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Ptolemaic Dynasty
Ptolemaic Dynasty
Country	Ancient Egypt, Macedonia, Mauretania
Founded	305 BC
Founder	Ptolemy I Soter
Final ruler	Ptolemy XV (Egypt), ; Cleopatra VII (Egypt)
Titles	Pharaoh, King of Macedonia, King of Mauretania
Estate(s)	Egypt, Cyrenaica, Cyprus, Canaan

The Ptolemaic dynasty (; Ancient Greek: ?, Ptolemaioi), sometimes also known as the Lagids or Lagidae (; ?, Lagidai, after Lagus, Ptolemy I's father), was a Macedonian Greek^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] royal family, which ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 to 30 BC.^[6] They were the last dynasty of ancient Egypt.

Ptolemy, one of the seven somatophylakes (bodyguards) of Macedon who served as Alexander the Great's generals and deputies, was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. In 305 BC, he declared himself Ptolemy I, later known as S?ter "Saviour". The Egyptians soon accepted the Ptolemies as the successors to the pharaohs of independent Egypt. Ptolemy's family ruled Egypt until the Roman conquest of 30 BC.

Like the earlier dynasties of ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty practiced inbreeding including sibling marriage, but this did not start in earnest until nearly a century into the dynasty's history.^[7] All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, while queens regnant were all called Cleopatra, Arsinoe or Berenice. The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her apparent suicide at the conquest by Rome marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.

Ptolemaic rulers and consorts

Ptolemy I Soter was the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and the first ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.

Posthumous portrait of Cleopatra VII, from Roman Herculaneum, mid-1st century AD.^[8]^[9]

Dates in brackets represent the regnal dates of the Ptolemaic pharaohs. They frequently ruled jointly with their wives, who were often also their sisters. Several queens exercised regal authority. Of these, one of the last and most famous was Cleopatra ("Cleopatra VII Philopator", 51-30 BC), with her two brothers and her son serving as successive nominal co-rulers. Several systems exist for numbering the later rulers; the one used here is the one most widely employed by modern scholars.

Ptolemy I Soter (303-282 BC)^[10] married first Thaïs, then Artakama, then Eurydice, and finally Berenice I
Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC)^[11] married Arsinoe I, then Arsinoe II; ruled jointly with Ptolemy Epigonos (267-259 BC)
Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-221 BC) married Berenice II
Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-203 BC) married Arsinoe III
Ptolemy V Epiphanes (203-181 BC) married Cleopatra I Syra
Ptolemy VI Philometor (181-164 BC, 163-145 BC) married Cleopatra II, briefly ruled jointly with Ptolemy Eupator in 152 BC
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (never reigned)
Ptolemy VIII Physcon (170-163 BC, 145-116 BC) married Cleopatra II, then Cleopatra III; temporarily expelled from Alexandria by Cleopatra II from 131-127 BC, then reconciled with her in 124 BC.
Cleopatra II Philometora Soteira (131-127 BC), in opposition to Ptolemy VIII Physcon
Cleopatra III Philometor Soteira Dikaiosyne Nikephoros (Kokke) (116-101 BC) ruled jointly with Ptolemy IX Lathyros (116-107 BC) and Ptolemy X Alexander I (107-101 BC)
Ptolemy IX Lathyros (116-107 BC, 88-81 BC as Soter II) married Cleopatra IV, then Cleopatra Selene; ruled jointly with Cleopatra III in his first reign
Ptolemy X Alexander I (107-88 BC) married Cleopatra Selene, then Berenice III; ruled jointly with Cleopatra III till 101 BC
Berenice III Philopator (81-80 BC)
Ptolemy XI Alexander II (80 BC) married and ruled jointly with Berenice III before murdering her; ruled alone for 19 days after that.
Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos (Auletes) (80-58 BC, 55-51 BC) married Cleopatra V Tryphaena
Cleopatra V Tryphaena (58-57 BC) ruled jointly with Berenice IV Epiphaneia (58-55 BC) and Cleopatra VI Tryphaena (58 BC)
Cleopatra ("Cleopatra VII Philopator", 51-30 BC) ruled jointly with Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (51-47 BC), Ptolemy XIV (47-44 BC) and Ptolemy XV Caesarion (44-30 BC).
Arsinoe IV (48-47 BC), in opposition to Cleopatra

Ptolemaic family tree

Lagus of Eordea, Macedon

Arsinoe of Macedon

Ptolemy I
Soter
(Kg 303-282 BC)

Berenice I

Philip

Arsinoe II

Ptolemy II
Philadelphus
(Kg. 285-246 BC)

Arsinoe I

Magas
of Cyrene

Apama II

Ptolemy III
Euergetes
(Kg. 246-221 BC)

Berenice II

Ptolemy IV
Philopator
(Kg. 221-203 BC)

Arsinoe III

Ptolemy V
Epiphanes
(Kg. 203-181 BC)

Cleopatra I
Syra

Ptolemy VI
Philometor
(Kg. 181-164 BC,
163-145 BC)

Cleopatra II
(Qn. 131-127 BC)

Ptolemy VIII
Physcon
(Kg. 170-163 BC,
145-116 BC)

Eirene

Ptolemy VII
Neos Philopator

Cleopatra III
(Qn, 116-101 BC)

Ptolemy
Memphites

Ptolemy Apion

Cleopatra IV

Ptolemy IX
Lathyros
(Kg. 116-107 BC,
as Soter II 88-81 BC)

Cleopatra
Selene

Ptolemy X
Alexander I
(Kg. 107-88 BC)

Ptolemy XII
Auletes
(Kg. 80-58 BC,
55-51 BC)

Berenice III
(Qn. 81-80 BC)

Ptolemy XI
Alexander II
(Kg. 80 BC,
for 19 days)

Cleopatra V
(Qn. 58-55 BC)

Cleopatra VI
(Qn. 58 BC)

Berenice IV
(Qn. 58-55 BC)

Ptolemy XIII
Theos Philopator
(Kg. 51-47 BC)

Cleopatra VII
Thea Philopator
(Qn. 51-30 BC)

Ptolemy XIV
(Kg. 47-44 BC)

Arsinoe IV
(Qn. 48-47 BC)

Julius
Caesar

Mark
Antony

Ptolemy XV
Caesarion
(Kg. 44-30 BC)

Alexander
Helios

Ptolemy
Philadelphus

Cleopatra
Selene II

Ptolemy of
Mauretania

Detailed Ptolemaic family tree

Ptolemy I
Soter
(Kg 303-282 BC)

Berenice I
(? Philip
?
Magas
of Cyrene
? Apama II
?
See below: Berenice II)

Ptolemy II
Philadelphus
(Kg. 285-246 BC)

Arsinoe I

Berenice II of Egypt
(daughter of
Magas of Cyrene,
see above: Berenice I)

Ptolemy III
Euergetes
(Kg. 246-221 BC)

Berenice Syra

Antiochus III the Great

Arsinoe III

Ptolemy IV
Philopator
(Kg. 221-203 BC)

Cleopatra I
Syra

Ptolemy V
Epiphanes
(Kg. 203-181 BC)

Ptolemy VI
Philometor
(Kg. 181-164 BC,
163-145 BC)

Cleopatra II
(Qn. 131-127 BC)

Ptolemy VIII
Physcon
(Kg. 170-163 BC,
145-116 BC)

Eirene ?

Ptolemy Eupator

Cleopatra Thea

Ptolemy VII
Neos Philopator

Cleopatra III
(Qn, 116-101 BC)

Ptolemy
Memphites

Ptolemy Apion

Cleopatra Tryphaena

Cleopatra IV

Ptolemy IX
Lathyros
(Kg. 116-107 BC,
as Soter II 88-81 BC)

Cleopatra V
Selene

?

Ptolemy X
Alexander I
(Kg. 107-88 BC)

?

Berenice III
(Qn. 81-80 BC)

Ptolemy XI
Alexander II
(Kg. 80 BC,
for 19 days)

Ptolemy of Cyprus

Ptolemy XII
Auletes
(Kg. 80-58 BC,
55-51 BC)

Cleopatra VI
(Qn. 58 BC)

Berenice IV
(Qn. 58-55 BC)

Ptolemy XIII
Theos Philopator
(Kg. 51-47 BC)

Cleopatra VII
Thea Philopator
(Qn. 51-30 BC)

Ptolemy XIV
(Kg. 47-44 BC)

Arsinoe IV
(Qn. 48-47 BC)

Julius
Caesar

Mark
Antony

Ptolemy XV
Caesarion
(Kg. 44-30 BC)

Alexander
Helios

Cleopatra
Selene II

Juba II
of Mauretania

Ptolemy Philadelphus

Ptolemy of
Mauretania

Other notable members of the Ptolemaic dynasty

A seated woman in a fresco from the Roman Villa Boscoreale, dated mid-1st century BC. It likely represents Berenice II of Ptolemaic Egypt wearing a stephane (i.e. royal diadem) on her head.^[12]

Ptolemy Keraunos (died 279 BC) - eldest son of Ptolemy I Soter. Eventually became king of Macedonia.
Ptolemy Apion (died 96 BC) - son of Ptolemy VIII Physcon. Made king of Cyrenaica. Bequeathed Cyrenaica to Rome.
Ptolemy Philadelphus (born 36 BC) - son of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
Ptolemy of Mauretania (died 40 AD) - son of King Juba II of Numidia and Mauretania and Cleopatra Selene II, daughter of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony. King of Mauretania.
Ptolemy II of Telmessos, grandson of Ptolemy Epigonos, flourished second half of 3rd century BC and first half of 2nd century BC
Ptolemy of Cyprus, king of Cyprus c. 80-58 BC, younger brother of Ptolemy XII Auletes

Inbreeding and health

In continuation of the tradition established by previous Egyptian dynasties, the Ptolemies engaged in inbreeding including sibling marriage, with many of the pharaohs being married to their siblings and often co-ruling with them. Ptolemy I and other early rulers of the dynasty were not married to their relatives, the childless marriage of siblings Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II^[13] being an exception. The first child-producing incestuous marriage in the Ptolemaic dynasty was that of Ptolemy IV and Arsinoe III, who were succeeded as co-pharaohs by their son Ptolemy V, born 210 BC. The most famous Ptolemaic pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, was at different times married to and reigning with two of her brothers (Ptolemy XIII until 47 BC and then Ptolemy XIV until 44 BC), and their parents were likely siblings or possibly cousins as well.^[7]

Contemporaries describe a number of the Ptolemaic dynasty members as extremely obese,^[14] whilst sculptures and coins reveal prominent eyes and swollen necks. Familial Graves' disease could explain the swollen necks and eye prominence (exophthalmos), although this is unlikely to occur in the presence of morbid obesity. This is all likely due to inbreeding within the Ptolemaic dynasty. In view of the familial nature of these findings, members of this dynasty likely suffered from a multi-organ fibrotic condition such as Erdheim-Chester disease or a familial multifocal fibrosclerosis where thyroiditis, obesity and ocular proptosis may have all occurred concurrently.^[15]

Gallery of images

Ptolemy of Macedon founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
Ptolemy II
Ptolemy III
Ptolemy IV
Ptolemy V
Ptolemy VI
Cleopatra II (right)
Ptolemy VIII
Ptolemy IX
Ptolemy X
Ptolemy XI
Ptolemy XII
Ptolemy XIII and Isis
Ptolemy XIV
Cleopatra VII
Ptolemy XV, commonly called Caesarion.
Sardonyx cameo of a Ptolemaic prince as the Greek god Hermes, Cabinet des médailles, Paris.

References

^ Jones, Prudence J. (2006). Cleopatra: A Sourcebook. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 14. They were members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Macedonians, who ruled Egypt after the death of its conqueror, Alexander the Great.
^ Pomeroy, Sarah B. (1990). Women in Hellenistic Egypt. Wayne State University Press. p. 16. while Ptolemaic Egypt was a monarchy with a Greek ruling class.
^ Redford, Donald B., ed. (2000). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. Cleopatra VII was born to Ptolemy XII Auletes (80-57 BCE, ruled 55-51 BCE) and Cleopatra, both parents being Macedonian Greeks.
^ Bard, Kathryn A., ed. (1999). Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Routledge. p. 488. Ptolemaic kings were still crowned at Memphis and the city was popularly regarded as the Egyptian rival to Alexandria, founded by the Macedonians.
^ Bard, Kathryn A., ed. (1999). Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Routledge. p. 687. During the Ptolemaic period, when Egypt was governed by rulers of Greek descent...
^ Epiphanius of Salamis, however, puts the total number of years of the Ptolemy dynasty at 306. See: Epiphanius' Treatise on Weights and Measures - The Syriac Version (ed. James Elmer Dean), University of Chicago Press 1935, p. 28 (note 104), or what was from 306/5 BCE to 1 CE.
^ ^a ^b Move over, Lannisters: No one did incest and murder like the last pharaohs on The A.V. Club
^ Walker, Susan; Higgs, Peter (2001), "Painting with a portrait of a woman in profile", in Walker, Susan; Higgs, Peter (eds.), Cleopatra of Egypt: from History to Myth, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press (British Museum Press), pp. 314-315, ISBN 9780691088358.
^ Fletcher, Joann (2008). Cleopatra the Great: The Woman Behind the Legend. New York: Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-058558-7, image plates and captions between pp. 246-247.
^ Wasson, Donald (February 3, 2012). "Ptolemy I". Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2016.
^ Tunny, Jennifer(2001)The Health of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. The Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists/ Vol.38(1/4), pp.119-134
^ Pfrommer, Michael; Towne-Markus, Elana (2001). Greek Gold from Hellenistic Egypt. Los Angeles: Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Trust). ISBN 0-89236-633-8, pp. 22-23.
^ Ptolemy II Philadelphus on Encyclopædia Britannica
^ "Morbid obesity and hypersomnolence in several members of an ancient royal family"
^ Ashrafian, Hutan (2005). "Familial proptosis and obesity in the Ptolemies". J. R. Soc. Med. 98 (2): 85-86. doi:10.1258/jrsm.98.2.85-a. PMC 1079400. PMID 15684370.

External links

Livius.org: Ptolemies -- by Jona Lendering.

[1] Jones, Prudence J. (2006). Cleopatra: A Sourcebook. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 14. They were members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Macedonians, who ruled Egypt after the death of its conqueror, Alexander the Great.

[2] Pomeroy, Sarah B. (1990). Women in Hellenistic Egypt. Wayne State University Press. p. 16. while Ptolemaic Egypt was a monarchy with a Greek ruling class.

[3] Redford, Donald B., ed. (2000). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. Cleopatra VII was born to Ptolemy XII Auletes (80-57 BCE, ruled 55-51 BCE) and Cleopatra, both parents being Macedonian Greeks.

[4] Bard, Kathryn A., ed. (1999). Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Routledge. p. 488. Ptolemaic kings were still crowned at Memphis and the city was popularly regarded as the Egyptian rival to Alexandria, founded by the Macedonians.

[5] Bard, Kathryn A., ed. (1999). Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Routledge. p. 687. During the Ptolemaic period, when Egypt was governed by rulers of Greek descent...

[6] Epiphanius of Salamis, however, puts the total number of years of the Ptolemy dynasty at 306. See: Epiphanius' Treatise on Weights and Measures - The Syriac Version (ed. James Elmer Dean), University of Chicago Press 1935, p. 28 (note 104), or what was from 306/5 BCE to 1 CE.

[avclub-7] Move over, Lannisters: No one did incest and murder like the last pharaohs on The A.V. Club

[8] Walker, Susan; Higgs, Peter (2001), "Painting with a portrait of a woman in profile", in Walker, Susan; Higgs, Peter (eds.), Cleopatra of Egypt: from History to Myth, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press (British Museum Press), pp. 314-315, ISBN 9780691088358.

[9] Fletcher, Joann (2008). Cleopatra the Great: The Woman Behind the Legend. New York: Harper. ISBN 978-0-06-058558-7, image plates and captions between pp. 246-247.

[10] Wasson, Donald (February 3, 2012). "Ptolemy I". Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2016.

[11] Tunny, Jennifer(2001)The Health of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. The Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists/ Vol.38(1/4), pp.119-134

[12] Pfrommer, Michael; Towne-Markus, Elana (2001). Greek Gold from Hellenistic Egypt. Los Angeles: Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Trust). ISBN 0-89236-633-8, pp. 22-23.

[13] Ptolemy II Philadelphus on Encyclopædia Britannica

[14] "Morbid obesity and hypersomnolence in several members of an ancient royal family"

[15] Ashrafian, Hutan (2005). "Familial proptosis and obesity in the Ptolemies". J. R. Soc. Med. 98 (2): 85-86. doi:10.1258/jrsm.98.2.85-a. PMC 1079400. PMID 15684370.

[16] W. Hallo; W. Simpson (1971). The Ancient Near East. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. pp. 48-49.

[17] "Rulers of Mesopotamia". cdli.ox.ac.uk. University of Oxford, CNRS.

[18] Thomas, Ariane; Potts, Timothy (2020). Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins. Getty Publications. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-60606-649-2.

[19] Roux, Georges (1992). Ancient Iraq. Penguin Books Limited. pp. 532-534 (Chronological Tables). ISBN 978-0-14-193825-7.

[20] "The Sumerian king list: translation". etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-05-08.

[21] Per Sumerian King List

[SKL-22] Per Sumerian King List

[23] Unger, Merrill F. (2014). Israel and the Aramaeans of Damascus: A Study in Archaeological Illumination of Bible History. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-62564-606-4.

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