Ptolemy I Soter , (born 367/366, Macedonia—died 283/282 bc, Egypt), Ruler of Egypt (323–285) and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. A Macedonian general of Alexander the Great, he and the other generals divided the empire after Alexander’s death, Ptolemy becoming satrap of Egypt. Alexander’s successors were soon at war. Ptolemy was defeated in 306 by Antigonus I Monophthalmus, though he and the others rebuffed Antigonus’s attack on Egypt. He earned the name Soter (“Saviour”) after defeating Antigonus on Rhodes (304), but Antigonus was not finally crushed until 301 at the Battle of Ipsus. Ptolemy secured and expanded his empire through alliances and marriages. He and his fellow kings won a final war (288–286) against Demetrius of Macedonia, freeing Athens from Macedonian occupation. He obtained control of the League of Islanders (including most of the Aegean islands), which formed the basis of Egypt’s maritime supremacy. As king he respected Egyptian culture, blended Greek and Egyptian peoples and religions, and founded the Library and Museum of Alexandria. After his death the Egyptians raised him to the level of a god. He was succeeded by his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus.
Ptolemy I Soter Article
Ptolemy I Soter summary
Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Ptolemy I Soter.
army Summary
Army, a large organized armed force trained for war, especially on land. The term may be applied to a large unit organized for independent action, or it may be applied to a nation’s or ruler’s complete military organization for land warfare. Throughout history, the character and organization of
war Summary
War, in the popular sense, a conflict between political groups involving hostilities of considerable duration and magnitude. In the usage of social science, certain qualifications are added. Sociologists usually apply the term to such conflicts only if they are initiated and conducted in accordance
government Summary
Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not
Egypt Summary
Egypt, country located in the northeastern corner of Africa. Egypt’s heartland, the Nile River valley and delta, was the home of one of the principal civilizations of the ancient Middle East and, like Mesopotamia farther east, was the site of one of the world’s earliest urban and literate