History of the Ptolomic Dynasty

Did you know that Cleopatra was not an Egyptian by birth?

When we think of Cleopatra our mind automatically conjure images of the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the bountiful Nile with the queen regally ruling over her subjects. But the surprising fact is that Cleopatra was not an Egyptian by birth. She was a Greek!

Leonor Verela as Cleopatra

So how did a woman of ‘Greek’ origin come to be the queen of the ancient Egypt? It started with Alexander the Great. In 332 BC he invaded Egypt and established his suzerainty over it but he had plans to conquer the world. So he appointed General Ptolemy (one of his bodyguards) as Satrap of Egypt. Ptolemy ruled Egypt in Alexander’s name until the conqueror died in 323 BC. In 305 BC he declared himself independent and started his own dynasty that would rule over Egypt for the next 275 years!

Ptolemy I Soter

How did they do it? Didn’t they face rebellion? Didn’t the people of Egypt revolt to throw these foreigners out of their Kingdom?

The answer to these questions is a lesson that any would-be conqueror (in the present world) ought to learn. General Ptolemy was initially a representative of the Greek King. But when Alexander died, he became the Pharaoh of the people. In other words, he took their faith and became an Egyptian in all but name. 

Ptolemy as Pharaoh of Egypt
 British Museum, London

He worshipped their Gods, built temples for them and mummified his dead.  He knew that if he wanted to rule over Egypt, he needed to be one of them. He adopted their Gods as his own, showed them due respect, had faith in their belief and was in turn accepted as their Pharaoh.

And thus began the Ptolomic Dynasty!