenhotep II Tuthmosis IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb

Dynasty XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret♀

Dynasty XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate Period
(1069–664 BC)

Dynasty XXI	Smendes I Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II

Dynasty XXII	Sheshonq I Osorkon I Sheshonq II Takelot I Osorkon II Sheshonq III Pami Sheshonq V Osorkon IV

Dynasty XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedibastet Sheshonq IV Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamon Menkheperre Ini

Dynasty XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenrenef

Dynasty XXV	Piankhi Shabaka Shebitku Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period
(664–332 BC)

Dynasty XXVI	Psamtik I Nekau Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III

Dynasty XXVII	Cambyses II Darius I Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II

Dynasty XXVIII	Amyrtaeus

Dynasty XXIX	Nefaarud I Hakor

Dynasty XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II

Dynasty XXXI	Artaxerxes III Arses Darius III

Hellenistic Period
(332–30 BC)

Argead Dynasty (XXXII)	Alexander the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Ptolemaic Dynasty	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Ptolemy IX Soter Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy XI Alexander II Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Berenice IV♀ Cleopatra♀ Ptolemy XV Caesarion

♀ indicates female pharaoh

Persondata
Name	Ptolemy 01
Alternative names
Short description	Macedonian general
Date of birth	367 BC
Place of birth	Macedon
Date of death
Place of death	Alexandria, Egypt

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.