King ptolemy philadelphus. Textbook "Jewish people in the Hellenistic world"

Judea under the rule of the Ptolemies

Ptolemy I Lag

Did not last long great empire Alexander the Great, scattered in three parts of the world - Europe, Asia and Africa. After his death in 323 BC. e. Alexander's generals began to fight each other for the possession of the conquered lands. These wars went down in history as "the wars of the diadochs" (diadoch - translated from Greek - heir). Ptolemy was one of Alexander's closest friends. More than once he carried out the most difficult assignments of the great commander. After Alexander's death, he believed that the power should go into strong hands. Ptolemy I Lag, nicknamed Soter, was the ruler of Egypt from 324-283. BC e. It took him about 20 years to recapture Judea from the Seleucids. Fighting were conducted on the territory of Eretz Yisrael. Jerusalem several times passed to one ruler, then to another. According to the chroniclers, Ptolemy I easily took possession of the city, attacking it on Saturday, when the Jews could not resist the enemy with weapons in their hands. In 301 BC. e. Judea finally came under the rule of Ptolemy I.

After many years of turmoil, the lands of Asia Minor and North Africa were divided between two Greek generals: Egypt and Judea remained with Ptolemy I, and Syria, Asia Minor and Babylonia went to the military leader Seleucus. Alexandria of Egypt was chosen as the capital of the Ptolemies, and Antioch, in Asia Minor, was chosen by the Seleucids. The Syrian rulers from the Seleucus clan could not come to terms with the idea that Judea went to the Egyptians, and always looked for an opportunity to reclaim this land. But the Egyptian kings held Judea under their rule for a long time.

Historians claim that Ptolemy I Lag treated the conquered peoples fairly. He settled the captives taken from Judea in Alexandria and provided them with everything civil rights... He appointed capable Jewish soldiers as chiefs of the army and entrusted them with the protection of the fortresses. Many volunteered from Judea to Egypt and settled there. But the Egyptians themselves were hostile to the Jews, as to foreigners who came to their country along with the conquerors of the Greeks.

In Judea itself, Ptolemy I left for the inhabitants the same freedom of government as under the Persians. The high priest was in charge of internal affairs with the help of the Sanhedrin. The high priest was the representative of Judea to the Egyptian government, he was responsible for the timely payment of taxes and the maintenance of peace in Eretz Yisrael.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Septuagint - translation of the seventy

After Ptolemy I, his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (reigned 283-247 BC), became the king of Egypt, under which the position of the Jews became even better. The new ruler surrounded himself with Greek scientists and poets, took care of the development of sciences and arts in his country. At his court in Alexandria, there was the world's greatest museum, where literary and works of art of all nations.

Tradition tells that Ptolemy II Philadelphus, having learned about the high merits of the Jewish sacred books, wished to get to know them and get an accurate Greek translation of them for his rich book depository. Despite the fact that there were many Jewish sages in Egypt, Ptolemy II turned to the high priest of Jerusalem Elazar and asked to send to Alexandria knowledgeable peopleable to translate Hebrew books into Greek. Elazar sent 70 scholars who brought the original Torah with them for translation.
The translators received a brilliant welcome. The king talked a lot with them and marveled at their wisdom. The scholars were given a palace on the island of Pharos, not far from Alexandria, and there, in complete silence, they began their work. According to one of the existing legends, each was given a separate room and could not communicate with other translators while working. Upon completion of the work, it turned out that all 70 translations are exactly the same.
Another legend tells that the translators constantly consulted with each other, discussing for a long time the details of the translation of the Holy Text.

The translation was presented to Ptolemy II in the presence of the elders of the Egyptian Jews. These elders asked for permission to copy a copy of the translation for distribution to their communities, where Jews mostly spoke Greek. Many of them could no longer read the Torah in native language... Later, the rest of the books of the Tanakh were also translated. Through these translations, the Hellenistic world discovered a completely different religion, culture and philosophy. Subsequently, this translation was called "Septuagint" - "translation of the seventy".

Until now, the attitude to this event in the Jewish world is ambiguous. Some believe that the translation of the Torah ensured its spread in the Hellenistic world and influenced it big influence... In addition, the translation of the Torah into Greek made it possible for Jews who had lost the knowledge of their language to remain faithful to the religion of their ancestors.

Others regard the translation of the Torah as a disastrous event in the life of the Jewish people. In their opinion, a book was opened to the world, which God gave only to the Jewish people. We add that texts like Scripture cannot be accurately translated into any other language.

Ptolemy III Everget

Under Ptolemy III Everget, who ruled in 246-221. BC e., Judea was in great danger. The Syrian kings wanted Judea back. They won over the high priest and the nobility to their side and persuaded them to refuse payments to the Egyptian king. Ptolemy III sent an ambassador to Judea with a strict demand for the immediate payment of 20 talents of silver (1 talent 21.5 kg), threatening to punish the disobedient.

In Jerusalem, controversy again flared up. Supporters of Egyptian rule sent the young nephew of the high priest, Joseph, the son of Tobiah, to Alexandria to soften the anger of Ptolemy III. With flattering speeches and rich gifts, Yosef managed to win over the king and convince him of the loyalty of the Jewish people.
Ptolemy III appointed Yosef as the chief tax collector in Palestine. A detachment of 2,000 soldiers was put at his disposal. For twenty-two years, Yosef was in charge of the collection of taxes and diligently performed his duties. During this time, he not only significantly enriched the Egyptian treasury, but also enriched himself. As a king's commissioner, he had a great influence on the administration of affairs in Judea and contributed to the establishment of Greek order in it. Jews from the wealthy strata of society began to imitate the life of the Greeks more and more, indulging in luxury and indolence, and more and more distanced themselves from Jewish customs.

Ptolemy IV Philopator

Hostility towards the Jews first manifested itself under Ptolemy IV Philopator, who ruled from 221-205. BC e. The Syrian king Antiochus III the Great threatened Judea. He had already taken possession of Galilee and the lands east of the Jordan. Ptolemy IV managed to defeat the Syrians and return the conquered lands. Contemporaries believed that after this successful battle, Ptolemy IV could launch a successful offensive and take all the lands from Antiochus III. But the king was more fond of fun and holidays than military campaigns.

Ambassadors from the Jewish people came to congratulate the Egyptian king on his victory. Tradition reports that the king expressed a desire to visit Jerusalem and make a sacrifice in the Temple.

Soon, Ptolemy IV arrived in Jerusalem and climbed the Temple Mount. Entering the front rooms of the Temple, he wanted to go further, into the Holy of Holies, where, by law, only the high priests were allowed access. Neither the requests of the clergy, nor the murmur of the assembled people could change his intentions. Josephus says that as soon as the king stepped on the threshold of the sacred rest, his legs gave way, and he fell exhausted, so that he had to be carried out of the Temple in his arms. Since then, according to legend, he hated the Jews and their faith.

Information about these events has been preserved for us by the Third Book of the Maccabees, which was written by an Egyptian Jew and dedicated to the Jews of this country during the reign of Ptolemy IV Philopator. The main goal of the author of the book was to exalt the Temple, to tell about the manifestations of Divine power, and not to present strict historical facts. That is why the book looks more like a literary work and not all the events described in it can be considered scientifically confirmed.

Changes in the economic life of Judea

The hostilities between Egypt and Syria brought with them death and devastation for the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael. Even when military operations were not conducted on its territory, the economic losses were enormous. Armies of warriors, accompanied by endless carts, merchants, women, children and their own slaves, soldiers seized cities, appropriated supplies, plundered villages. With the usual army size of 80,000 foot soldiers and 8,000 horsemen, Eretz Yisrael was forced to feed about 300,000 people and a huge amount of livestock - horses, donkeys, mules and camels.

The entire population was required to pay taxes on land and crops, which amounted to 1/3 of the grain harvest and 1/2 of the fruit harvest. The position of the slaves also changed under Greek rule. If earlier a person became dependent on the local owner for debts and remained to live in his settlement, now the sale of slaves outside Eretz Israel has become a mass phenomenon.

But along with the conquerors, technical improvements came to Judea. The primitive hand mill, in which the grain was ground with a stone millstone, was supplanted by the Greek mill, in which manual labor was necessary only at the beginning of work.

At the same time, oil pressing machines and presses for wine production appeared. The vertical loom also appears. The water was raised using a gate and an "endless" rope. Perhaps some improvements to the plow date back to this time.

Serious changes took place in pottery - potters began to work on a wheel, which was set in motion by their feet. Hands were freed to create exquisite shapes. For poor buyers, potters began to cover clay products with glaze - and they could hardly be distinguished from silver and gold dishes, which were in vogue among aristocrats.

Even the lighting has changed. Traditionally, in Palestine, an open saucer was used, the edge of which was slightly curved to support the wick - oil was poured into the saucer, and the lamp was ready. Now "Greek lamps" began to appear - small, black-glazed, with a wick attachment, they burned longer, saved oil and wicks, and were safer.

Questions to the chapter
1. Try to highlight historical and mythical elements in the story about the creation of the translation of the Torah into Greek.
2. Find out from the teacher of tradition what other opinions exist regarding the translation of the books of the Tanach into Greek.
3. Make a general description of the life of the Jewish people under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
4. Who was the main opponent of the Ptolemies in the struggle for the possession of Judea?
5. Tell us about the main occupations of the Jews of Eretz Yisrael.
6. Find on the map the capital of the Ptolemaic kingdom of the Seleucid kingdom.

Historical sources

Greek historian Agafarhides on the reasons for the fall of Jerusalem

When reading the passage, pay attention to the attitude of the historian Agafarhides to the observance of the instructions of the Torah by the Jews.

[...] There is a people called the Jews, who, possessing the fortified and large city of Jerusalem, allowed it to be occupied by Ptolemy only because they did not want to take up arms. It was because of such untimely and inappropriate superstition that they had to prefer such a severe despot. […]
Josephus Flavius

1. What is the attitude of Agafarhides to Ptolemy Lagus? Explain your guess.

Description of the capture of Jerusalem from Josephus Flavius

Compare this passage with Agafarhides' description.

[...] Ptolemy mastered Jerusalem as well by deceit and deceit, namely, having entered the city on Saturday under the pretext of offering a sacrifice, he did not meet the slightest obstacle on the part of the Jews (they did not in the least assume an enemy in him) that they did not suspect anything and spent this day in carefree fun, easily took possession of the city and began to brutally rule over it. […]
Josephus Flavius
Jewish antiquities. Book. 12, 1: 1.

1. How is this description different from the previous one?
2. How does it characterize Ptolemy I?

Description of the settlement of the Jews in Egyptian Alexandria

As you read the passage, pay attention to the situation of the captives in Alexandria.

[…] Then Ptolemy, taking captive a multitude of people from the mountainous part of Judea, from the vicinity of Jerusalem, […] led them all to Egypt and settled them here. When he learned that the inhabitants of Jerusalem were particularly reliable in keeping their oaths and keeping their word [...] he placed many of them in garrisons and made them equal with the Alexandrian Macedonians, and took an oath from them that they would remain loyal too to his descendants. […]
Josephus Flavius
Jewish antiquities. Book. 12, 1: 1.

1. What qualities of the inhabitants of Jerusalem are noted in the passage?

Maccabees III on Ptolemy IV's visit to the Temple

As you read the passage, pay attention to how Ptolemy's attitude towards the sanctity of the Temple changed.

[…] 9. Arriving in Jerusalem, Ptolemy offered a sacrifice to the great God, gave thanks and performed the rest, befitting a sacred place;
10. And when he entered there, he was amazed at the grandeur and splendor and, wondering at the improvement of the Temple, he wished to enter the sanctuary.
11. He was told that this should not be done, for no one from his people is allowed to enter there, and even priests, but only one high priest who rules over all, and moreover, once a year; but he didn't want to listen.
12. They read the law to him, but even then he did not abandon his intention, saying that he must enter: let them be deprived of this honor, but not me, and asked why, when he entered the Temple, none of those present rebuked him ?
13. And when someone inadvertently said that it was done badly, he answered, since it had already been done, then should he enter, whether they want it or not. […]
22. But, full of insolence and neglecting everything, he already took a step forward in order to completely fulfill what had been said before.
23. Seeing this, those who were with him began to call on the Almighty together with ours, so that He would help in real need and would not allow such an arrogant lawless act. […]
25. It seemed that not only people, but the very walls and all foundations groaned, as if dying for the desecration of a sacred place. […]
Maccabees III, 1: 9-25

1. Find in the text words that show the author's attitude to the events taking place.
2. Why was Ptolemy IV so eager to get into the sanctuary of the Jewish Temple?

The first representative and founder of the dynasty was Ptolemy Lag or Ptolemy I Soter ("savior"). Presumably he was born around 360 BC. e. and was the son of Lag and Arsipoi. His mother's family was more noble than his father's, since they were related to the dynasty of Macedonian kings. Ptolemy's father - Lag belonged to one of the venerable Macedonian families, whose material well-being was based on land ownership.

The most important event that changed the life of young Ptolemy was Eastern campaign Alexander, who opened a completely new world to the Macedonians. They first saw the mountains and valleys of Asia Minor, the snow-covered Taurus, the coastal plains of Phenicia with its largest cities Tire and Sidon. At that time, Ptolemy did not yet belong to Alexander's inner circle. Nevertheless, he took part in the Battle of Issus (333 BC) and, together with Alexander, entered the land of Egypt. He especially showed himself at the end of the Eastern campaign, he was a capable warrior, distinguished by discretion and personal courage. But another of his distinguishing features was cunning and foresight, without which he most likely could not have become the pharaoh of Egypt in the future. Ptolemy's life changed completely with the death of Alexander. In 323 BC. e. he became a satrap of Egypt. Even under Alexander (332-331), Ptolemy was able to appreciate the benefits associated with the position and population of this country. 5

Ptolemy I declared himself king (pharaoh) of Egypt in 305 BC. e. He showed himself as a cautious and persistent ruler, as a pioneer in all areas of his activity. He led an active policy of conquest, starting in 322, in order not only to expand the boundaries of his kingdom, but also to secure its borders in the Mediterranean Sea as much as possible. He did a lot for his empire: he introduced the monetary system, attracted the Hellenes to Egypt, tried to keep the mercenaries in the war, endowing them with land plots - clers. He began to pursue a policy of cooperation between the Greeks and the indigenous population, just as Alexander did, inviting them to worship a new god - Sarapis, who was equally revered by both the Egyptians and the Macedonians. He also paid great attention and patronized the development of culture and sciences. So he founded the Egyptian Great Library of Alexandria and the Museum in Alexandria. 6

Forty years of his reign marked a period of rapid development and flourishing of the state. Ptolemy I died at the end of 283 BC. e. Two years before his death, he appointed his son Ptolemy as co-ruler. This is how, without any difficulties, the change of the ruler in the Lagid state took place. Among the descendants of Ptolemy I, the later rulers and rulers of Egypt, he forever remained a model, admiration for which was elevated to a sacred cult, and his memory was preserved and honored throughout the existence of Hellenistic Egypt. 7

His son Ptolemy II, who ruled in 283-246. BC BC, was married to his sister Arsinoe from here he received his nickname Philadelphus ("loving sister"). He continued his father's work and, like him, led an active foreign policy, which was based on both dynastic marriages and wars, in particular with the power of the Seleucids (1st and 2nd Syrian Wars) and the Antigonids. During the period of the greatest power of Egypt, Cyrene, Cyprus, Pamphylia and others were under the rule of Ptolemy II. He could also influence the confederation of the Cycladic island states. Ptolemy II gave Egypt a new administrative system that made it possible to more effectively exploit the country through tsarist monopolies and strict tax policies. He reformed the monetary system that his father had once introduced, while banning the use of foreign money inside the country, ordered the restoration of the Neho Canal, and brought the Fayum oasis back to life. The most famous poets, scientists and doctors of the Hellenistic world gathered at his court, and the Museum and the Library of Alexandria flourished and reached their zenith during his reign.

Ptolemy III Everget I (246-221 BC) - "benefactor", the son of Ptolemy II, was married to the daughter of the king of Cyrene - Berenice. In the second half of his reign he waged war with the Seleucid state (3rd Syrian War). His court was no less brilliant than that of his father Ptolemy II. He expanded the Library of Alexandria, ordered to organize and send an expedition to the Persian Gulf, created the necessary conditions for the work of Eratosthenes.

But already at this time, popular unrest began, due to the increasingly growing social tension, and the so-called damage to the coin. These problems were especially aggravated during the reign of the first two successors of Ptolemy III: Ptolemy IV Philopator ("loving father"), who fought with Antiochus III the Great - the ruler of the Seleucid state (4th Syrian War), and Ptolemy V Epiphanes ("glorious") , during which Egypt lost Kelesiria - and as a result, only Cyprus and Cyrene remained from all the extra-Egyptian possessions.

After the death of Ptolemy V Epiphanes, a long period of decline began, covering the 2nd and 1st centuries. BC e. The last representatives of the Lagid dynasty, in particular the last queen of Egypt, Cleopatra VII, will try to return the former greatness and power to Egypt. 8

Each ruler of Egypt from the Lagid dynasty made a contribution and inscribed his name in world history. Ptolemy I, as one of the heirs of the first generation of Alexander, is one of the founders of the Hellenistic states, and his descendants continued what he started. Their deeds have survived for centuries. It was they who directed the destinies of states in Macedonia, Western Asia and Egypt, it was they who opened the way for new ideas and methods in the political and economic fields, which in the future were perceived by the Romans and brought to perfection. Egypt became one of the first Hellenistic states and the history of the Hellenistic era will end there. nine

Cameo Gonzaga
(paired portrait of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II)
Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Ptolemy II Philadelphus - king of Egypt, ruled in 283 - 246 years don. Son of Ptolemy I and Berenice I.

Rise to power

He received the throne bypassing the eldest sons of Ptolemy I from his first marriage with Eurydice I, daughter of Antipater, and began to rule the country from 285 BC. , even during the life of his father. He received an excellent education, but was prone to effeminacy and cruelty.

Ptolemy killed his brother Argeus, who allegedly encroached on his life. He also transported the ashes of Alexander from Memphis to Alexandria. Ptolemy also killed another brother, born of Eurydice, noting that he encourages the inhabitants of Cyprus to fall away from Egypt.

Foreign policy

First successes

At the beginning of his reign, Ptolemy II turned all his forces to use the difficulties of his rivals to the advantage of Egypt. So, under his control, without any struggle, the Cyclades, previously belonging to Demetrius Poliorkete ... On Delos, Philokles, the ruler of Sidon, one of the main confidants of Ptolemy II, arranged magnificent festivities - Ptolemaia. Traces of Egyptian domination are found in Kos, Cyprus. Undoubtedly, the Egyptian influence also expanded in Asia Minor, primarily in its southern regions... The weakening of the position of Antiochus Soter in the international arena in the first years of his reign (defeat from the Bithynian king Nicomedes) suggests that in Kelesiria the Egyptians had the opportunity to strengthen, in particular, to seize Damascus.

On Balkan Peninsula Ptolemy II supported the Greek states and Epirus against Macedonia, in the Middle East he strove to maintain control over Kelesiria, despite the claims of the Seleucids.

The Cyrenaica threat

The immediate initiator of the First Syrian War was the mother's brother of Ptolemy II, Magas, who, thanks to Berenice, received the governorship in Cyrenaica. He entered into a military alliance with Antiochus I, married his sister Apama and persuaded the king of Asia to swing the fight with Ptolemy Philadelphus. Antiochus could not immediately set out on the campaign; he, it seems, at this time was still busy with the war with the Galatians. Therefore, Magas had to speak alone (275 BC). He captured Paretonius, reached Chios, about 50 kilometers from Alexandria. But here Magas received news that a nomadic tribe of Marmarids had rebelled in his rear.

The ruler of Cyrene returned home at once. Trying to pursue him, Ptolemy II unexpectedly found himself in the same position as his unlucky adversary: \u200b\u200b4000 Galatians sent by Antigonus revolted against Ptolemy in Egypt. On his return, Ptolemy II severely punished them by sending them to a deserted island in the Nile Delta, where they died. The goals of the rebellious Galatians are not entirely clear: in some sources it is reported that they wanted to seize Egypt, in others, that they were simply going to rob the Egyptian treasury.

War in Syria

Pausanias reports that at the time when Antiochus was going on a campaign, Ptolemy sent his people to all the nations over which he ruled. They raised indignation and thus detained Antiochus. Antiochus' own military actions are evidenced by the "Babylonian cuneiform chronicle", where under the 36th year of the Seleucid era (275/4 BC) the following is indicated: "This year the king left his court, his wife and son in Sardis (Sapardu) to provide lasting protection. He appeared in the province of Ebirnari (Syria) and went against the Egyptian army, which was camped at Ebirnari. The Egyptian army escaped from him (?). In the month of adar on the 24th, the ruler of Akkad sent to Ebirnari to the king a lot of silver, fabrics, furniture and machinery from Babylonia and Seleucia, the royal city, and 20 elephants, which the ruler of Bactria sent to the king. This month, the commander-in-chief of the king's troops, which were stationed in Akkad, mobilized and went to the king in the month of Nisan to help in Ebirnari ... ". So, the main military clashes between Antiochus and Ptolemy took place in the spring months of 274 BC. e. and, it seems, ended with the victory of Antiochus (according to the interpretation of the chronicle by S. Smith). The successes of Antiochus I in Syria may not have been limited to the operation described in the chronicle. Probably at the same time Antiochus suddenly seized Damascus, occupied by the Egyptians under the command of the strategist Dinon.

Fighting in Asia Minor

The war in Asia Minor can only be talked about presumably. There is, for example, a casual mention by Polienus of the capture of Cavnus by the commander Ptolemy Philokles. Stephenius of Byzantium speaks of some kind of struggle that the kings of Pontic Cappadocia, Mithridates and Ariobarzanes, waged against the Egyptians with the help of Galatian mercenaries; Having fought with the Egyptians, the Pontic kings won a victory, drove the enemies to the sea and captured the anchors of ships as a trophy. It is possible that in this case Mithridates and Ariobarzanos acted as allies of Antiochus.

Theocritus in the 17th idyll names among the Asia Minor possessions of Egypt (soon after the First Syrian War) Caria, Lycia, Cilicia, Pamphylia. Some of these possessions, in whole or in part, could have been subdued in the First Syrian War. In this regard, it is extremely interesting to decide the question of the fate of Ionia. The fact that Egypt claimed dominion in Ionia is evidenced by the letter of Ptolemy II to Miletus.

The decisive is the silence of Theocritus about the Egyptian rule in Ionia at the end of the 270s BC. e. It is hard to imagine that Egypt did not try to conquer the region of Asia Minor, one of the richest parts of the former state of Lysimachus, which was Ionia. The Seleucids and their allies probably took some kind of countermeasures in Ionia in order to prevent the strengthening of the positions of the Egyptians here.

End of the First Syrian War

An inscription from Pitom says that in the month of Hatir in the 12th year of his reign (November 274 BC), Ptolemy II came to Geronopolis “with his wife (she and his sister) to protect Egypt from foreigners. Perhaps from this inscription it follows that the invasion of the troops of Antiochus into Egypt was expected, and the presence of Ptolemy and Arsinoe was required to organize the defense.

The end of the war is completely unknown to us. It ended no later than Theocritus wrote his 17th idyll, that is, either in 273, or in 272 BC. e. It is also difficult to assess the overall results of the war. Seleucid successes are highly probable, but one can hardly speak of their victory. Most likely, as a result of prolonged hostilities, reconciliation was achieved with a fair amount of compromise on both sides.

Ptolemy's policy in Greece

In the decree of Chremonides (at the beginning of the Chremonides war), in connection with the listing of all the participants in the anti-Macedonian coalition, it is said that “King Ptolemy, in accordance with the direction of his ancestors and his sister, is obviously jealous of the common freedom of the Hellenes”. Having received no definite results in the I Syrian War, Ptolemy II shifted the center of gravity of the struggle for the revival of the state of Lysimachus to Greece. It is not known exactly what role Ptolemy, son of Lysimachus and Arsinoe, was to play in this policy.

Interfering in Greek affairs, Ptolemy II sought to unite all anti-Macedonian forces. He made the Lacedaemonians "friends and allies", sent a friendly embassy to Athens, probably also with a proposal for an alliance, sent theors to Delphi with an appeal to the Delphians to take part in the games of Ptolemaia in Alexandria. Not without the participation of Egypt, the struggle between cities in Crete developed. Perhaps Egypt and Sparta acted as accomplices in Crete, and such cities as Falasarna, Polirrenia, Aptera, Gortina stood on their side.

Chremonid war

Ptolemy II's allies in Greece were defeated by Antigonus Gonatus in the Chremonides War (268 - 262 BC). This war, named after the Athenian politician Chremonides, in which the Athenians in alliance with Egypt, Sparta, many other members of the Peloponnesian union and Epirus fought against the Macedonian king Antigonus Gonatus, was not successful.

In 266 BC. Ptolemy sent his fleet to the shores of Greece under the command of Patroclus, with the aim of controlling the Cyclades, in order to act against the Macedonian king Antigonus II Gonatus. The Egyptians probably landed on the eastern coast of Attica, on the Koroni Peninsula, where the remains of temporary defensive walls, utensils and many coins of Ptolemy II were found. Unable to persuade the Spartan king Ares to a decisive battle with the Macedonians, Patroclus sailed with a fleet from the Attic waters and from then until the end of the war the Egyptians did not seem to appear in Greece. The results of excavations on the Koroni Peninsula show that the retreat of the Egyptians was more like the flight of the vanquished. Perhaps during this war, the Egyptian fleet was defeated at Kos.

There seems to be some reason to think that Ptolemy II was then again at odds with the Cyrene ruler Magas and that the Egyptian invasion of Ionia intensified. Ionia ended up in the hands of the Egyptians, most likely somewhere in the 60s of the 3rd century. BC e., at least after Theocritus wrote his 17th idyll, but before the 2nd Syrian war. By 261 BC. e. Magas reconciled with Ptolemy and married his only daughter Berenice to the latter's son.

The Macedonians severely devastated Attica and, by the way, burned the sacred grove and the temple of Poseidon at Colon. Antigonus besieged Athens, forced them to surrender and occupied the Athenian fortifications with his garrisons (262 BC). Chremonides fled from Athens to Egypt. The consequence of the Chremonides war was the loss by Egypt of the influential position that it previously occupied in the Aegean Sea, and a significant strengthening of Macedonia. Immediately after the signing of the peace, an anti-Egyptian coalition was formed, which included Antigonus Gonatus, Antiochus II and Rhodes.

Battle of Andros

V. Felman suggested that there were not two sea battles with Antigonus, but only one - in the waters between the nearby islands of Andros and Keos. "Kos" is a mistake of the scribes of manuscripts. Felman also cites the consideration that Plutarch's repetition of the same story in relation to the battle of Andros and the battle of Kos is far from accidental: this is evidence that there was exactly one battle, and not two.

Zhigunin dates it to 260 BC. e. He believes that Ptolemy Andromachus (son of Lysimachus and Arsinoe) participated in the naval battle of Andros on the side of Egypt and witnessed the death of his plans to gain his kingdom, since the Egyptian fleet was defeated. Apparently, after this event, there was a break in the long-term relationship of Ptolemy, son of Lysimachus, with Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Second Syrian War. Mutiny in Asia

An integral part, and perhaps one of the starting points of the Second Syrian War, was the rebellion in Asia of "the son of Ptolemy in partnership with Timarch"; so we are told by Pompey Trog. It is also clear from Trog that the rebellion took place somewhere between two events: the death of Antiochus I (261 BC) and the death of Demetrius the Fair in Cyrene (259/8 BC). It is quite possible that the rebel who rebelled in Asia was precisely Ptolemy, the son of Lysimachus and the adopted son of Ptolemy Philadelphus. After all, Philadelphus had no other natural sons with the name Ptolemy, except for Ptolemy III.

Ptolemy Andromachus, having established himself in Ephesus, acted in alliance with Timarch, the tyrant of Miletus. Deciding to seize Samos from the Egyptians, Timarch penetrated into the Samos harbor and used a rather primitive, but insolent military trick. After some time, Andromachus was killed in Ephesus by the Thracians, and the city, probably, again passed into the hands of the Egyptians.

Conflict with Cyrene

Unfortunately for Ptolemy Philadelphus, at that time the ruler of Cyrene, Magas, died, with whom the Egyptian king established a relationship that suited the Egyptians first of all. The wife of Magas Apam, who was anti-Egyptian, offered Berenice to wife Demetrius, the brother of Antigonus Gonatus, nicknamed the Beautiful. Demetrius hastily rushed to Cyrene, was treated kindly here and, it seems, was proclaimed king. According to Eusebius, Demetrius wasted no time: he fought a lot in Cyrene and "captured all of Libya." It is unlikely that only the Libyan nomads were his enemies; most likely, Eusebius means directly the war between Demetrius and the Egyptians. However, during the rebellion, which the young Berenice herself allegedly led, Demetrius was killed in Apama's bedroom (259/8 BC), and the widow of Magas herself, at Berenice's insistence, the rebels saved her life.

Cyrene was subdued by Ptolemy only 10-12 years after the death of Demetrius the Handsome.

Campaign of Antiochus II

Antiochus II found it beneficial and timely to intervene in the struggle of the powers of the Eastern Mediterranean. His allies were primarily the Rhodians, who had long been burdened by the Ptolemaic hegemony; Antiochus II and the Rhodians jointly laid siege to Ephesus. The Egyptian fleet, according to Polienus, was commanded in the harbor of Ephesus by the famous Athenian Chremonides. Agafostratus, the Rhodes navar, unexpectedly launched an attack on the enemy fleet and defeated the Egyptians. After this victory Ephesus was taken. Probably at the same time Antiochus besieged Miletus and, having captured this city, destroyed the tyrant Timarch.

Results of the war

Antiochus II's vigorous offensive against the Egyptian positions in the Eastern Mediterranean meant the complete defeat of Egypt in the war. About the war itself, except for the above, nothing concrete is known. Its immense scale is partly clear from its results. Various documents indicate that Antiochus II regained Ionia, part of Cilicia, Pamphylia, and Ptolemy III Evergetes then had to win them back from the Seleucids. It seems that Antiochus took possession of Samothrace.

The peace treaty was, it seems, concluded in the year of the Delian archon Pahet - 255/4 BC. e. Neither the location nor the nature of the diplomatic agreements, however, is known. Perhaps it was in accordance with the terms of these agreements that Antigonus removed the garrison from Museo in Athens, as an act of returning "freedom" to the Athenians. Antiochus II was to confirm the autonomy of the Greek cities of Asia Minor, and Ptolemy II - the independence of Cyrene.

Postwar diplomacy

Ptolemy Philadelphus was especially threatened by the existence of a broad coalition of his opponents. In the face of military defeats, the ruler of Egypt resorted to deft diplomatic maneuvers to sow discord between Macedonia and the Seleucid Empire. Ptolemy II tried to bring Antiochus closer to him and married him to his daughter Berenice, giving her a huge dowry. Also, the Egyptian king played a friend and ally of Antigonus Gonat.

Arat Sikion, having annexed his city to the Achaean Union, took measures to strengthen friendship with Egypt. Ptolemy II sent him 25 talents as a gift, discerningly discerning in him an ally of his power and the future support of anti-Macedonian policy in Greece. Having reached Alexandria, Aratus completely charmed Ptolemy Philadelphus with his intelligence, knowledge of art, and through this "easy diplomacy" he begged 350 more talents from the cunning ruler of Egypt. Thus, while supporting either Antiochus or Antigone, Philadelphus at the same time financed the liberation movements directed against them, hoping for a future revenge.

Domestic policy

Ptolemy II strengthened the economic and political position of Egypt. He pursued a policy of distributing land plots to large nobles. Forbidden to convert the free into slavery. He laid the foundation for the deification of the pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty, having founded the cults of the parents and sister and wife of Arsinoe II. In the form of commercial, he maintained relations with Rome: from there he received raw materials that were processed in Egyptian factories. According to Strabo, Ptolemy was notable for his curiosity and, due to his bodily weakness, constantly looked for new amusements and amusements. Ptolemy II, like his father, encouraged the development of the arts and sciences. Flavius \u200b\u200bJosephus adds that Ptolemy was a great bibliophile and significantly enlarged a wonderful library in Alexandria, trying to collect and translate into Greek all the books that existed in the world. The number of books in this unique repository supposedly reached half a million copies. Among others, the Hebrew Bible has been translated into Greek. Interested in the fate of the Jewish people, Ptolemy ordered the release of 100,000 prisoners taken out by his father from Judea. Many famous scientists and poets of that time (Callimachus, Theocritus, Manetho, Eratosthenes, Zoilus and others) lived at the court of Ptolemy. Ptolemy erected many luxurious buildings, built cities, organized festivals, restored and decorated the southern temple between Luxor and Karnak. However, the greatest fame, which did not fade away in the subsequent period, was brought to him by the construction of the Pharos lighthouse (c. 280 BC), which was soon ranked as one of the seven wonders of the world.

A family

• His first wife and mother of Ptolemy III was the daughter of Lysimachus Arsinoe I.
• Children:
  • Ptolemy III Everget
  • Lysimachus
  • Berenice

• Having fallen in love with Arsinoe, his own sister, he married her, having done what the Macedonians were not allowed in any way, but which was in the custom of the Egyptians over whom he ruled. Originally beautiful and vain Arsinoe in 299 BC was given in marriage to the old Lysimachus of Thrace. Then she achieved the execution of his son from his first marriage in order to clear the way for her sons to power. After the fall of the Thracian kingdom and the death of Lysimachus in 281 BC. she married her stepbrother Ptolemy Keravna , who turned out to be an even more cunning schemer, and killed her two sons. She was forced to flee and in 279 BC. ended up in Egypt with her brother Ptolemy II. Arsinoe II married her brother, who was eight years younger than her, and thus became a queen. The former wife of Ptolemy II was expelled from the capital and accused of conspiring against the life of the king of Egypt, then repression began against other members of the royal house, probably provoked by Arsinoe II. Zhigunin believes that the marriage union between Arsinoe and Ptolemy II was needed not only by Arsinoe and her son, but also by the king of Egypt himself, who hoped through this marriage to acquire "legal" rights to the legacy of Lysimachos - those vast territories where Arsinoe was once unlimited ruler, and where her son Ptolemy could regain his royal name under the supreme protectorate of Egypt. Ptolemy II even received the nickname Philadelphus (Greek "loving his sister") for the supposedly exemplary love for his sister-wife. Arsinoe II received divine honors, and in “Arsinoe” there was her topaz statue almost two and a half meters high. Pausanias mentions a statue of a brother and sister near the Odeon in Athens.
  Ptolemy had no children from her.

With him since 273. BC. an alliance was concluded (ancient Greek. ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς ) The Ptolemies with Rome, which, probably, in subsequent times, mechanically renewed with the accession to the throne of each new ruler of Egypt. According to Appian, Ptolemy II Philadelphus tried to mediate between the Romans and the Carthaginians during the First Punic War (264-241 BC).

4. Ptolemy II Philadelphus

After Ptolemy I, his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283–247) reigned in Egypt. The position of the Jews under this king improved even further. Ptolemy Philadelphus, who surrounded himself with Greek scientists and poets, took care of planting the arts and sciences in his country. At his palace in Alexandria, there was the world's greatest museum, where literary and artistic works of all peoples were collected. Tradition tells that Ptolemy, having learned about the high merits of the Hebrew holy books, wished to get to know them and receive an accurate Greek translation of them for his rich book depository. He wrote a letter to the high priest Eleazar in Jerusalem and asked to send knowledgeable people to Alexandria who could translate Hebrew books into Greek. Together with this letter, the king also sent generous donations for the benefit of the Jerusalem temple. Eleazar willingly fulfilled Ptolemy's wish and sent to him scholars, including 72 people, equally well versed in Hebrew and Greek, who took with them the original Torah, or Pentateuch, for translation. The translators received an excellent reception in Alexandria.

The king talked a lot with them and marveled at their wisdom. They were given a special palace on the island of Pharos, near Alexandria, and there, in complete silence, they worked on the translation of the books of Moses into Greek. Tradition adds that the translators were housed in 72 separate rooms so that they could not communicate with each other, each translated the text of the Pentateuch on his own - and nevertheless, when at the end of the work all the translations were collated, it turned out that they were exactly the same in all expressions ... The translation was presented to Ptolemy in the presence of the elders of the Egyptian Jews. These elders asked permission to copy a copy from the translation for distribution to their communities where Jews spoke Greek.

At a later time, all other books of the Bible were also translated into Greek. From these translations, educated Greeks and Romans became familiar with the religious writing of the Jews. The Greek translation of the Bible was later known as the Septuagint (translation of 70 interpreters).

From the book of 100 great geniuses author Balandin Rudolf Konstantinovich

PTOLEMEUS (c. 83 - c. 162) Claudius Ptolemy - a Greek geographer, cartographer, mathematician, astronomer - was born in Egypt, worked mainly in Alexandria. He set himself a grandiose task: to comprehend the harmony of the universe, in connection with which he tried to generalize the existing

author

Ptolemy II KERAVNS His nickname Keraunus ("Lightning") Ptolemy - the son of the Egyptian king Ptolemy Lag from his first wife Eurydice - received his nickname for quickly and suddenly deciding on bold deeds and just as swiftly implementing them. Shortly before his death in 283 B.C.

From the book of 100 great monarchs author Ryzhov Konstantin Vladislavovich

PTOLEME VII FISCON In 170 B.C. Ptolemy Fiscon was first called to the Egyptian throne by the Alexandrians, who drove away his older brother Ptolemy Philometra, and the following year he was besieged in Alexandria by the Syrian king Antiochus IV, who announced that he intended

From the book Another History of Science. From Aristotle to Newton author

Astrologer Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy is the most famous astronomer of antiquity, the creator of "Almagest", a work that for a long time determined the views of mankind on the structure of the Universe. He is the author of many works: "On the appearance of fixed stars and a collection of predictions", "About

From the book Another History of the Middle Ages. From antiquity to the Renaissance author Dmitry Kalyuzhny

Claudius Ptolemy, contemporary of Mercator Claudius Ptolemy is the great Greek astronomer, the creator of the geocentric system of the world. It is believed that he left two encyclopedic works: a summary of the ancient astronomical knowledge called "Almagest" and a summary

author Semyon Markovich Dubnov

3. Ptolemy Laghi The great empire of Alexander the Great, scattered in three parts of the world - Europe, Asia and Africa - did not last long. When Alexander died (323), his generals began to fight with each other over the possession of the conquered lands. One of the main

From book Short story Jews author Semyon Markovich Dubnov

5. Ptolemy III and IV The successor of Ptolemy Philadelphus was Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-221). Under him, Judea was in great danger. The Syrian kings from the Seleucid dynasty then fought with Egypt and wanted to take Judea from him. The Syrians won over the Jerusalem nobility

From the book Ancient Slavs, I-X centuries [Mysterious and fascinating stories about the Slavic world] author Soloviev Vladimir Mikhailovich

Ptolemy III A occupies Sarmatia by very large peoples - the Wends along the entire Venedian (Gdansk. - Ed.) Gulf ... And smaller peoples inhabit Sarmatia: along the Vistula River below the Wends, the Gitons, then the Finns, then the Sulons; below them there are frugudions, then the accident at the head of the Vistula river;

From the book of 100 famous scientists author Sklyarenko Valentina Markovna

Ptolemy Claudius (c. 90–100 AD - c. 160–165 AD) Claudius Ptolemy can rightfully be considered one of the greatest astronomers and one of the founders of this science. However, the ancient sources that have come down to us do not contain biographical information about this

From the book Alexander the Great by Dougherty Paul

Chapter Seven Is Ptolemy a Murderer? But was anyone with you too? Euripides. "Andromache" Ptolemy, son of Lagus, was about forty-four years old when Alexander died in Babylon in June 323 BC. e. Ptolemy was a Macedonian by birth, the son of the noble Arsinoe, but in

From the book Famous Generals author Ziolkovskaya Alina Vitalievna

Ptolemy I Soter (born c. 367 or 360 BC - d. 283 or 282 BC) Ruler and king of Egypt in 324–283. BC e. Founder of the Egyptian dynasty. The commander of Alexander the Great, who was for some time his somatophilac (bodyguard). One of the diadochi -

From the book Mysteries of the Roman Genealogy of Rurikovich author Seryakov Mikhail Leonidovich

Chapter 3. PTOLEMY AND DATA OF ARCHEOLOGY Although all this news about Russia in the north of modern Poland does not say anything about the time of the appearance of the Rus in this region, the above-mentioned Ptolemy, the most outstanding geographer of antiquity, can help us in this. When describing the Great

author Rozhansky Ivan Dmitrievich

Ptolemy We can safely leave outside our consideration one and a half centuries, which separated Strabo from Ptolemy. During this period, new facts accumulated, some areas of the ecumene were studied in more detail, but nothing significant was done,

From the book History of Natural Science in the Age of Hellenism and the Roman Empire author Rozhansky Ivan Dmitrievich

author Pushnova Julia

Ptolemy XII - Cleopatra's father Cleopatra's father was Ptolemy XII, New Dionysus, Philopator, Philadelphus. In the last months of his life, he reigned together with his eldest daughter, Cleopatra. This king had six children. The eldest was also called Cleopatra, and she did not last long (in 58-57 years.

From the book Cleopatra: A Love and Reign Story author Pushnova Julia

Spouse and brother Ptolemy XIV A few days after Caesar announced the end of the war, he announced his decision about how he sees the future of Egypt. This decision was expected and feared. It could bring such changes that would entail a complete loss

Ptolemy I Soter and the founding of the Lagid dynasty

The Egyptian kingdom, the main part of which was the Nile valley protected by the deserts and to which the Greek Pentapolis (Cyrenaica) and neighboring parts of Africa belonged to the west of the Nile, in the east at times Palestine, Phenicia, Lebanon, Kelesiria, Antilevan and part of the rest of Syria to Damascus, replete with cedar forests and further, the island of Cyprus, which often dominates the sea, reached a very high material well-being under the first Ptolemies (or Lagids). Already the first Lagid, Ptolemy Soter ("Savior") [d. 283] laid the foundation for everything on which the greatness of Egypt was based: he formed a large army and a strong navy, established a strictly defined order in administration, finances and legal proceedings under the unlimited authority of the king, provided patronage of scientific activity, which later had the famous Museum as its center, united with the royal palace, a huge building, which housed a huge library and lived scientists and poets.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus

The son and heir of Ptolemy Soter, Ptolemy Philadelphus developed and consolidated what his father had begun. He expanded the state: he went far to Ethiopia (in 264 - 258), contributed to the destruction of the dominion of the priests in Meroe (I, 186), introduced this state in connection with the world of Greek culture, conquered the troglodyte (Abyssinian) coast, conquered the Sabaeans and Homerites of the southern Arabia. He opened the way for Egyptian merchants to trade with the north-west, having concluded an alliance with Rome after the removal of Pyrrhus from Italy; this gave oriental goods free access to the Italian harbors (countries. 168). He surrounded himself with a magnificent courtyard, incredibly luxurious, decorated his capital, made it the center of all those mental and material pleasures that can be delivered by wealth and education.

Under Ptolemy Philadelphus, the amount of money lying in the royal treasury extended to 740,000,000 Egyptian talents (more than 825 million rubles); income increased to 14,800 talents (more than 16,500,000 rubles); the wealth of Egypt was so great that even Carthage made loans in Alexandria. The army and navy were enormous. Ptolemy Philadelphus had 200,000 infantry, 40,000 cavalry, 300 elephants, 2,000 war chariots, 1,500 warships, 800 yachts luxuriously decorated with gold and silver, 2,000 small ships, and a stock of weapons for 300,000 soldiers. There were garrisons throughout the state, keeping everything in submission to the king. Theocritus praising Ptolemy Philadelphus. said: “The beautiful king Ptolemy ruled over rich Egypt, in which there are other cities; parts of Arabia and Phenicia serve him; he commands Syria, Linia and the Ethiopian land; His commands are obeyed by the Pamphilians, the spear-bearing Cilicians, the Lycians, the warlike Carians, the Cyclades, because his fleet is powerful, and all shores and seas and noisy rivers are submissive to his power. He has many horse and foot warriors, dressed in shiny armor. But the people are working peacefully, in calm security, because enemy soldiers do not come to the Nile with a wild cry to plunder villages, enemies do not jump out of ships onto the coast of Egypt to disturb the herds. Ptolemy, a skilled warrior, guards vast fields; a brave king, he carefully protects the possessions inherited from his father, and increases them with his acquisitions. "

Ptolemy II Philadelphus (presumably)

Ptolemy Philadelphus loved caring about the internal affairs of the kingdom more than war, but did not miss opportunities to increase his possessions. He took Phenicia and Palestine from the second king of the Seleucid dynasty, because of which there were many wars between the Egyptian and Syrian kings, seized the lands of the southern coast of Asia Minor: Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lycia and Caria, and founded new cities to consolidate his rule over them ( Berenicus, Philadelphia, and Arsinoe in Lycia), tried to secure his conquests from attacks by treaties and marital ties.

As a pledge of peace with the Syrian king Antiochus II, he gave his daughter, the beautiful Berenice, for him. She was sent to Antioch with a dazzling retinue. But love for Berenice, Antiochus drove away his former wife, Laodice and her children. But when he went to Asia Minor the following year, Laodike managed to get close to him again; she wanted revenge, poisoned the king in Ephesus, delivered the throne to her son Seleucus II, named Kallinikos ("victorious"), and then inhumanely killed the hated Berenice and all her followers. The bodyguard bribed by Laodice killed the little son of Berenice; the mother, in a rage of despair, threw a stone at the killer and killed him, and she herself was killed, by order of Laodice, in the Daphnian sanctuary. The news of his daughter's terrible death hastened Philadelphus's death.

Ptolemy III Everget

Philadelphus's successor, Ptolemy III [Everget, 247-221], who adhered to his father's policy in everything, went to Syria to avenge his sister. Shortly before that, he married Berenice, the queen of Cyrene, who killed her first husband, Demetrius the Beautiful, the son of Demetrius Poliorket, who had betrayed her. At the beginning of the war, she promised to bring her beautiful hair as a gift to the gods if her husband returned victorious. The husband returned; she cut off her hair and brought it to the temple. They disappeared; the astronomer Konon announced that they were transferred by the gods to heaven, and gave one of the constellations the name "hair of Veronica".

We also know very little about the war of Ptolemy III with Syria - the third Syrian war, as about the first two. It lasted three years and shook the weak Syrian kingdom. Ptolemy pushed the boundaries of his possessions far to the north and east, paved new ways for Egyptian trade. The Adul inscription, in which he, following the example of the pharaohs, boastfully lists his exploits, says: “The great Ptolemy went to Asia with foot and horse troops, with a fleet, with troglodyte and Ethiopian elephants, whom his father and he caught in these countries and trained in Egypt military service... Having conquered with his troops and elephants all the lands up to the Euphrates, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Ionia, Hellespont and Thrace and their kings, he crossed the Euphrates, conquered Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Susiana, Persis, Media and the rest of the land to Bactriana, and the saints, command the search, taken from Egypt by the Persians, and together with other treasures to take to Egypt, he sent his troops through the channels ... ”(along the channels of the lower reaches of the Euphrates and the Tigris). This is the campaign about which the prophet Daniel says: “The branch will rise from its root” - the murdered daughter of the king of the south, that is, Berennka - “will come to the army and enter the fortifications of the king of the north, and will act in them, and will strengthen; even their gods, their images with their precious vessels, silver and gold, he will take away into captivity in Egypt ”(Dan. XI, 7, 8). The booty taken by Ptolemy was truly enormous: 40,000 talents of silver, 2,500 precious statues and vessels. In gratitude for the fact that he returned to the Egyptian temples the sacred things taken from them by Cambyses and Ohom, the Egyptians gave him the name "benefactor" (in the Greek translation, "Everget"), which was an epithet of the god Osiris. - The Syrian king, whose forces were weakened by strife in the state, concluded a truce for ten years, agreeing to leave Phenicia, Palestine and the southern coast of Asia Minor in the power of the victor. Egypt under Evergetes was, in the words of Polybius, "like a strong body with outstretched arms."

Ptolemy IV Philopator (Tryphon) and Ptolemy V Epiphanes

Under Ptolemy Philopator or Tryphon ("Reveler"), cruel and depraved, the decline of the Egyptian kingdom begins. A long war with Antiochus III, king of Syria, ruined the state and. although the Egyptians were victorious at Rafia (see below), Philopator ended up losing his dominions in Lebanon and Asia Minor. In addition, the Romans acquired an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of Egypt. After Philopator's death, the influence of the Romans increased: they took over custody of his juvenile successor, Ptolemy Epiphanes, and the following Egyptian kings were completely dependent on the Romans. Fertile Egypt was important to them because they received a lot of bread from there.

Under the first three Ptolemies, Egypt was a powerful state, and its new capital, Alexandria, became a center of arts, a rich city, surpassed in its splendor the capital of the pharaohs, Memphis and Thebes. Trade and industry flourished in Egypt. The favorable position of the country contributed a lot to this. Egypt traded with Arabia, with India; the Necho canal was corrected, made again navigable (1.195); Egyptian caravans traveled through the desert to the peoples of the south and west, the Egyptian fleet cleared the Mediterranean of robbers, and many Egyptian merchant ships sailed on it; cities and trading posts were founded on the shores of the Red [Red] Sea; important in commercial terms Phenicia, Palestine, the southern coast of Asia Minor, many islands, including Samos and the Cyclades, were annexed to the kingdom of the Ptolemies; even in Thrace the port cities (Enos, Maronea, Lysimachia) were conquered. The main figures of culture and industry in Egypt were the Greeks, who settled throughout the country, especially in the cities; under their influence, the natives left their former stubborn immobility of life, took part in new activities. But the first Ptolemies carried out the transformations very carefully, so as not to arouse displeasure among the people, full of prejudices, attached to antiquity. They did not make drastic reforms, showed respect for the Egyptian priests, temples, laws, left inviolable the hierarchical structure, division into castes, indigenous worship, preserved the division of Egypt into regions (nomes), introduced, according to legend, by Sezostris and was in close connection with the agrarian the device of a densely populated country. Religion under the Ptolemies was a fusion of Greek elements with native ones. Its foundation was the service of Serapis and Isis, which received magnificent forms; the Greek cult of underground deities was transferred to this ministry (I, 149). - Alexandria became the center of cosmopolitan literature, which absorbed the elements of the civilization of all cultural peoples, spreading them throughout the civilized world and, thus, developing from all former national cultures one common to all civilized peoples. - The Greek language became in Egypt the language of the court, administration and legal proceedings.