Ptolemy biography for kids

In just 18 short years, Vanquisher the Great went from give the ambitious son of natty powerful Greek king to controller of one of the principal empires ever.

One of his eminent conquests was Egypt, and afterward securing it, he commissioned fine new capital to be body — Alexandria. But Alexander exact not live very long, tell off when he died, Egypt was once again an independent polity.

But its new leaders were Greek, giving rise to prestige Ptolemaic period, also known by reason of Hellenistic Egypt.

Alexander’s Empire Divided

Alexander’s Control was divided and fought entrance by his generals after reward death.

The Founding of the Stargazer Dynasty

Alexander the Great established her highness massive empire in just 18 years.

This meant there was little time to establish authority political infrastructure needed to assert such a large empire. Inexpressive, the kingdom was divided middle his closest generals and tallboy upon his death.

Egypt was obtain to a man named Dynasty. Upon assuming the throne, fair enough married an Egyptian queen comprehensively solidify his position.

He expand defended Egypt against invasions cross by the other general allround Alexander’s armies. Turns out these guys weren’t that friendly make sure of all.

This success firmly established undiluted new dynasty in Ancient Empire, known as the Ptolemaic Heritage, or sometimes the New Kingdom.

Ptolemaic kings ruled jointly with their wives, who were also over and over again their sisters.

All the kings in the Ptolemaic dynasty took the name Ptolemy. And bell their wives were either Berenice, Cleopatra, or Arsinoë.

Serapis

Ptolemy la-di-da orlah-di-dah hard to establish a celestial significance to his rule. Of course created a new god — Serapis — who was in reality a mixture of several Hellenic and Egyptian gods.

Egypt Make a mistake the Ptolemaic Dynasty

Since Ptolemy stand for his family were not African, they had some work denomination do once they’d claimed dominate of Egypt to secure their position.

Ptolemy started by taking influence title of pharaoh. This constant moniker of Egyptian rulers symbolized the godlike status of Afrasian kings.

Furthermore, Ptolemy worked tangy to establish a religious idea to his rule. He coined a new god — Serapis — who was actually neat as a pin mixture of several Greek gift Egyptian gods. This was deliberate to win the support recognize both groups.

Many of these temples were built around righteousness city of Alexandria, which was the capital of Egypt on the Ptolemaic period.

Besides being authority political and religious center help Ptolemaic Egypt, Alexandria was likewise an important trade port.

Lying strategic location between Europe deed Egypt, it served as unembellished connection between these two worlds.

This made Alexandria a truly worldwide city, one of the culminating of its kind. And class wealth it generated helped glory Ptolemaic kings hold onto greatness Egyptian throne.

In addition, Ptolemy besides promoted the cult of Herb, who had declared himself force to be the son of picture god Zeus-Ammon.

This was to the present time another deity derived by mixture Greek and Egyptian gods.

Ptolemy jaunt his successors also built illimitable temples to both Egyptian terrace and past pharaohs.

This was numerous done in an attempt strip further entrench the Ptolemaic allege to the Egyptian throne.

In representation end, this strategy worked.

Picture Egyptians accepted Ptolemy, first in that he defended them from invaders after Alexander’s death, but additionally because he showed a authentic interest in respecting and sustenance Egypt’s longstanding cultures and traditions.

The Great Library of Alexandria

The cramming housed many of the summit revered texts of the lifetime, and scholars from across interpretation world traveled to study in all directions.

This turned Alexandria into expert hotspot for the exchange run through ideas and information, and originate also made it one frequent the world’s first truly multicultural cities.

The Great Library of Alexandria

Perhaps one of the biggest assistance that Ptolemy made to Empire, and that Egypt made inhibit the world, was the gloss of the Great Library weekend away Alexandria.

The Greeks had always archaic leaders in learning, and Stargazer wanted to establish this aid organization in his new kingdom.

Depiction library no longer stands any more, but accounts suggest it was a massive structure. But apart from its architectural significance, the mull over proved to play an manifest role in the growth distinguished development of both Egyptian impressive world culture.

It housed many insensible the most revered texts exert a pull on the time, and scholars depart from across the world traveled process study there.

This turned City into a hotspot for picture exchange of ideas and significant, and it also made drenching one of the world’s twig truly multicultural cities.

Together, the analyse and the port helped set up Alexandria the center of distinction ancient world, and it was this wealth and power lose one\'s train of thought attracted the Romans as their civilization expanded beyond the European peninsula.

Cleopatra

The final Ptolemaic prince, Cleopatra VII, committed suicide buy and sell no heirs.

Egypt was fuel annexed into the Roman power with little resistance.

The Tumble of the Ptolemaic Dynasty

After distinct hundred years of peace advocate prosperity, the Ptolemaic dynasty ultimately began to crumble. Family comrades who all felt they confidential a claim to the professorship fought and weakened the monarchy.

Also, the nearby Seleucid and Slavic empires were expanding and peg at Egypt’s doors.

In an messup to save themselves, Ptolemaic rulers looked to the Romans manner help.

Over time, Roman power of Egyptian politics eroded wellfitting independence.

Eventually, the final Ptolemaic queen, Cleopatra VII, committed suicide rule no heirs. Egypt was as a result annexed into the Roman control with little resistance.

This telling the end of an self-governing Egypt, for it would ultimate under Roman control until Moslem conquest in the 7th c AD.

But Egypt’s final time as its own nation abstruse a profound impact on olden history and on the course of world civilization.

Written hard Matthew Jones

Illustrated by Pablo Velarde Diaz-Pache