Among other measures for the prosperity That author
repeatedly
praises Ptolemy for the
of his new capital we find Ptolemy establishing fidelity of his narrative and the absence of all
there a numerous colony of Jews, who frequently fables and exaggerations, and justly pays the
acted an important part during the reigns of his greatest deference to his authority, on account of
buccessors.
of his new capital we find Ptolemy establishing fidelity of his narrative and the absence of all
there a numerous colony of Jews, who frequently fables and exaggerations, and justly pays the
acted an important part during the reigns of his greatest deference to his authority, on account of
buccessors.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
15—18 ; Paus.
against Babylon, where that general succeeded in i. 6. $ 6; Justin. xv. 2; Appian, Syr. 54. )
establishing a permanent footing. [Seleucus. ) But the defeat at Salamis not only entailed upon
Meanwhile, Demetrius partly retrieved his disaster the Egyptian king the loss of Cyprus, but left his
by defeating Ptolemy's general Cilles, and soon rival for a time the undisputed master of the sea,
after Antigonus himself advanced into Syria, to an advantage of which Antigonus now determined
support his son. Ptolemy gave way before them, to avail himself to strike a decisive blow against
and withdrew into Egypt, where he prepared for Egypt itself. For this purpose he himself ad-
defence ; but Antigonus did not attempt to follow vanced by land through Syria with a powerful
him, and spent his time in operations in Asia. army, while Demetrius supported him with his fleet.
The next year (B. C. 311) hostilities were sus- Ptolemy did not attempt to meet him in the field or
pended by a general peace. (Diod. xix. 57—62, oppose him on the frontiers of Egypt, but contented
64, 69, 79-86, 90, 93, 105; Plut. Demetr. 5, 6; himself with fortifying and guarding the passages
Paus. i. 6. $ 5; Justin. xv. l; Appian, Syr. 54. ) of the Nile, as he had done against Perdiccas: a
Of the motives which led to this treaty we have manoeuvre which proved equally successful on the
no information, but the probability is that all present occasion. The fleet of Demetrius suffered
parties regarded it as little more than a truce. severely from storm, and his efforts to effect a landing
Ptolemy appears to have been the first to recom- in Lower Egypt were frustrated, while Antigonus
inence hostilities, and, under pretence that Anti- himself was unable to force the passage of the
gonus had not, pursuant to the treaty, withdrawn river: his troops began to suffer from hunger: many
his garrisons from the Greek cities in Asia, be sent of them deserted to Ptolemy, whose emissaries were
a feet to Cilicia under Leonidas, who reduced active with bribes and promises: and the old king
many towns on the coast, but was again compelled at length found himself compelled to abandon the
to withdraw by the arrival of Demetrius. The enterprise and retire into Syria. (Diod. xx. 73
next year (B. C. 309) Ptolemy in person sailed | 76; Plut. Demetr. 19; Paus. i. 6. $ 6. ) Ptolemy
with a large fleet to Lycia, took the important was well contented to have escaped from so great
city of Xanthus, as well as Caunus and other a danger, and doubtless occupied in recruiting his
places in Caria, and laid siege to Halicarnassus, forces, but we do not learn that he ventured to
which was, however, relieved by the sudden resume the offensive. The next year however
arrival of Demetrius. Ptolemy now withdrew (B. C. 305), Demetrius having turned his arms
to Myndus where he wintered, and the next against the Rhodians, Ptolemy assisted the latter
spring (308) repaired in person to the Peloponnese, with repeated supplies both of troops and pro-
where he announced himself as the liberator of visions. So important, indeed, were his succours
Greece, but effected little, beyond the taking pos- on this occasion, that when Demetrius had been at
session of the two strongholds of Corinth and length compelled to raise the siege (304), the
Sicyon, which were yielded to him by Cratesipolis; Rhodians paid divine honours to the Egyptian
and having placed garrisons in these he returned monarch as their saviour and preserver (Iwthp), a
to Egypt. (Diod. xs. 19, 27, 37; Plut. Demetr. 7. ) title which appears to have been now bestowed
This year was, however, marked by a more im- upon Ptolemy for the first time. (Diod. xx. 81-
portant advantage in the recovery of Cyrene, which 88, 96, 98–100; Paus. i. 6. § 6, 8. 96; Athen.
had for some years past shaken off the Egyptian xv. p. 696, f. )
yoke, but was now, after the death of Ophellas, re- During the next two years the king of Egypt
duced once more under the subjection of Ptolemy seems to have been a nearly passive spectator of
by the arms of his brother Magas. [MAGAS. ] the contest in Greece, though in the course of it
The next season (B. C. 307) Demetrius suc- Corinth and Sicyon were wrested from his power
ceeded in establishing his authority over great by Demetrius : but at length in B. C. 302 the
part of Greece, and drove Demetrius the Phalerean arrogant pretensions of Antigonus once more united
cut of Athens, who took refuge at the court of Ptolemy and Seleucus with Cassander and Lysi-
Egypt. Ptolemy appears to have remained in machus in a league against their common foe.
active during these events, but it is probable that Still, however, Ptolemy took comparatively little
his military and uaval preparations at Cyprus gave ( part in the contest, which led to the decisivo
PP 4
1
## p. 584 (#600) ############################################
58+
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
1
battle of Jpeus, and after advancing into Coele. trivs soon removed all cause of apprehension.
Syria, and making himself master of part of that (Plut. Demetr. 44, Pyrrh. 10, 11 ; Justin. xvi. 2. )
country and of Phoenicia, he was alarmed by a It is probable that the latter years of his reign
false report of the victory of Antigonus, and with- were devoted almost entirely to the arts of peace,
drew into Egypt. (Diod. xx. 106, 113; Justin. and to promoting the internal prosperity of his
xv. 2, 4. )
dominions. But his advancing age now warned
The defent and death of Antigonus (B. C. 301) | him of the necessity of providing for the succession
altogether altered the relations of the allied to his throne.
monarchs. Seleucug was now become almost as Ptolemy wns at this time the father of three
formidable ng Antigonus had been, and the pos- legitimate sons, of whom the two eldest, Ptolemy
session of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, which were surnamed Cemunus, and Meleager, were the off.
claimed by Ptolemy as the price of his adhesion to spring of Eurydice, the daughter of Antipater,
the coalition, and by Seleucus as part of the allotted while the youngest, also named Ptolemy (after-
reward of his victory, was near producing an im- wards surnamed Philadelphus) was the child of
mediate breach between the two. Seleucus appears his latest and most beloved wife, Berenice. Blis
to have waived his pretensions for a time, but ulti-attachment to Berenice, as well as the favourable
mately obtained possession (in what manner we opinion he had formed of the character of the
know not) of the disputed provinces. (Diod. xxi. young man himself, now led him to conceive the
Exc. Vat. pp. 42, 43 ; Polyb. v. 67. ) Meanwhile, project of bestowing the crown upon the last of
their mutual jealousy led them to forin new alli- these three princes, to the exclusion of his elder
ances with the other monarchs; and while Seleucus brothers. Such a design met with vehement
married Stratonice, the daughter of Demetrius, opposition from Demetrius the Phalerian, who
Ptolemy sought to strengthen his connection with now held a high place in the counsels and favour
Lysimachus, by giving that monarch his daughter of Ptolemy: but the king, nevertheless, determined
Arsinoë in marriage. At the same time he did to carry it into execution, and even resolved to
not refuse to be reconciled, in appearance at least, to secure the throne to his favourite son by establish-
Demetrius, to whom he even gave Ptolemaïs, another ing him on it in his own lifetime. In the year
of his daughters, for a wife. An alliance was at B. C. 285 accordingly, he himself announced to the
the same time concluded between them, and assembled people of Alexandria that he had ceased
Pyrrhus, the fugitive heir to the throne of Epeirus, to reign, and transferred the sovereign authority to
was placed at the Egyptian court by Demetrius, his youngest son, whom he presented to them as
as a hostage for his fidelity.
their king. His choice was received, we are told,
The young prince quickly rose to a high place with the utmost favour, and the accession of the
in the favour of Ptolemy, who gave him his step- new monarch was celebrated with festivities and
daughter Antigone in marriage, and conceived the processions on a scale of unparalleled magnificence,
design of raising him up as a rival to Demetrius. during which the aged monarch himself appeared
His nominal alliance with the latter did not prevent among the officers and attendants of his son.
him from furnishing all the support in his power to (Justin. xvi. 2; Athen. v. p. 196, 203. ) Nothing
the Greek cities which were opposed to him, on occurred to interrupt the harmony which subsisted
occasion of the expedition of Demetrius to Greece between them from this time till the death of the
in B. c. 297: and the following year he took the elder Ptolemy, which took place about two years
opportunity to create a formidable diversion by after, B. c. 283. His reign is variously estimated
sending Pyrrhus, at the head of a small force, to at thirty-eight or forty years, according as we
Epeirus, where the young prince quickly established include or not these two years which followed his
himself upon the throne. (Plut. Demetr. 32, 33, abdication. (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. pp. 113,
Pyrrh. 4,5 ; Paus. i. 6. § 8. )
114; Joseph. Ant. xii. 2. ) He was not only
The next year (B. C. 295) he took advantage of honoured by his son with a splendid funeral ; but
Demetrius being still engaged in the affairs of his body was deposited in the magnificent edifice
Greece, to recover the important island of Cyprus. which had been erected as the mausoleum of
This he quickly reduced, with the exception of Alexander; and divine honours were paid to him
Salamis, where Phila, the wife of Demetrius, lield in common with the great conqueror. (Theocr.
out for a long time, but her husband's attention Idyll. xvii. 16-19 ; Strab. xvii. p. 794. )
being now wholly engrossed by the prospects which The character of Ptolemy has been generally
had opened to him in Macedonia (DEMETRIUS), represented in a very favourable light by historians,
he was unable to render her any assistance, and and there is no doubt that if we compare him with
she was ultimately compelled to surrender to his contemporary and rival potentates he appears
Ptolemy. The whole island thus fell into the to deserve the praises bestowed upon his mildness
power of the king, and became from henceforth and moderation. But it is only with this important
an integral portion of the Egyptian monarchy. qualification that they can be admitted : for there
(Plut. Demetr. 35, 38. )
are many evidences, such as the barbarous murder of
It is not till after the lapse of a considerable Nicocles [NicocLES), and the execution of Ptolemy,
interval that we again find Ptolemy engaging the nephew of Antigonus (see above, p. 565, No. 7],
actively in foreign war. But he could not remain that he did not shrink from any measure that he
an indifferent spectator of the events which placed deemed requisite in order to carry out the objects of
his old enemy Demetrius on the throne of Mace. his ambition. But the long-sighted prudence, by
donia : and in B. c. 287 we find him once more which he seems to have been pre-eminently distin-
joining in a league with Lysimachus and Seleucus guished among his contemporaries, led him to contine
against the object of their common enmity. The that ambition within more rational bounds than most
part taken by Ptolemy in the war that followed of his rivals. He appears to have been the only one
was, however, limited to the sending a fleet to the among the generals of Alexander who foresaw from
Aegaean : and the defeat and captivity of Deme- I the first that the empire of that conqueror must in-
## p. 585 (#601) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
585
PTOLEMAEUS.
evitably be broken up, and who wisely directed his between the king and the men of letters by whom
endeavours to secure for himself the possession of an he was surrounded, and prove that the easy fami-
important and valuable portion, instead of wasting liarity of his manners corresponded with his simple
his strength in idle attempts to grasp the whole. and unostentatious habits of life. We also find
But whatever were the faults of Ptolemy as an him maintaining a correspondence with Menander,
individual, as a ruler he certainly deserves the whom he in vain endeavoured to attract to his
highest praise. By his able and vigorous admin-court, and sending overtures probably of a similar
istration he laid the foundations of the wealth and nature to Theophrastus. (Suid. s. v. Mévuvopos ;
prosperity which Egypt enjoyed for a long period, Dioy. Laërt. v. 37. ) Nor were the fine arts
and which even many successive generations of neglected : the rival painters Antiphilus and
misrule were afterwards insufficient to destroy. Apelles both exercised their talents at Alexandria,
He restored order to the finances of the country, where some of their most celebrated pictures were
encouraged conimerce and industry, and introduced produced. (Plin. II. N. xxxv. 36; Lucian. de
a system of administration which appears to have | Calumn. 2. )
been well suited to the peculiar state of society But Ptolemy was not content with the praise of
which had so long existed in Egypt, and to the an enlightened patron and friend of literature ; he
religious and social prejudices of the nation. (See sought for himself also the ſame of an author, and
on this subject Droysen, IIellenismus, vol. ii. composed an historical narrative of the wars of
pp. 31–52. ) Under his fostering care Alexandria Alexander, which is frequently cited by later
quickly rose to the place designed for it by its writers, and is one of the chief authorities which
founder, that of the greatest commercial city of the Arrian made the groundwork of his own history.
world.
Among other measures for the prosperity That author repeatedly praises Ptolemy for the
of his new capital we find Ptolemy establishing fidelity of his narrative and the absence of all
there a numerous colony of Jews, who frequently fables and exaggerations, and justly pays the
acted an important part during the reigns of his greatest deference to his authority, on account of
buccessors. (Joseph. Ant. xii. 1. ) With this ex- his personal acquaintance with the events which
ception, the policy of the king was mainly directed he relates. No notice of his style has been pre-
to the prosperity of his Greek subjects, while the served to us, from which we may probably infer
native Égyptians, though no longer subjected to that his work was not so much distinguished in
the oppressions they had suffered under former this respect as for its historical value. Arrian
rulers, were kept in comparative obscurity. Nor expressly tells us that it was composed by him
do we find that the first Ptolemy showed any after he was established on the throne of Egypt,
especial marks of favour to their religion, though and probably during the latter years of his life.
to him is ascribed the first introduction of the (Arr. Anab. i. prooem. The other passages in
foreign worship of Serapis, and the foundation of which his authority is cited are collected, and all
the celebrated temple dedicated to that divinity at the information relating to his history brought
Alexandria. (Tac. Hist. iv. 84 ; Plut. de Isid. et together by Geier, de Plolemaei Lagidae Vita et
Osirid. 28. ) [SERAPIS. ]
Scriptis, pp. 72–77; and in his Scriptores Historiae
Not less eminent or conspicuous were the ser- Alex. Magni, pp. 1–26. The fragments are also
vices rendered by Ptolemy to the advancement of given in the edition of Arrian published by Didot,
literature and science. In this department indeed at Paris, 1846. ) It appears also that the letters
it is not always easy to distinguish the portion of of Ptolemy to Seleucus were extant at a later
credit due to the father from that of his son : but period, and were collected by one Dionysodorus, of
it seems certain that to the elder monarch belongs whom nothing more is known. (Lucian. Pro Laps.
the merit of having originated those literary insti- in Salut. 10. )
tutions which assumed a more definite and regular Ptolemy had been three times married : 1. to
form, as well as a more prominent place, under his the Persian princess Artacama (see above, p. 581],
successor. Such appears to have been the case by whom he appears to have had no children ; 2. to
with the two most celebrated of all, the Library Eurydice, the daughter of Antipater, who had
and the Museum of Alexandria. (See Droysen, borne him three sons— Ptolemy Ceraunus, Me-
Hellenism. vol. ii. p. 43 ; Geier, de Ptolemaei La- leager, and one whose name is not mentioned
gidae Vita, p. 61; Parthey, Das Alexandrinische (Paus. i. 7. $ 1. ), and two daughters, Lysandra
Museum, pp. 36—49 ; Ritschl. Die · Alexandr. and Ptolemaïs ; 3. to Berenice, who became the
Bibliothek. pp. 14–16. )
mother of Ptolemy Philadelphus as well as of
The first suggestion of these important foun- Arsinoë, the wife of Lysimachus. For further
dations is ascribed by some writers to Demetrius information concerning his children by these mar-
of Phalerus, who spent all the latter years of his riages, see the articles ARSINOE and BERENICE.
life at the court of Ptolemy, and became one of his But besides these, he became the father of a nu-
most confidential friends and advisers. But many merous progeny by various concubines, of whom
other men of literary eminence were also gathered
around the Egyptian king: among whom may be
especially noticed the great geometer Euclid, the
philosophers Stilpo of Megara, Theodorus of Cyrene,
and Diodorus surnamed Cronus; as well as the
elegiac poet Philetas of Cos, and the grammarian
Zenodotus. (Diog. Laërt. ii. 102, 111, 115, v. 37,
78 ; Plut. de Eril. 7, Apophth. Reg. p. 189, d ;
Suid. s. v. fantás and Znvoðotos. ) 'To the two last
we are told Ptolemy confided the literary education
of his son Philadelphus. Many anecdotes suf-
ficiently attest the free intercourse which subsisted COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS 1. , KING OF EGYPT.
How
ATOAEMA
OM
BALIAE DE
## p. 586 (#602) ############################################
686
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS. "
the most conspicuous was Thaïs, the celebrated | suing him (Paus. i. 7. $$ 1, 2; Schol. ad Callim.
Athenian hetaera By her he had two sons, 11. in Del. 170–190). Magas, however, subse-
named Leontiscus and Lagus, and a daughter, quently induced Antiochus II. , king of Syria, to
Eirene, who was married to Eunostus, one of the make common cause with him against the Egyptian
petty princes of Cyprus. (Athen. xiii. p. 576, e. ; monarch, aud himself undertook a second expedi-
Paus. i. 6. & 8. ) Another son of Ptolemy, named tion against Egypt, in which he again advanced to
Argaeus, is also mentioned, who was probably ille- the frontier, and took the fortress of Paraetonium ;
gitimate, but his mother is unknown. (Paus. i. 7. but the efforts of Antiochus were paralysed by the
$ 1. )
(E. H. B. ) address of Ptolemy, and he was able to effect
PTOLEMAEUS II. (Itolevaios), king of nothing on the side of Syria. At length the war
EGYPT, surnamed PHILADELPHUS, was the son of was terminated by a treaty, which leſt Magis in
Ptolemy I. by his wife Berenice. He was born in undisputed possession of the Cyrenaica, while huis
the island of Cos, whither his mother had accom- infant daughter Berenice was betrothed to Ptolemy,
panied her husband during the naval campaign of the son of Philadelphus (Paus. i. 7. $ 3; Pa
15. C. 309. (Theocr. Idyll. xvii. 58; et Schol. ad loc. ; lyaen. ii. 28 ; Justin. xxvi. 3 ; Droysen, Hellenism.
Callim. H. ad Del. 165–190; Droysen, Hellenism. vol. ii. pp. 244--250. )
vol. i. p. 418. ) We have scarcely any information It was probably during the continuance of this
concerning the period of his boyhood or youth, war that we find Ptolemy also taking an active
though we learn that he received a careful educa- part in the affairs of Greece, by sending a fleet
tion; and Philetas, the elegiac poet of Cos, and under Patroclus to the assistance of the Athenians
Zenodotus the grammarian, are mentioned as his against Antigonus Gonatas (PATROCLUS). Nor
literary preceptors (Suid. s. v. Diantās and Znvóso- was he inattentive to the events that were passing
Tos). But it is probable that his own promising in more distant countries. After the defeat of
character and disposition combined with the par- Pyrrhus by the Romans, he had hastened to con-
tiality of his father for Berenice, to induce the aged clude a treaty with the rising republic, and during
monarch to set aside the offspring of his former the subsequent war between Rome and Carthage,
marriage in favour of Philadelphus. In order to he continued faithful to his new allies, and refused
carry this project into execution, and secure the suc- to assist the Carthaginians. (Liv. Epit. xiv. ;
cession to this his favourite son, the king at length Dion Cass. fr. 146; Zonar. viii. 6; Justin, xviii. 2;
resolved to abdicate the sovereign power, and esta- Val. Max. iv. 3. § 9; Appian. Sic. 1. )
blish Philadelphus (at this time 24 years of age) Of the subsequent relations between Egypt and
upon the throne during his own lifetime. The Syria, we know only in general terms that hostili-
young prince appears to have been personally ties between them were frequently interrupted or
popular with the Alexandrians, who, we are told, suspended, and as often renewed, but the wars
welcomed the announcement with the utmost joy, appear to have been marked by no events of a
and the accession of the new monarch (Nov. B. C. striking character. It must have been towards
285) was celebrated with festivities and proces- the close of the reign of Philadelphus that the
sions of the utmost magnificence. (Justin. xvi. 2 ; long protracted contest was terminated by a treaty
Athen. v. pp. 196—203; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. of peace, by which Ptolemy gave his daughter
p. 113. )
Berenice in marriage to Antiochus II. The other
It is probable that the virtual authority of king stipulations of the peace are unknown to us, but it
still remained in the hands of Ptolemy Soter, is certain that Phoenicia and Coele-Syria— the
during the two years that he survived this event ; never-failing cause of dispute between the two
but no attempt was made to disturb his arrange monarchies -- remained in the hands of Prolemy
ment of the succession. Ptolemy Cerannus and (Hieron. ad Daniel. xi. 6 ; Droysen, vol. ii. p. 316. )
Meleager quitted Egypt, and Philadelphus found in Greece Ptolemy appears to have continued
himself at his father's death (B. C. 283) the un- throughout his reign on unfriendly if not directly
disputed master of his wealthy and powerful king- hostile terms with Macedonia, and lost no opportu-
dom. His long reign was marked by few events | nity of assisting the party opposed to that power ;
of a striking character, while his attention was but it was not until a few years defore his death
mainly directed to the internal administration of that the successes of Aratus and the rise of the
his kingdom, and the patronage of literature and Achaean league opened out to his policy fresh
science ; his foreign policy was essentially pacific, prospects in that quarter. He hastened to support
and the few external wars by which his reign was Aratus with considerable sums of money, and
troubled, were not of a nature to affect deeply the received him in the most friendly manner when
prosperity of his dominions. Unfortunately, our he visited Alexandria in person. (Plut. Aral. 11,
historical information concerning bis reign is so 12. )
scanty, that we have the greatest difficulty in ar- But while Ptolemy was thus attentive to the
ranging and connecting the few notices that have events that were passing among the neighbouring
been transmitted to us. Its tranquillity appears potentates, his chief care was directed to the in-
to have been first disturbed by hostilities with his ternal adninistration of his kingdom, and to the
half brother Magas, who had governed Cyrene as encouragement and extension of its foreign com-
viceroy under Ptolemy Soter, but on the death of merce. One of the first measures of his reign was
that monarch threw off the yoke, and asserted his to take effectual steps for clearing Upper Egypt
independence. Not content with maintaining him- from the robbers and banditti by which it was in-
self in the possession of the Cyrenaïca, Magas fested (Theocr. Idyll. xv. 46–49, and Schol. ud
eren attempted to invade Egypt, and had ad- loc.
against Babylon, where that general succeeded in i. 6. $ 6; Justin. xv. 2; Appian, Syr. 54. )
establishing a permanent footing. [Seleucus. ) But the defeat at Salamis not only entailed upon
Meanwhile, Demetrius partly retrieved his disaster the Egyptian king the loss of Cyprus, but left his
by defeating Ptolemy's general Cilles, and soon rival for a time the undisputed master of the sea,
after Antigonus himself advanced into Syria, to an advantage of which Antigonus now determined
support his son. Ptolemy gave way before them, to avail himself to strike a decisive blow against
and withdrew into Egypt, where he prepared for Egypt itself. For this purpose he himself ad-
defence ; but Antigonus did not attempt to follow vanced by land through Syria with a powerful
him, and spent his time in operations in Asia. army, while Demetrius supported him with his fleet.
The next year (B. C. 311) hostilities were sus- Ptolemy did not attempt to meet him in the field or
pended by a general peace. (Diod. xix. 57—62, oppose him on the frontiers of Egypt, but contented
64, 69, 79-86, 90, 93, 105; Plut. Demetr. 5, 6; himself with fortifying and guarding the passages
Paus. i. 6. $ 5; Justin. xv. l; Appian, Syr. 54. ) of the Nile, as he had done against Perdiccas: a
Of the motives which led to this treaty we have manoeuvre which proved equally successful on the
no information, but the probability is that all present occasion. The fleet of Demetrius suffered
parties regarded it as little more than a truce. severely from storm, and his efforts to effect a landing
Ptolemy appears to have been the first to recom- in Lower Egypt were frustrated, while Antigonus
inence hostilities, and, under pretence that Anti- himself was unable to force the passage of the
gonus had not, pursuant to the treaty, withdrawn river: his troops began to suffer from hunger: many
his garrisons from the Greek cities in Asia, be sent of them deserted to Ptolemy, whose emissaries were
a feet to Cilicia under Leonidas, who reduced active with bribes and promises: and the old king
many towns on the coast, but was again compelled at length found himself compelled to abandon the
to withdraw by the arrival of Demetrius. The enterprise and retire into Syria. (Diod. xx. 73
next year (B. C. 309) Ptolemy in person sailed | 76; Plut. Demetr. 19; Paus. i. 6. $ 6. ) Ptolemy
with a large fleet to Lycia, took the important was well contented to have escaped from so great
city of Xanthus, as well as Caunus and other a danger, and doubtless occupied in recruiting his
places in Caria, and laid siege to Halicarnassus, forces, but we do not learn that he ventured to
which was, however, relieved by the sudden resume the offensive. The next year however
arrival of Demetrius. Ptolemy now withdrew (B. C. 305), Demetrius having turned his arms
to Myndus where he wintered, and the next against the Rhodians, Ptolemy assisted the latter
spring (308) repaired in person to the Peloponnese, with repeated supplies both of troops and pro-
where he announced himself as the liberator of visions. So important, indeed, were his succours
Greece, but effected little, beyond the taking pos- on this occasion, that when Demetrius had been at
session of the two strongholds of Corinth and length compelled to raise the siege (304), the
Sicyon, which were yielded to him by Cratesipolis; Rhodians paid divine honours to the Egyptian
and having placed garrisons in these he returned monarch as their saviour and preserver (Iwthp), a
to Egypt. (Diod. xs. 19, 27, 37; Plut. Demetr. 7. ) title which appears to have been now bestowed
This year was, however, marked by a more im- upon Ptolemy for the first time. (Diod. xx. 81-
portant advantage in the recovery of Cyrene, which 88, 96, 98–100; Paus. i. 6. § 6, 8. 96; Athen.
had for some years past shaken off the Egyptian xv. p. 696, f. )
yoke, but was now, after the death of Ophellas, re- During the next two years the king of Egypt
duced once more under the subjection of Ptolemy seems to have been a nearly passive spectator of
by the arms of his brother Magas. [MAGAS. ] the contest in Greece, though in the course of it
The next season (B. C. 307) Demetrius suc- Corinth and Sicyon were wrested from his power
ceeded in establishing his authority over great by Demetrius : but at length in B. C. 302 the
part of Greece, and drove Demetrius the Phalerean arrogant pretensions of Antigonus once more united
cut of Athens, who took refuge at the court of Ptolemy and Seleucus with Cassander and Lysi-
Egypt. Ptolemy appears to have remained in machus in a league against their common foe.
active during these events, but it is probable that Still, however, Ptolemy took comparatively little
his military and uaval preparations at Cyprus gave ( part in the contest, which led to the decisivo
PP 4
1
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PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
1
battle of Jpeus, and after advancing into Coele. trivs soon removed all cause of apprehension.
Syria, and making himself master of part of that (Plut. Demetr. 44, Pyrrh. 10, 11 ; Justin. xvi. 2. )
country and of Phoenicia, he was alarmed by a It is probable that the latter years of his reign
false report of the victory of Antigonus, and with- were devoted almost entirely to the arts of peace,
drew into Egypt. (Diod. xx. 106, 113; Justin. and to promoting the internal prosperity of his
xv. 2, 4. )
dominions. But his advancing age now warned
The defent and death of Antigonus (B. C. 301) | him of the necessity of providing for the succession
altogether altered the relations of the allied to his throne.
monarchs. Seleucug was now become almost as Ptolemy wns at this time the father of three
formidable ng Antigonus had been, and the pos- legitimate sons, of whom the two eldest, Ptolemy
session of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, which were surnamed Cemunus, and Meleager, were the off.
claimed by Ptolemy as the price of his adhesion to spring of Eurydice, the daughter of Antipater,
the coalition, and by Seleucus as part of the allotted while the youngest, also named Ptolemy (after-
reward of his victory, was near producing an im- wards surnamed Philadelphus) was the child of
mediate breach between the two. Seleucus appears his latest and most beloved wife, Berenice. Blis
to have waived his pretensions for a time, but ulti-attachment to Berenice, as well as the favourable
mately obtained possession (in what manner we opinion he had formed of the character of the
know not) of the disputed provinces. (Diod. xxi. young man himself, now led him to conceive the
Exc. Vat. pp. 42, 43 ; Polyb. v. 67. ) Meanwhile, project of bestowing the crown upon the last of
their mutual jealousy led them to forin new alli- these three princes, to the exclusion of his elder
ances with the other monarchs; and while Seleucus brothers. Such a design met with vehement
married Stratonice, the daughter of Demetrius, opposition from Demetrius the Phalerian, who
Ptolemy sought to strengthen his connection with now held a high place in the counsels and favour
Lysimachus, by giving that monarch his daughter of Ptolemy: but the king, nevertheless, determined
Arsinoë in marriage. At the same time he did to carry it into execution, and even resolved to
not refuse to be reconciled, in appearance at least, to secure the throne to his favourite son by establish-
Demetrius, to whom he even gave Ptolemaïs, another ing him on it in his own lifetime. In the year
of his daughters, for a wife. An alliance was at B. C. 285 accordingly, he himself announced to the
the same time concluded between them, and assembled people of Alexandria that he had ceased
Pyrrhus, the fugitive heir to the throne of Epeirus, to reign, and transferred the sovereign authority to
was placed at the Egyptian court by Demetrius, his youngest son, whom he presented to them as
as a hostage for his fidelity.
their king. His choice was received, we are told,
The young prince quickly rose to a high place with the utmost favour, and the accession of the
in the favour of Ptolemy, who gave him his step- new monarch was celebrated with festivities and
daughter Antigone in marriage, and conceived the processions on a scale of unparalleled magnificence,
design of raising him up as a rival to Demetrius. during which the aged monarch himself appeared
His nominal alliance with the latter did not prevent among the officers and attendants of his son.
him from furnishing all the support in his power to (Justin. xvi. 2; Athen. v. p. 196, 203. ) Nothing
the Greek cities which were opposed to him, on occurred to interrupt the harmony which subsisted
occasion of the expedition of Demetrius to Greece between them from this time till the death of the
in B. c. 297: and the following year he took the elder Ptolemy, which took place about two years
opportunity to create a formidable diversion by after, B. c. 283. His reign is variously estimated
sending Pyrrhus, at the head of a small force, to at thirty-eight or forty years, according as we
Epeirus, where the young prince quickly established include or not these two years which followed his
himself upon the throne. (Plut. Demetr. 32, 33, abdication. (Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. pp. 113,
Pyrrh. 4,5 ; Paus. i. 6. § 8. )
114; Joseph. Ant. xii. 2. ) He was not only
The next year (B. C. 295) he took advantage of honoured by his son with a splendid funeral ; but
Demetrius being still engaged in the affairs of his body was deposited in the magnificent edifice
Greece, to recover the important island of Cyprus. which had been erected as the mausoleum of
This he quickly reduced, with the exception of Alexander; and divine honours were paid to him
Salamis, where Phila, the wife of Demetrius, lield in common with the great conqueror. (Theocr.
out for a long time, but her husband's attention Idyll. xvii. 16-19 ; Strab. xvii. p. 794. )
being now wholly engrossed by the prospects which The character of Ptolemy has been generally
had opened to him in Macedonia (DEMETRIUS), represented in a very favourable light by historians,
he was unable to render her any assistance, and and there is no doubt that if we compare him with
she was ultimately compelled to surrender to his contemporary and rival potentates he appears
Ptolemy. The whole island thus fell into the to deserve the praises bestowed upon his mildness
power of the king, and became from henceforth and moderation. But it is only with this important
an integral portion of the Egyptian monarchy. qualification that they can be admitted : for there
(Plut. Demetr. 35, 38. )
are many evidences, such as the barbarous murder of
It is not till after the lapse of a considerable Nicocles [NicocLES), and the execution of Ptolemy,
interval that we again find Ptolemy engaging the nephew of Antigonus (see above, p. 565, No. 7],
actively in foreign war. But he could not remain that he did not shrink from any measure that he
an indifferent spectator of the events which placed deemed requisite in order to carry out the objects of
his old enemy Demetrius on the throne of Mace. his ambition. But the long-sighted prudence, by
donia : and in B. c. 287 we find him once more which he seems to have been pre-eminently distin-
joining in a league with Lysimachus and Seleucus guished among his contemporaries, led him to contine
against the object of their common enmity. The that ambition within more rational bounds than most
part taken by Ptolemy in the war that followed of his rivals. He appears to have been the only one
was, however, limited to the sending a fleet to the among the generals of Alexander who foresaw from
Aegaean : and the defeat and captivity of Deme- I the first that the empire of that conqueror must in-
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PTOLEMAEUS.
585
PTOLEMAEUS.
evitably be broken up, and who wisely directed his between the king and the men of letters by whom
endeavours to secure for himself the possession of an he was surrounded, and prove that the easy fami-
important and valuable portion, instead of wasting liarity of his manners corresponded with his simple
his strength in idle attempts to grasp the whole. and unostentatious habits of life. We also find
But whatever were the faults of Ptolemy as an him maintaining a correspondence with Menander,
individual, as a ruler he certainly deserves the whom he in vain endeavoured to attract to his
highest praise. By his able and vigorous admin-court, and sending overtures probably of a similar
istration he laid the foundations of the wealth and nature to Theophrastus. (Suid. s. v. Mévuvopos ;
prosperity which Egypt enjoyed for a long period, Dioy. Laërt. v. 37. ) Nor were the fine arts
and which even many successive generations of neglected : the rival painters Antiphilus and
misrule were afterwards insufficient to destroy. Apelles both exercised their talents at Alexandria,
He restored order to the finances of the country, where some of their most celebrated pictures were
encouraged conimerce and industry, and introduced produced. (Plin. II. N. xxxv. 36; Lucian. de
a system of administration which appears to have | Calumn. 2. )
been well suited to the peculiar state of society But Ptolemy was not content with the praise of
which had so long existed in Egypt, and to the an enlightened patron and friend of literature ; he
religious and social prejudices of the nation. (See sought for himself also the ſame of an author, and
on this subject Droysen, IIellenismus, vol. ii. composed an historical narrative of the wars of
pp. 31–52. ) Under his fostering care Alexandria Alexander, which is frequently cited by later
quickly rose to the place designed for it by its writers, and is one of the chief authorities which
founder, that of the greatest commercial city of the Arrian made the groundwork of his own history.
world.
Among other measures for the prosperity That author repeatedly praises Ptolemy for the
of his new capital we find Ptolemy establishing fidelity of his narrative and the absence of all
there a numerous colony of Jews, who frequently fables and exaggerations, and justly pays the
acted an important part during the reigns of his greatest deference to his authority, on account of
buccessors. (Joseph. Ant. xii. 1. ) With this ex- his personal acquaintance with the events which
ception, the policy of the king was mainly directed he relates. No notice of his style has been pre-
to the prosperity of his Greek subjects, while the served to us, from which we may probably infer
native Égyptians, though no longer subjected to that his work was not so much distinguished in
the oppressions they had suffered under former this respect as for its historical value. Arrian
rulers, were kept in comparative obscurity. Nor expressly tells us that it was composed by him
do we find that the first Ptolemy showed any after he was established on the throne of Egypt,
especial marks of favour to their religion, though and probably during the latter years of his life.
to him is ascribed the first introduction of the (Arr. Anab. i. prooem. The other passages in
foreign worship of Serapis, and the foundation of which his authority is cited are collected, and all
the celebrated temple dedicated to that divinity at the information relating to his history brought
Alexandria. (Tac. Hist. iv. 84 ; Plut. de Isid. et together by Geier, de Plolemaei Lagidae Vita et
Osirid. 28. ) [SERAPIS. ]
Scriptis, pp. 72–77; and in his Scriptores Historiae
Not less eminent or conspicuous were the ser- Alex. Magni, pp. 1–26. The fragments are also
vices rendered by Ptolemy to the advancement of given in the edition of Arrian published by Didot,
literature and science. In this department indeed at Paris, 1846. ) It appears also that the letters
it is not always easy to distinguish the portion of of Ptolemy to Seleucus were extant at a later
credit due to the father from that of his son : but period, and were collected by one Dionysodorus, of
it seems certain that to the elder monarch belongs whom nothing more is known. (Lucian. Pro Laps.
the merit of having originated those literary insti- in Salut. 10. )
tutions which assumed a more definite and regular Ptolemy had been three times married : 1. to
form, as well as a more prominent place, under his the Persian princess Artacama (see above, p. 581],
successor. Such appears to have been the case by whom he appears to have had no children ; 2. to
with the two most celebrated of all, the Library Eurydice, the daughter of Antipater, who had
and the Museum of Alexandria. (See Droysen, borne him three sons— Ptolemy Ceraunus, Me-
Hellenism. vol. ii. p. 43 ; Geier, de Ptolemaei La- leager, and one whose name is not mentioned
gidae Vita, p. 61; Parthey, Das Alexandrinische (Paus. i. 7. $ 1. ), and two daughters, Lysandra
Museum, pp. 36—49 ; Ritschl. Die · Alexandr. and Ptolemaïs ; 3. to Berenice, who became the
Bibliothek. pp. 14–16. )
mother of Ptolemy Philadelphus as well as of
The first suggestion of these important foun- Arsinoë, the wife of Lysimachus. For further
dations is ascribed by some writers to Demetrius information concerning his children by these mar-
of Phalerus, who spent all the latter years of his riages, see the articles ARSINOE and BERENICE.
life at the court of Ptolemy, and became one of his But besides these, he became the father of a nu-
most confidential friends and advisers. But many merous progeny by various concubines, of whom
other men of literary eminence were also gathered
around the Egyptian king: among whom may be
especially noticed the great geometer Euclid, the
philosophers Stilpo of Megara, Theodorus of Cyrene,
and Diodorus surnamed Cronus; as well as the
elegiac poet Philetas of Cos, and the grammarian
Zenodotus. (Diog. Laërt. ii. 102, 111, 115, v. 37,
78 ; Plut. de Eril. 7, Apophth. Reg. p. 189, d ;
Suid. s. v. fantás and Znvoðotos. ) 'To the two last
we are told Ptolemy confided the literary education
of his son Philadelphus. Many anecdotes suf-
ficiently attest the free intercourse which subsisted COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS 1. , KING OF EGYPT.
How
ATOAEMA
OM
BALIAE DE
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PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS. "
the most conspicuous was Thaïs, the celebrated | suing him (Paus. i. 7. $$ 1, 2; Schol. ad Callim.
Athenian hetaera By her he had two sons, 11. in Del. 170–190). Magas, however, subse-
named Leontiscus and Lagus, and a daughter, quently induced Antiochus II. , king of Syria, to
Eirene, who was married to Eunostus, one of the make common cause with him against the Egyptian
petty princes of Cyprus. (Athen. xiii. p. 576, e. ; monarch, aud himself undertook a second expedi-
Paus. i. 6. & 8. ) Another son of Ptolemy, named tion against Egypt, in which he again advanced to
Argaeus, is also mentioned, who was probably ille- the frontier, and took the fortress of Paraetonium ;
gitimate, but his mother is unknown. (Paus. i. 7. but the efforts of Antiochus were paralysed by the
$ 1. )
(E. H. B. ) address of Ptolemy, and he was able to effect
PTOLEMAEUS II. (Itolevaios), king of nothing on the side of Syria. At length the war
EGYPT, surnamed PHILADELPHUS, was the son of was terminated by a treaty, which leſt Magis in
Ptolemy I. by his wife Berenice. He was born in undisputed possession of the Cyrenaica, while huis
the island of Cos, whither his mother had accom- infant daughter Berenice was betrothed to Ptolemy,
panied her husband during the naval campaign of the son of Philadelphus (Paus. i. 7. $ 3; Pa
15. C. 309. (Theocr. Idyll. xvii. 58; et Schol. ad loc. ; lyaen. ii. 28 ; Justin. xxvi. 3 ; Droysen, Hellenism.
Callim. H. ad Del. 165–190; Droysen, Hellenism. vol. ii. pp. 244--250. )
vol. i. p. 418. ) We have scarcely any information It was probably during the continuance of this
concerning the period of his boyhood or youth, war that we find Ptolemy also taking an active
though we learn that he received a careful educa- part in the affairs of Greece, by sending a fleet
tion; and Philetas, the elegiac poet of Cos, and under Patroclus to the assistance of the Athenians
Zenodotus the grammarian, are mentioned as his against Antigonus Gonatas (PATROCLUS). Nor
literary preceptors (Suid. s. v. Diantās and Znvóso- was he inattentive to the events that were passing
Tos). But it is probable that his own promising in more distant countries. After the defeat of
character and disposition combined with the par- Pyrrhus by the Romans, he had hastened to con-
tiality of his father for Berenice, to induce the aged clude a treaty with the rising republic, and during
monarch to set aside the offspring of his former the subsequent war between Rome and Carthage,
marriage in favour of Philadelphus. In order to he continued faithful to his new allies, and refused
carry this project into execution, and secure the suc- to assist the Carthaginians. (Liv. Epit. xiv. ;
cession to this his favourite son, the king at length Dion Cass. fr. 146; Zonar. viii. 6; Justin, xviii. 2;
resolved to abdicate the sovereign power, and esta- Val. Max. iv. 3. § 9; Appian. Sic. 1. )
blish Philadelphus (at this time 24 years of age) Of the subsequent relations between Egypt and
upon the throne during his own lifetime. The Syria, we know only in general terms that hostili-
young prince appears to have been personally ties between them were frequently interrupted or
popular with the Alexandrians, who, we are told, suspended, and as often renewed, but the wars
welcomed the announcement with the utmost joy, appear to have been marked by no events of a
and the accession of the new monarch (Nov. B. C. striking character. It must have been towards
285) was celebrated with festivities and proces- the close of the reign of Philadelphus that the
sions of the utmost magnificence. (Justin. xvi. 2 ; long protracted contest was terminated by a treaty
Athen. v. pp. 196—203; Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Arm. of peace, by which Ptolemy gave his daughter
p. 113. )
Berenice in marriage to Antiochus II. The other
It is probable that the virtual authority of king stipulations of the peace are unknown to us, but it
still remained in the hands of Ptolemy Soter, is certain that Phoenicia and Coele-Syria— the
during the two years that he survived this event ; never-failing cause of dispute between the two
but no attempt was made to disturb his arrange monarchies -- remained in the hands of Prolemy
ment of the succession. Ptolemy Cerannus and (Hieron. ad Daniel. xi. 6 ; Droysen, vol. ii. p. 316. )
Meleager quitted Egypt, and Philadelphus found in Greece Ptolemy appears to have continued
himself at his father's death (B. C. 283) the un- throughout his reign on unfriendly if not directly
disputed master of his wealthy and powerful king- hostile terms with Macedonia, and lost no opportu-
dom. His long reign was marked by few events | nity of assisting the party opposed to that power ;
of a striking character, while his attention was but it was not until a few years defore his death
mainly directed to the internal administration of that the successes of Aratus and the rise of the
his kingdom, and the patronage of literature and Achaean league opened out to his policy fresh
science ; his foreign policy was essentially pacific, prospects in that quarter. He hastened to support
and the few external wars by which his reign was Aratus with considerable sums of money, and
troubled, were not of a nature to affect deeply the received him in the most friendly manner when
prosperity of his dominions. Unfortunately, our he visited Alexandria in person. (Plut. Aral. 11,
historical information concerning bis reign is so 12. )
scanty, that we have the greatest difficulty in ar- But while Ptolemy was thus attentive to the
ranging and connecting the few notices that have events that were passing among the neighbouring
been transmitted to us. Its tranquillity appears potentates, his chief care was directed to the in-
to have been first disturbed by hostilities with his ternal adninistration of his kingdom, and to the
half brother Magas, who had governed Cyrene as encouragement and extension of its foreign com-
viceroy under Ptolemy Soter, but on the death of merce. One of the first measures of his reign was
that monarch threw off the yoke, and asserted his to take effectual steps for clearing Upper Egypt
independence. Not content with maintaining him- from the robbers and banditti by which it was in-
self in the possession of the Cyrenaïca, Magas fested (Theocr. Idyll. xv. 46–49, and Schol. ud
eren attempted to invade Egypt, and had ad- loc.
