Ptolemaic Egypt
Egypt under the Ptolemaic dynasty (305-30 BCE), founded by Ptolemy I, with Alexandria as its capital and centre of learning.
Category: States
- 306 BCEThe Successors proclaim themselves kings
In 306 BCE Antigonus and his son Demetrius take the royal crown, and Ptolemy, Seleucus, Lysimachus and later Cassander follow. Alexander's empire is formally split into rival kingdoms. Ptolemy is crowned king and pharaoh about 305-304.
- 305 BCESiege of Rhodes
In 305-304 BCE Demetrius besieges Rhodes for about a year until a Ptolemaic relief fleet arrives. The Rhodians sell his abandoned siege machines for 300 talents and use the money for the Colossus.
- c. 300 BCEEuclid and the Elements
Around 300 BCE Euclid works in Alexandria. His Elements gathers earlier mathematics into an ordered system of proofs. Little is known of his life, and later editors may have added material to the text.
- c. 285 BCEThe Library of Alexandria
The Library of Alexandria, part of the royal Mouseion, was probably founded under Ptolemy II, after Ptolemy I laid the groundwork. Its scholars include Zenodotus, Callimachus and Eratosthenes. Estimates of its holdings range from 40,000 to 700,000 scrolls.
- 284 BCEThe Pharos of Alexandria
Ptolemy I commissions the great lighthouse of Alexandria, and Ptolemy II completes it, after about twelve years and at a cost of 800 silver talents. It stands at least 100 metres tall and survives until earthquakes in the 14th century.
- c. 250 BCE – 132 BCEThe Hebrew scriptures are translated into Greek: the Septuagint
Jews in Ptolemaic Egypt, probably around Alexandria, translate the Torah into Greek in the 3rd century BCE and the other books by 132 BCE. Some copies include books later called deuterocanonical.
- c. 246 BCEEratosthenes measures the Earth
After Ptolemy III comes to the throne in 246 BCE, Eratosthenes of Cyrene is called to Alexandria as chief librarian. He measures the Earth's circumference from shadows at Syene and Alexandria, with a result perhaps within 1% of the truth.
- June 22, 217 BCEBattle of Raphia
On 22 June 217 BCE Ptolemy IV defeats Antiochus III at Raphia. About 20,000 native Egyptians trained as phalangites are key to the victory. African and Indian elephants fight each other here. Egyptian influence in Ptolemaic rule grows.
- 200 BCEBattle of Panium
In 200 BCE Antiochus III defeats the Ptolemaic army under Scopas near Paneas, and Coele-Syria passes to the Seleucids. A peace treaty follows in 195. The Ptolemaic state then cuts back its Macedonian phalanx.
- March 27, 196 BCEThe Rosetta Stone decree
On 27 March 196 BCE priests at Memphis issue a decree for Ptolemy V, written in hieroglyphs, Demotic and Greek. Found in 1799, the stone lets Champollion, building on Young and others, announce the decipherment of hieroglyphs in 1822.
- 51 BCECleopatra VII takes the throne
In 51 BCE Cleopatra, aged about 18, becomes ruler of Egypt with her brother Ptolemy XIII. A descendant of Ptolemy I and the last active Ptolemaic ruler, she is the first of her dynasty reported to have learned Egyptian.
- 48 BCEAlexandrian War; Caesar and Cleopatra
Besieged in the palace quarter of Alexandria, Caesar sides with Cleopatra against her brother Ptolemy XIII. After relief arrives and Ptolemy dies in early 47 BCE, he makes her queen. Caesarion is born around June.
- 48 BCEPompey is murdered in Egypt
Pompey is killed on arrival in Egypt on the orders of Ptolemy XIII. Caesar reaches Alexandria on 2 October 48 BCE and learns of the murder there.
- 34 BCEDonations of Alexandria
In autumn 34 BCE Antony proclaims Cleopatra queen of kings and Caesarion Caesar's legitimate heir, and gives lands to his children with Cleopatra. The Senate rejects the grants and Octavian intensifies his attacks on Antony.
- September 2, 31 BCEBattle of Actium
On 2 September 31 BCE Agrippa's fleet routs Antony's and Cleopatra's off Actium on the Ionian Sea. Antony escapes with a few ships and his army later deserts.
- August 30 BCEAlexandria falls; Antony and Cleopatra die
Octavian takes Alexandria on 1 August 30 BCE. Antony stabs himself and Cleopatra kills herself on 12 August. Caesarion is put to death and Egypt ends as a kingdom, becoming Octavian's personal possession.