ther of Seleucus, whom he
uniformly
supported in
his wars against his elder brother, and by this
PTOLEMAEUS III.
his wars against his elder brother, and by this
PTOLEMAEUS III.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
Phot.
tion,- it was by bis express command that the
p. 441, b, 453, a ; Hieronym, au Dan, xi. 5; Plin. Holy Scriptures of the Jews were translated into
H. N. vi. 34; Diod. iii. 36). With Ergamenes, the Greek (Joseph. xii. 2. For the fuller investiga-
Greek king of Meroë, he appears to have main-tion of this subject, see Aristeas). Whatever
tained friendly relations. In order to command the truth there may be in this tale, it is certain that
important navigation and commerce of the Red Sea, he treated the Jewish colonists, many of whom
he founded the city of Arsinoë at the head of the had already settled at Alexandria under Ptolemy
gulf (on the site of the modern Suez), and that of Soter, with much favour, and not only allowed
Berenice on the coast almost under the tropic. them perfect toleration for their religion, but ap-
The former he connected with the Nile by renew- pears to have placed them in many respects on a
ing and clearing out the canal which had previously par with his Greek subjects. (Joseph. l. c. )
been constructed by Necho, while he opened a high The fine arts met with scarcely less encourage
road from Berenice to Coptos on the Nile, which ment under Ptolemy than literature and science,
continued for ages to be the route by which all the but his patronage does not appear to have given
merchandise of India, Arabin, and Aethiopia was rise to any school of painting or sculpture of real
conveyed to Alexandrin. Not contented with this, merit ; and we are told that Aratus gained his
we find him sending Satyrus on a voyage of dis- favour by presents of pictures of the Sicyonic
covery along the western coast of the Red Sea, and school. (Plut. Arat. 12. ) His architectural
founding another city of Berenice as far south as works, on the contrary, were of a superior order,
the latitude of Meroë (Strab. xvii. pp. 770, 804, and many of the most splendid buildings at Alex-
815; Plin. H. N. vi. 34 ; Diod. i. 33; Droysen, andria were erected or completed under his reign,
Hellenism. vol. ii. p. 735--738 ; Letronne, Rec. especially the museum, the lighthouse on the
des Inscr. p. 180—188). It was doubtless also island of Pharos, and the royal burial place or
with a view to the extension of his commerce with sepulchre, to which he removed the body of Alex-
India that we find him sending an ambassador of ander from Memphis, while he deposited there
the name of Dionysius to the native princes of that the remains of his father and mother (Paus. i. 7.
country. (Plin. H. N. vi. 21. )
§ 1; Strab. xvii. p. 791). As a farther proof of
But it is more especially as the patron and pro- his filial piety he raised a temple to the memory of
moter of literature and science that the name of Ptolemy and Berenice, in which their statues were
Philadelphus is justly celebrated. The institutions consecrated as tutelary deities of Egypt (Theocr.
of which the foundations had been laid by his | Id. xvii. 123). The new cities or colonies founded
father quickly rose under bis fostering care to the by Philadelphus in different parts of his dominions
highest prosperity. The Museum of Alexandria were extremely numerous. On the Red Sea alone
became the resort and abode of all the most dis- we find at least two bearing the name of Arsinoë,
tinguished men of letters of the day, and in the one called after another of his sisters Philotera,
library attached to it were accumulated all the and two cities named in honour of his mother
treasures of ancient learning. The first person who Berenice. The same names occur also in Cilicia
filled the office of librarian appears to have been and Syria: and in the latter country he founded
Zenodotus of Ephesus, who had previously been the important fortress of Ptolemaïs in Palestine.
the preceptor of Ptolemy: his successor was the (Concerning these various foundations, see Droysen,
poet Callimachus. (Suid. s. v. Znvódotos ; Parthey, Hellenism. vol. ii. pp. 678, 699, 721, 731, &c. ; Le-
das Alex. Museum, p. 71 ; Ritschl, die Alex. Bib tronne, Recueil des Inscr. pp. 180—188. )
liothek, p. 19. ) Among the other illustrious names All authorities concur in attesting the great
which adorned the court and reign of Ptolemy, power and wealth, to which the Egyptian mon-
may be mentioned those of the poets Philetas and archy was raised under Philadelphus. We are
Theocritus (the last of whom has left us a laboured told that he possessed at the close of his reign a
panegyric upon the Egyptian monarch, which is of standing army of 200,000 foot and 40,000 horse,
some importance in an historical point of view), the besides war-chariots and elephants ; a fleet of
philosophers Hegesias and Theodorus, the mathe- 1500 ships, among which were many vessels of
matician Euclid, and the astronomers Timocharis, stupendous size ; and a sum of 740,000 talents in
Aristarchus of Samos, and Aratus. It was not his treasury ; while he derived from Egypt alone an
merely by his munificence, or the honours which annual revenue of 14,800 talents (Appian. praef.
he bestowed upon these eminent men that Ptolemy 10; Hieronym. ad Daniel. xi. 5). His dominions
was able to attract them to his court : he had him- comprised, besides Egypt itself, and portions of
Belf received a learned education, and appears to Ethiopia, Arabia, and Libya, the important pro-
have possessed a genuine love of literature, while vinces of Phoenicia and Coele-Syria, together with
many anecdotes attest to us the friendly and fa- Cyprus, Lycia, Caria, and the Cyclades : and
miliar terms upon which he associated with the during a great part at least of his reign, Cilicia and
distinguished strangers whom he had gathered Pamphylia also (Theocrit. Idyll. xvii. 86–90 ;
around him. Nor was his patronage confined to Droysen, l. c. p. 316). Before his death Cyrene
the ordinary cycle of Hellenic literature. By his was reunited to the monarchy by the marriage of
interest in natural history he gave a stimulus to his son Ptolemy with Berenice, the daughter of
the pursuit of that science, which gave birth Magas.
to many important works, while he himself The private life and relations of Philadelphus
formed collections of rare animals within the pre- are far from displaying his character in as favour-
cincts of the royal palace. It was during his able a light as we might have inferred from the splen-
reign also, and perhaps at his desire, that Manetho dour of his administration. Almost immediately on
gave to the world in a Greek form the historical | his accession he had banished Demetrius Phalereus,
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588
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
the friend and counsellor of his father, who was and successor of Ptolemy II. , Philadelphus. When
believed to have advised the latter against altering a mere child he was betrothed to Berenice, the
the succession in favour of his younger son ; and daughter of Magas ; but it was not till after the
it was probably not long afterwards that he put to death of Magas, and the assassination of Demetrius
death his brother Argaeus, who was accused of the Handsome, who had made himself master of
conspiring against his life. Another of his brothers, Cyrene [BERENICE, p. 483), that their nuptials
who had attempted to excite a revolt in Cyprus, were solemnised. The date of these events is un-
subsequently shared the same fate ; and his first certain ; but the marriage cannot have long pre-
wife Arsinoë, the daughter of Lysimachus, was ceded the death of Philadelphus. B. c. 247. On
banished to Coptos in Upper Egypt on a similar that event Ptolemy succeeded quietly to the exten-
charge (Paus. i. 7. $ 1; Diog. Laërt. v. 78 ; Schol. sive dominions of his father ; to which he now
ad Thcocr. Id. xvii. 128). After her removal Pto- reunited Cyrene in right of his wife. But a still
lemy took the strange resolution of marrying his wider field was soon opened to his ambition. On
own sister Arsinoë, the widow of Lysimachus ; a learning the death of Philadelphus, Antiochus II.
flagrant violation of the religious notions of the king of Syria, put aside his wife Berenice, the
Greeks, and which gave rise to severe animad- daughter of the Egyptian king, and recalled his
versions. Though she must have been many years former wife, Laodice, who soon sacrificed to her
older than himself, he appears to have continued resentment both her faithless husband and her
tenderly attached to her throughout her life, and rival, Berenice, with her infant son. Ptolemy
evinced his affection not only by bestowing her appears to have taken up arms on receiving the
name upon many of his newly-founded colonies, first news of the danger of his sister ; but finding
but by assuming himself the surname of Philadel- that he was too late to save her, he determined at
phus, a title which some writers referred in derision least to avenge her fate, and invaded Syria in
to his unnatural treatment of his two brothers. person at the head of a numerous army. The
After her death he erected a temple to Arsinoë, cruelties of Laodice, and the unhappy fate of
and caused divine honours to be paid to her memory: Berenice, had already excited general disaffection ;
(Paus. i. 7. $S 1, 3 ; Theocrit. Idyll. xvii. 130, and many cities voluntarily joined Ptolemy, and nei-
Schol. ad loc. ; Athen. xiv. p. 621. ) By this sether the youthful Seleucus nor his mother were
cond marriage Ptolemy had no issue : but his first able to oppose the progress of the Egyptian king,
wife had borne him two sons— Ptolemy, who suc- who advanced apparently without opposition as
ceeded him on the throne, and Lysimachus ; and a far as Antioch, and made himself master of the
daughter, Berenice, whose marriage to Antiochus whole country south of Mount Taurus. But instead
II. , king of Syria, has been already mentioned. of crossing that ridge, and pursuing Seleucus
Philadelphus died a natural death before the himself, he turned his arms eastward, crossed the
close of the year B. c. 247 ; having reigned thirty- Euphrates, advanced as far as Babylon and Susa,
eight years from his first accession, and thirty-six and after reducing all Mesopotamia, Babylonia, and
from the death of his father (Euseb. Arm. p. 114 ; Susiana, received the submission of all the upper
Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 379). He had been al- provinces of Asia as far as the confines of Bactria
ways of a feeble and sickly constitution, which pre- and India. From this career of conquest he was
vented him from ever taking the command of his recalled by the news of seditions in Egypt, and
armies in person ; and he led the life of a refined returned to that country, carrying with him an
voluptuary, combining sensual and dissolute plea- immense booty, comprising, among other objects,
sures with the more elevated gratifications of the all the statues of the Egyptian deities which had
taste and understanding. (Strab. xvii
. p. 789 ; been carried off by Cambyses to Babylon or Persia.
Athen. xiii. p. 576. ) The great defects of his These he restored to their respective temples, an
character as an individual have been already ad- act by which he earned the greatest popularity
verted to, but there can be no doubt that his do- with his native Egyptian subjects, who bestowed
minions enjoyed the utmost prosperity under his on him in consequence the title of Euergetes (the
mild and pacific rule, and his skilful policy added Benefactor), by which he is generally known.
as much to the greatness and strength of his em- While the arms of the king himself were thus
pire as could the arms of a more warlike monarch. successful in the East, his fleets reduced the mari-
The coins of Ptolemy Philadelphus are only to time provinces of Asia, including Cilicia, Pam.
be distinguished from those of his father by the phylia, and Ionia, as far as the Hellespont, toge-
character of the countenance, and in some instances ther with Lysimachia and other important places
by their dates ; none of them bearing the epithet on the coast of Thrace which continued for a long
of Philadelphus.
E. H. B. ] period subject to the Egyptian rule. (Monum.
Adulitan. ap. Clinton. F. H. vol. iii. p. 382 ; Hie-
ronym. ad Daniel. xi. 7 ; Justin, xxvii. 1 ; Appian.
Syr. 65; Polyb. v. 58. ) Concerning the events
which followed the return of Euergetes to his own
dominions (probably in B. C. 243) we are almost
wholly in the dark ; but it appears that the greater
part of the eastern provinces speedily fell again into
the hands of Seleucus, while Ptolemy retained pos.
session of the maritime regions and a great part of
Syria itself. He soon obtained a valuable ally in
the person of Antiochus Hierax, the younger bro-
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS II. , KING OF EGYPT.
ther of Seleucus, whom he uniformly supported in
his wars against his elder brother, and by this
PTOLEMAEUS III. (Iltoneualos), king of diversion effectually prevented Seleucus from pro-
EGYPT, surnamed EUERGETES, was the eldest son secuting active hostilities against Egypt. The war
0000000000
dow
swavosi
ZUIVIESER
W
## p. 589 (#605) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
589
PTOLEMAEUS.
2
1
was at length terminated, or rather skispended by his accession not only threw a lustre over his
a truce for ten years ; but the contest between the reign, but added some important and valuable
two brothers soon broke out afresh, and continued acquisitions to his territories ; while his subjects
until the total defeat of Antiochus compelled him continued to enjoy the same internal tranquillity
to take refuge in Egypt. Here, however, he was as under his predecessors. He appears also to
received rather as a captive than an ally; probably have shown more favour than the two former
because it did not suit Ptolemy to renew hostilities monarchs towards the native-born Egyptians ; and
with Syria. (Justin. xxvii. 2, 3. )
he evinced a desire to encourage their religious
In regard to the remainder of the reign of feelings, not only by bringing back the statues of
Euergetes we have scarcely any information. It their gods out of Asia, but by various architectural
appears, however, that in his foreign policy he works. Thus we find him making large additions
followed the same line as his father. We find him to the great temple at Thebes, erecting a new one
generally unfriendly to Macedonia, and on one at Esne, and dedicating n temple at Canopus to
occasion at least in open hostility with that power, Osiris in the names of_himself and his queen
as we are told that he defeated Antigonus (Go- Berenice. (Wilkinson's Thobes, p. 425; Letronne,
natas) in a great sea-fight off Andros (Trog. Pomp. Recueil, pp. 2–6. ) On the other hand, his foun-
Prol. xxvii. ) ; but the date and circumstances of dations of new cities and colonies were much less
this action are wholly uncertain. (See on this numerous than those of his father, though that of
subject, Niebuhr, Kl. Schrift. p. 297 ; Droysen, Berenice in the Cyrenaïca may in all probability
vol. ii. p. 364. ) With the same views he con- be ascribed to him. (See Droysen, vol. ii. pp. 7233
tinued to support Aratus and the Achaean league, — 726. ) Among the last events of his reign may
until the sudden change of policy of the former, be mentioned the magnificent presents with which
and his unnatural alliance with Macedonia, led to he assisted the Rhodians after their city had been
a corresponding change on the part of Ptolemy, overthown by an earthquake; the amount of which
who thenceforth threw all the weight of his influ- is in itself a sufficient proof of the wealth and
ence in favour of Cleomenes, to whom he afforded power which he possessed. (Polyb. v. 89. )
an honourable retreat after his decisive defeat at The death of Euergetes must have taken place
Sellasia, B. c. 222. (Plut. Arat. 24, 41, Cleom. before the end of B. C. 222: it is clearly ascribed
22, 32 ; Paus. ii. 8. $ 5. ) We find him also main- by Polybius (ii. 71) to natural causes ; though a
taining the same friendly relations as his father rumour followed by Justin (xxix. 1) asserted that
with Rome, though he declined the offers of assist- he was poisoned by his son, a suspicion to which
ance made him by that powerful republic during the character and subsequent conduct of the young
his war with Syria (Eutrop. iii. 1. ) During the man lent sufficient countenance. He had reigned
latter years of his reign Euergetes took advantage twenty-five years in uninterrupted prosperity. By
of the state of peace in which he found himself his wife Berenice, who survived him, he left three
with his neighbours to turn his arms against the children : 1. Ptolemy, his successor ; 2. Magas ;
Ethiopian tribes on his southern frontier, whom he and 3. Arsinoë, afterwards married to her brother
effectually reduced to submission, and advanced as Ptolemy Philopator.
far as Adule, a port on the Red Sea, where he Trogus Pompeius twice designates Ptolemy
established an emporium, and set up an inscription Euergetes by the epithet of Tryphon (Prol. xxvii.
commemorating the exploits of his reign. To a and xxx. ), an appellation which is also found in
copy of this, accidentally preserved to us by an Eusebius (p. 165, ed. Arm. ). Neither this nor the
Egyptian monk, Cosm AS INDICOPLEUSTES, we title of Euergetes appears on his coins, which can
are indebted for much of the scanty information we only be distinguished from those of his two prede
possess concerning his reign. (See Buttmann's cessors by the difference of physiognomy. [E. H. B. ]
Museum f. Alterthumswissenschaft, vol. ii. pp. 105–
166 ; the inscription itself is also given by Chis
hull, Antiq. Asiaticae, p. 76, and by Salt in his
Travels in Abyssinia (1814), p. 453, as well as by
Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 382, note. )
Ptolemy Euergetes is scarcely less celebrated
than his father for his patronage of literature and
science: he added so largely to the library at
Alexandria that he has been sometimes erroneously
deemed its founder, and the well-known anecdote
of the stratagem by which he possessed himself of
the original manuscripts of Aeschylus, Sophocles,
COIN OP PTOLEMAEUS III. , KING OF EGYPT.
and Euripides, sufficiently attests the zeal with
which he pursued this object. (Galen, Comm. ad PTOLEMAEUS IV. (Itulepaios), king of
Hippocr. lib. iii. Epidem. p. 411; Parthey, Das Egypt, surnamed PHILOPATOR, was the eldest son
Alex. Mus. p. 88. ) Among the distinguished men and successor of Ptolemy Euergetes. He was very far
of letters who flourished at Alexandria during his from inheriting the virtues or abilities of his father:
reign, the names of Eratosthenes, Apollonius Rho- and his reign was the commencement of the decline
dius, and Aristophanes, the grammarian, are-alone of the Egyptian kingdom, which had been raised to
sufficient to prove that the literature and learning such a height of power and prosperity by his three
of the Alexandrian school still retained their former predecessors. Its first beginning was stained with
eminence.
crimes of the darkest kind. Among his earliest
The reign of Euergetes may undoubtedly be acts, on assuming the sovereign power (B. C. 222),
looked upon as the most flourishing period of the was to put to death his mother, Berenice
, and his
Egyptian kingdom. (See Polyb. v. 34. ) His brother, Magas, of whose inflnence and popularity
brilliant military successes in the first years after with the army he was jealous, as well as his uncle
po
PASIRENE
## p. 590 (#606) ############################################
690
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
|
Lysinachas, the brother of Ptolemy Euergetes. | occurred under their Greek rulers — which appears
In all these murders his minister Sosibius was his to have lasted a considerable time, and not to have
ready and dextrous instrument, and probably the been suppressed without much bloodshed. (Polyb.
first to advise their perpetration. Cleomenes, the v. 107, xiv. 12. )
exiled king of Sparta, of whose influence with the Meanwhile, the king, after his return from his
mercenary troops Sosibius had skilfully availed Syrian expedition, gave himself up more and more
himself, soon became in his turn an object of sus to every species of vice and debauchery. His
picion, and was placed in confinement, from which mistress Agathoclea, and her brother Agathocles,
he sought to escape by raising a revolt in Alexan- became not only the abandoned ministers of his
dria, and failing in this put an end to his own life. pleasures, but were admitted to a large share in the
(Polyb. v. 34—39 ; Plut. Cleom. 33–37. ) direction of affairs, and divided with Sosibius the
Having thus, as he conceived, secured himself patronage and distribution of all places of honour
from all danger from domestic enemies, Ptolemy or profit. The latter minister, however, continued
gave himself up without restraint to a life of indo- till near the close of the reign of Ptolemy to pre-
lence and luxury, and to every kind of sensual side over the chief administration of the state ;
indulgence, while he abandoned to his minister and as he had been the instrument of Ptolemy in
Sosibius the care of all political affairs. The latter the murders which disgraced the early part of his
seems to have been as incapable as his master : the reign, so he again lent him his assistance in putting
discipline of the army was neglected, and the king. to death his queen Arsinoë, who had become ob-
dom was allowed to fall into a state of the utmost noxious to her profligate husband. (Polyb. xiv.
disorder, of which Antiochus the Great, king of 11, 12, xv, 25, 33 ; Justin. xxx. 1, 2. ) After her
Syria, was not slow to avail himself. The de- death Ptolemy gave himself up without restraint to
fection of Theodotus, the governor of Coele-Syria the career of vice which probably contributed to
under Ptolemy [THEODOTUS], afforded the first shorten his life. He died in B. C. 205, after a
opening to the ambitious designs of the Syrian reign of seventeen years, leaving only one son, a
king, who turned his arms in the first instance child of five years old. (Euseb. Arm. p. 114 ;
against Seleucia in Pieria ; and after reducing that Justin. xxx. 2. )
important fortress (which had been held by the The character of Ptolemy Philopator — feeble,
kings of Egypt since the invasion of Syria by effeminate, and vicious — is sufficiently attested by
Euergetes) advanced into Phoenicia, where the two ancient authorities; and from his reign may be
strong fortresses of Tyre and Ptolemaïs were be- dated the commencement of the decline of the
trayed into his hands by Theodotus. These tidings kingdom of Egypt, which thenceforth proceeded by
at length aroused Ptolemy and his ministers from rapid strides. Externally, however, its decay was
their apathy, and while they sought to amuse not yet visible: it still retained all its former pos-
Antiochus with pretended negotiations they began sessions and commanded the respect of foreign
to assemble Greek mercenaries, as well as to arm powers. We find Ptolemy, during the earlier years
and train Egyptian troops after the Macedonian of his reign, still following up the policy of his
fashion. With the approach of spring (B. c. 218) predecessors ; in Greece, cultivating the friendship
they were able to oppose an army under Nicolaus of the Athenians, and interposing his mediation to
and a fleet under Perigenes to the arms of Anti- bring about a peace between Philip and the Aeto-
ochus; but Nicolaus was defeated near Porphy- lians. (Polyb. v. 100, 106. ) He continued also
reon, and the Syrian king made himself master, stedfastly attached to the alliance of the Romans,
with little difficulty, of great part of Coele-Syria to whom he furnished large supplies of corn during
and Palestine. But the next year (B. c. 217) their struggle with Carthage. (Polyb. ix. 44;
Ptolemy in person took the command of his forces, Liv. xxvii. 4. ) Philopator is also mentioned as
and set out from Alexandria at the head of an striving to display his wealth and power by the
army of 70,000 foot and 5000 horse. He was construction of ships of the most gigantic and un-
met by Antiochus with a nearly equal force at wieldy size, one of which is said to have had forty
Raphia, on the borders of the desert, and a pitched banks of oars. (Athen. v. pp. 203-206. )
battle ensued, in which the Egyptian army was Plunged as he was in vice and debauchery, Phi-
completely victorious, and Antiochus lost more lopator appears to have still inherited something of
than 14,000 men. This decisive success was fol- the love of letters for which his predecessors were
lowed by the immediate submission of the whole so conspicuous. Not only did the literary schools
of Coele-Syria ; and Antiochus, apprehensive of and institutions of Alexandria continue to Aourish
farther defections, hastened to sue for peace, which under his reign, but we find him associating on
was readily granted by the indolent Ptolemy, who familiar terms with philosophers and men of letters,
was anxious to return to his life of ease and luxury and especially patronising the distinguished gram-
at home. (Polyb. v. 40,58—71,79—87; Justin. marian Aristarchus. (Diog. Laërt. vii. 177; Suid.
xxx. 1. )
It was on his return from this expedition that
he visited Jerusalem ; on which occasion the re-
fusal of the high priest to admit him to the sanc-
tuary of the temple, is said to have excited in his
mind an implacable animosity against the Jewish
nation, which led him on his return to Alexandria
not only to withdraw from the Jews of that city
the privileges they had enjoyed under his prede-
cessors, but to subject them to the most cruel per-
secutions. (iii. Macc. ) The tranquillity of Egypt
was further disturbed at the same period by a
revolt of the native Egyptians — the first that had
COIN OP PTOLEMAEUS IV. , KING OP EGYPT.
500
35332
w
## p. 591 (#607) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
591
PTOLEMAEUS.
:
6. v. 'Aplotapxos. ) He even carried his admiration receive back the Syrian provinces as her dower.
for Homer so far as to dedicate a temple to him as (Polyb. iii.
p. 441, b, 453, a ; Hieronym, au Dan, xi. 5; Plin. Holy Scriptures of the Jews were translated into
H. N. vi. 34; Diod. iii. 36). With Ergamenes, the Greek (Joseph. xii. 2. For the fuller investiga-
Greek king of Meroë, he appears to have main-tion of this subject, see Aristeas). Whatever
tained friendly relations. In order to command the truth there may be in this tale, it is certain that
important navigation and commerce of the Red Sea, he treated the Jewish colonists, many of whom
he founded the city of Arsinoë at the head of the had already settled at Alexandria under Ptolemy
gulf (on the site of the modern Suez), and that of Soter, with much favour, and not only allowed
Berenice on the coast almost under the tropic. them perfect toleration for their religion, but ap-
The former he connected with the Nile by renew- pears to have placed them in many respects on a
ing and clearing out the canal which had previously par with his Greek subjects. (Joseph. l. c. )
been constructed by Necho, while he opened a high The fine arts met with scarcely less encourage
road from Berenice to Coptos on the Nile, which ment under Ptolemy than literature and science,
continued for ages to be the route by which all the but his patronage does not appear to have given
merchandise of India, Arabin, and Aethiopia was rise to any school of painting or sculpture of real
conveyed to Alexandrin. Not contented with this, merit ; and we are told that Aratus gained his
we find him sending Satyrus on a voyage of dis- favour by presents of pictures of the Sicyonic
covery along the western coast of the Red Sea, and school. (Plut. Arat. 12. ) His architectural
founding another city of Berenice as far south as works, on the contrary, were of a superior order,
the latitude of Meroë (Strab. xvii. pp. 770, 804, and many of the most splendid buildings at Alex-
815; Plin. H. N. vi. 34 ; Diod. i. 33; Droysen, andria were erected or completed under his reign,
Hellenism. vol. ii. p. 735--738 ; Letronne, Rec. especially the museum, the lighthouse on the
des Inscr. p. 180—188). It was doubtless also island of Pharos, and the royal burial place or
with a view to the extension of his commerce with sepulchre, to which he removed the body of Alex-
India that we find him sending an ambassador of ander from Memphis, while he deposited there
the name of Dionysius to the native princes of that the remains of his father and mother (Paus. i. 7.
country. (Plin. H. N. vi. 21. )
§ 1; Strab. xvii. p. 791). As a farther proof of
But it is more especially as the patron and pro- his filial piety he raised a temple to the memory of
moter of literature and science that the name of Ptolemy and Berenice, in which their statues were
Philadelphus is justly celebrated. The institutions consecrated as tutelary deities of Egypt (Theocr.
of which the foundations had been laid by his | Id. xvii. 123). The new cities or colonies founded
father quickly rose under bis fostering care to the by Philadelphus in different parts of his dominions
highest prosperity. The Museum of Alexandria were extremely numerous. On the Red Sea alone
became the resort and abode of all the most dis- we find at least two bearing the name of Arsinoë,
tinguished men of letters of the day, and in the one called after another of his sisters Philotera,
library attached to it were accumulated all the and two cities named in honour of his mother
treasures of ancient learning. The first person who Berenice. The same names occur also in Cilicia
filled the office of librarian appears to have been and Syria: and in the latter country he founded
Zenodotus of Ephesus, who had previously been the important fortress of Ptolemaïs in Palestine.
the preceptor of Ptolemy: his successor was the (Concerning these various foundations, see Droysen,
poet Callimachus. (Suid. s. v. Znvódotos ; Parthey, Hellenism. vol. ii. pp. 678, 699, 721, 731, &c. ; Le-
das Alex. Museum, p. 71 ; Ritschl, die Alex. Bib tronne, Recueil des Inscr. pp. 180—188. )
liothek, p. 19. ) Among the other illustrious names All authorities concur in attesting the great
which adorned the court and reign of Ptolemy, power and wealth, to which the Egyptian mon-
may be mentioned those of the poets Philetas and archy was raised under Philadelphus. We are
Theocritus (the last of whom has left us a laboured told that he possessed at the close of his reign a
panegyric upon the Egyptian monarch, which is of standing army of 200,000 foot and 40,000 horse,
some importance in an historical point of view), the besides war-chariots and elephants ; a fleet of
philosophers Hegesias and Theodorus, the mathe- 1500 ships, among which were many vessels of
matician Euclid, and the astronomers Timocharis, stupendous size ; and a sum of 740,000 talents in
Aristarchus of Samos, and Aratus. It was not his treasury ; while he derived from Egypt alone an
merely by his munificence, or the honours which annual revenue of 14,800 talents (Appian. praef.
he bestowed upon these eminent men that Ptolemy 10; Hieronym. ad Daniel. xi. 5). His dominions
was able to attract them to his court : he had him- comprised, besides Egypt itself, and portions of
Belf received a learned education, and appears to Ethiopia, Arabia, and Libya, the important pro-
have possessed a genuine love of literature, while vinces of Phoenicia and Coele-Syria, together with
many anecdotes attest to us the friendly and fa- Cyprus, Lycia, Caria, and the Cyclades : and
miliar terms upon which he associated with the during a great part at least of his reign, Cilicia and
distinguished strangers whom he had gathered Pamphylia also (Theocrit. Idyll. xvii. 86–90 ;
around him. Nor was his patronage confined to Droysen, l. c. p. 316). Before his death Cyrene
the ordinary cycle of Hellenic literature. By his was reunited to the monarchy by the marriage of
interest in natural history he gave a stimulus to his son Ptolemy with Berenice, the daughter of
the pursuit of that science, which gave birth Magas.
to many important works, while he himself The private life and relations of Philadelphus
formed collections of rare animals within the pre- are far from displaying his character in as favour-
cincts of the royal palace. It was during his able a light as we might have inferred from the splen-
reign also, and perhaps at his desire, that Manetho dour of his administration. Almost immediately on
gave to the world in a Greek form the historical | his accession he had banished Demetrius Phalereus,
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PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
the friend and counsellor of his father, who was and successor of Ptolemy II. , Philadelphus. When
believed to have advised the latter against altering a mere child he was betrothed to Berenice, the
the succession in favour of his younger son ; and daughter of Magas ; but it was not till after the
it was probably not long afterwards that he put to death of Magas, and the assassination of Demetrius
death his brother Argaeus, who was accused of the Handsome, who had made himself master of
conspiring against his life. Another of his brothers, Cyrene [BERENICE, p. 483), that their nuptials
who had attempted to excite a revolt in Cyprus, were solemnised. The date of these events is un-
subsequently shared the same fate ; and his first certain ; but the marriage cannot have long pre-
wife Arsinoë, the daughter of Lysimachus, was ceded the death of Philadelphus. B. c. 247. On
banished to Coptos in Upper Egypt on a similar that event Ptolemy succeeded quietly to the exten-
charge (Paus. i. 7. $ 1; Diog. Laërt. v. 78 ; Schol. sive dominions of his father ; to which he now
ad Thcocr. Id. xvii. 128). After her removal Pto- reunited Cyrene in right of his wife. But a still
lemy took the strange resolution of marrying his wider field was soon opened to his ambition. On
own sister Arsinoë, the widow of Lysimachus ; a learning the death of Philadelphus, Antiochus II.
flagrant violation of the religious notions of the king of Syria, put aside his wife Berenice, the
Greeks, and which gave rise to severe animad- daughter of the Egyptian king, and recalled his
versions. Though she must have been many years former wife, Laodice, who soon sacrificed to her
older than himself, he appears to have continued resentment both her faithless husband and her
tenderly attached to her throughout her life, and rival, Berenice, with her infant son. Ptolemy
evinced his affection not only by bestowing her appears to have taken up arms on receiving the
name upon many of his newly-founded colonies, first news of the danger of his sister ; but finding
but by assuming himself the surname of Philadel- that he was too late to save her, he determined at
phus, a title which some writers referred in derision least to avenge her fate, and invaded Syria in
to his unnatural treatment of his two brothers. person at the head of a numerous army. The
After her death he erected a temple to Arsinoë, cruelties of Laodice, and the unhappy fate of
and caused divine honours to be paid to her memory: Berenice, had already excited general disaffection ;
(Paus. i. 7. $S 1, 3 ; Theocrit. Idyll. xvii. 130, and many cities voluntarily joined Ptolemy, and nei-
Schol. ad loc. ; Athen. xiv. p. 621. ) By this sether the youthful Seleucus nor his mother were
cond marriage Ptolemy had no issue : but his first able to oppose the progress of the Egyptian king,
wife had borne him two sons— Ptolemy, who suc- who advanced apparently without opposition as
ceeded him on the throne, and Lysimachus ; and a far as Antioch, and made himself master of the
daughter, Berenice, whose marriage to Antiochus whole country south of Mount Taurus. But instead
II. , king of Syria, has been already mentioned. of crossing that ridge, and pursuing Seleucus
Philadelphus died a natural death before the himself, he turned his arms eastward, crossed the
close of the year B. c. 247 ; having reigned thirty- Euphrates, advanced as far as Babylon and Susa,
eight years from his first accession, and thirty-six and after reducing all Mesopotamia, Babylonia, and
from the death of his father (Euseb. Arm. p. 114 ; Susiana, received the submission of all the upper
Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 379). He had been al- provinces of Asia as far as the confines of Bactria
ways of a feeble and sickly constitution, which pre- and India. From this career of conquest he was
vented him from ever taking the command of his recalled by the news of seditions in Egypt, and
armies in person ; and he led the life of a refined returned to that country, carrying with him an
voluptuary, combining sensual and dissolute plea- immense booty, comprising, among other objects,
sures with the more elevated gratifications of the all the statues of the Egyptian deities which had
taste and understanding. (Strab. xvii
. p. 789 ; been carried off by Cambyses to Babylon or Persia.
Athen. xiii. p. 576. ) The great defects of his These he restored to their respective temples, an
character as an individual have been already ad- act by which he earned the greatest popularity
verted to, but there can be no doubt that his do- with his native Egyptian subjects, who bestowed
minions enjoyed the utmost prosperity under his on him in consequence the title of Euergetes (the
mild and pacific rule, and his skilful policy added Benefactor), by which he is generally known.
as much to the greatness and strength of his em- While the arms of the king himself were thus
pire as could the arms of a more warlike monarch. successful in the East, his fleets reduced the mari-
The coins of Ptolemy Philadelphus are only to time provinces of Asia, including Cilicia, Pam.
be distinguished from those of his father by the phylia, and Ionia, as far as the Hellespont, toge-
character of the countenance, and in some instances ther with Lysimachia and other important places
by their dates ; none of them bearing the epithet on the coast of Thrace which continued for a long
of Philadelphus.
E. H. B. ] period subject to the Egyptian rule. (Monum.
Adulitan. ap. Clinton. F. H. vol. iii. p. 382 ; Hie-
ronym. ad Daniel. xi. 7 ; Justin, xxvii. 1 ; Appian.
Syr. 65; Polyb. v. 58. ) Concerning the events
which followed the return of Euergetes to his own
dominions (probably in B. C. 243) we are almost
wholly in the dark ; but it appears that the greater
part of the eastern provinces speedily fell again into
the hands of Seleucus, while Ptolemy retained pos.
session of the maritime regions and a great part of
Syria itself. He soon obtained a valuable ally in
the person of Antiochus Hierax, the younger bro-
COIN OF PTOLEMAEUS II. , KING OF EGYPT.
ther of Seleucus, whom he uniformly supported in
his wars against his elder brother, and by this
PTOLEMAEUS III. (Iltoneualos), king of diversion effectually prevented Seleucus from pro-
EGYPT, surnamed EUERGETES, was the eldest son secuting active hostilities against Egypt. The war
0000000000
dow
swavosi
ZUIVIESER
W
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PTOLEMAEUS.
589
PTOLEMAEUS.
2
1
was at length terminated, or rather skispended by his accession not only threw a lustre over his
a truce for ten years ; but the contest between the reign, but added some important and valuable
two brothers soon broke out afresh, and continued acquisitions to his territories ; while his subjects
until the total defeat of Antiochus compelled him continued to enjoy the same internal tranquillity
to take refuge in Egypt. Here, however, he was as under his predecessors. He appears also to
received rather as a captive than an ally; probably have shown more favour than the two former
because it did not suit Ptolemy to renew hostilities monarchs towards the native-born Egyptians ; and
with Syria. (Justin. xxvii. 2, 3. )
he evinced a desire to encourage their religious
In regard to the remainder of the reign of feelings, not only by bringing back the statues of
Euergetes we have scarcely any information. It their gods out of Asia, but by various architectural
appears, however, that in his foreign policy he works. Thus we find him making large additions
followed the same line as his father. We find him to the great temple at Thebes, erecting a new one
generally unfriendly to Macedonia, and on one at Esne, and dedicating n temple at Canopus to
occasion at least in open hostility with that power, Osiris in the names of_himself and his queen
as we are told that he defeated Antigonus (Go- Berenice. (Wilkinson's Thobes, p. 425; Letronne,
natas) in a great sea-fight off Andros (Trog. Pomp. Recueil, pp. 2–6. ) On the other hand, his foun-
Prol. xxvii. ) ; but the date and circumstances of dations of new cities and colonies were much less
this action are wholly uncertain. (See on this numerous than those of his father, though that of
subject, Niebuhr, Kl. Schrift. p. 297 ; Droysen, Berenice in the Cyrenaïca may in all probability
vol. ii. p. 364. ) With the same views he con- be ascribed to him. (See Droysen, vol. ii. pp. 7233
tinued to support Aratus and the Achaean league, — 726. ) Among the last events of his reign may
until the sudden change of policy of the former, be mentioned the magnificent presents with which
and his unnatural alliance with Macedonia, led to he assisted the Rhodians after their city had been
a corresponding change on the part of Ptolemy, overthown by an earthquake; the amount of which
who thenceforth threw all the weight of his influ- is in itself a sufficient proof of the wealth and
ence in favour of Cleomenes, to whom he afforded power which he possessed. (Polyb. v. 89. )
an honourable retreat after his decisive defeat at The death of Euergetes must have taken place
Sellasia, B. c. 222. (Plut. Arat. 24, 41, Cleom. before the end of B. C. 222: it is clearly ascribed
22, 32 ; Paus. ii. 8. $ 5. ) We find him also main- by Polybius (ii. 71) to natural causes ; though a
taining the same friendly relations as his father rumour followed by Justin (xxix. 1) asserted that
with Rome, though he declined the offers of assist- he was poisoned by his son, a suspicion to which
ance made him by that powerful republic during the character and subsequent conduct of the young
his war with Syria (Eutrop. iii. 1. ) During the man lent sufficient countenance. He had reigned
latter years of his reign Euergetes took advantage twenty-five years in uninterrupted prosperity. By
of the state of peace in which he found himself his wife Berenice, who survived him, he left three
with his neighbours to turn his arms against the children : 1. Ptolemy, his successor ; 2. Magas ;
Ethiopian tribes on his southern frontier, whom he and 3. Arsinoë, afterwards married to her brother
effectually reduced to submission, and advanced as Ptolemy Philopator.
far as Adule, a port on the Red Sea, where he Trogus Pompeius twice designates Ptolemy
established an emporium, and set up an inscription Euergetes by the epithet of Tryphon (Prol. xxvii.
commemorating the exploits of his reign. To a and xxx. ), an appellation which is also found in
copy of this, accidentally preserved to us by an Eusebius (p. 165, ed. Arm. ). Neither this nor the
Egyptian monk, Cosm AS INDICOPLEUSTES, we title of Euergetes appears on his coins, which can
are indebted for much of the scanty information we only be distinguished from those of his two prede
possess concerning his reign. (See Buttmann's cessors by the difference of physiognomy. [E. H. B. ]
Museum f. Alterthumswissenschaft, vol. ii. pp. 105–
166 ; the inscription itself is also given by Chis
hull, Antiq. Asiaticae, p. 76, and by Salt in his
Travels in Abyssinia (1814), p. 453, as well as by
Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 382, note. )
Ptolemy Euergetes is scarcely less celebrated
than his father for his patronage of literature and
science: he added so largely to the library at
Alexandria that he has been sometimes erroneously
deemed its founder, and the well-known anecdote
of the stratagem by which he possessed himself of
the original manuscripts of Aeschylus, Sophocles,
COIN OP PTOLEMAEUS III. , KING OF EGYPT.
and Euripides, sufficiently attests the zeal with
which he pursued this object. (Galen, Comm. ad PTOLEMAEUS IV. (Itulepaios), king of
Hippocr. lib. iii. Epidem. p. 411; Parthey, Das Egypt, surnamed PHILOPATOR, was the eldest son
Alex. Mus. p. 88. ) Among the distinguished men and successor of Ptolemy Euergetes. He was very far
of letters who flourished at Alexandria during his from inheriting the virtues or abilities of his father:
reign, the names of Eratosthenes, Apollonius Rho- and his reign was the commencement of the decline
dius, and Aristophanes, the grammarian, are-alone of the Egyptian kingdom, which had been raised to
sufficient to prove that the literature and learning such a height of power and prosperity by his three
of the Alexandrian school still retained their former predecessors. Its first beginning was stained with
eminence.
crimes of the darkest kind. Among his earliest
The reign of Euergetes may undoubtedly be acts, on assuming the sovereign power (B. C. 222),
looked upon as the most flourishing period of the was to put to death his mother, Berenice
, and his
Egyptian kingdom. (See Polyb. v. 34. ) His brother, Magas, of whose inflnence and popularity
brilliant military successes in the first years after with the army he was jealous, as well as his uncle
po
PASIRENE
## p. 590 (#606) ############################################
690
PTOLEMAEUS.
PTOLEMAEUS.
|
Lysinachas, the brother of Ptolemy Euergetes. | occurred under their Greek rulers — which appears
In all these murders his minister Sosibius was his to have lasted a considerable time, and not to have
ready and dextrous instrument, and probably the been suppressed without much bloodshed. (Polyb.
first to advise their perpetration. Cleomenes, the v. 107, xiv. 12. )
exiled king of Sparta, of whose influence with the Meanwhile, the king, after his return from his
mercenary troops Sosibius had skilfully availed Syrian expedition, gave himself up more and more
himself, soon became in his turn an object of sus to every species of vice and debauchery. His
picion, and was placed in confinement, from which mistress Agathoclea, and her brother Agathocles,
he sought to escape by raising a revolt in Alexan- became not only the abandoned ministers of his
dria, and failing in this put an end to his own life. pleasures, but were admitted to a large share in the
(Polyb. v. 34—39 ; Plut. Cleom. 33–37. ) direction of affairs, and divided with Sosibius the
Having thus, as he conceived, secured himself patronage and distribution of all places of honour
from all danger from domestic enemies, Ptolemy or profit. The latter minister, however, continued
gave himself up without restraint to a life of indo- till near the close of the reign of Ptolemy to pre-
lence and luxury, and to every kind of sensual side over the chief administration of the state ;
indulgence, while he abandoned to his minister and as he had been the instrument of Ptolemy in
Sosibius the care of all political affairs. The latter the murders which disgraced the early part of his
seems to have been as incapable as his master : the reign, so he again lent him his assistance in putting
discipline of the army was neglected, and the king. to death his queen Arsinoë, who had become ob-
dom was allowed to fall into a state of the utmost noxious to her profligate husband. (Polyb. xiv.
disorder, of which Antiochus the Great, king of 11, 12, xv, 25, 33 ; Justin. xxx. 1, 2. ) After her
Syria, was not slow to avail himself. The de- death Ptolemy gave himself up without restraint to
fection of Theodotus, the governor of Coele-Syria the career of vice which probably contributed to
under Ptolemy [THEODOTUS], afforded the first shorten his life. He died in B. C. 205, after a
opening to the ambitious designs of the Syrian reign of seventeen years, leaving only one son, a
king, who turned his arms in the first instance child of five years old. (Euseb. Arm. p. 114 ;
against Seleucia in Pieria ; and after reducing that Justin. xxx. 2. )
important fortress (which had been held by the The character of Ptolemy Philopator — feeble,
kings of Egypt since the invasion of Syria by effeminate, and vicious — is sufficiently attested by
Euergetes) advanced into Phoenicia, where the two ancient authorities; and from his reign may be
strong fortresses of Tyre and Ptolemaïs were be- dated the commencement of the decline of the
trayed into his hands by Theodotus. These tidings kingdom of Egypt, which thenceforth proceeded by
at length aroused Ptolemy and his ministers from rapid strides. Externally, however, its decay was
their apathy, and while they sought to amuse not yet visible: it still retained all its former pos-
Antiochus with pretended negotiations they began sessions and commanded the respect of foreign
to assemble Greek mercenaries, as well as to arm powers. We find Ptolemy, during the earlier years
and train Egyptian troops after the Macedonian of his reign, still following up the policy of his
fashion. With the approach of spring (B. c. 218) predecessors ; in Greece, cultivating the friendship
they were able to oppose an army under Nicolaus of the Athenians, and interposing his mediation to
and a fleet under Perigenes to the arms of Anti- bring about a peace between Philip and the Aeto-
ochus; but Nicolaus was defeated near Porphy- lians. (Polyb. v. 100, 106. ) He continued also
reon, and the Syrian king made himself master, stedfastly attached to the alliance of the Romans,
with little difficulty, of great part of Coele-Syria to whom he furnished large supplies of corn during
and Palestine. But the next year (B. c. 217) their struggle with Carthage. (Polyb. ix. 44;
Ptolemy in person took the command of his forces, Liv. xxvii. 4. ) Philopator is also mentioned as
and set out from Alexandria at the head of an striving to display his wealth and power by the
army of 70,000 foot and 5000 horse. He was construction of ships of the most gigantic and un-
met by Antiochus with a nearly equal force at wieldy size, one of which is said to have had forty
Raphia, on the borders of the desert, and a pitched banks of oars. (Athen. v. pp. 203-206. )
battle ensued, in which the Egyptian army was Plunged as he was in vice and debauchery, Phi-
completely victorious, and Antiochus lost more lopator appears to have still inherited something of
than 14,000 men. This decisive success was fol- the love of letters for which his predecessors were
lowed by the immediate submission of the whole so conspicuous. Not only did the literary schools
of Coele-Syria ; and Antiochus, apprehensive of and institutions of Alexandria continue to Aourish
farther defections, hastened to sue for peace, which under his reign, but we find him associating on
was readily granted by the indolent Ptolemy, who familiar terms with philosophers and men of letters,
was anxious to return to his life of ease and luxury and especially patronising the distinguished gram-
at home. (Polyb. v. 40,58—71,79—87; Justin. marian Aristarchus. (Diog. Laërt. vii. 177; Suid.
xxx. 1. )
It was on his return from this expedition that
he visited Jerusalem ; on which occasion the re-
fusal of the high priest to admit him to the sanc-
tuary of the temple, is said to have excited in his
mind an implacable animosity against the Jewish
nation, which led him on his return to Alexandria
not only to withdraw from the Jews of that city
the privileges they had enjoyed under his prede-
cessors, but to subject them to the most cruel per-
secutions. (iii. Macc. ) The tranquillity of Egypt
was further disturbed at the same period by a
revolt of the native Egyptians — the first that had
COIN OP PTOLEMAEUS IV. , KING OP EGYPT.
500
35332
w
## p. 591 (#607) ############################################
PTOLEMAEUS.
591
PTOLEMAEUS.
:
6. v. 'Aplotapxos. ) He even carried his admiration receive back the Syrian provinces as her dower.
for Homer so far as to dedicate a temple to him as (Polyb. iii.
