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Ptolemy I Soter

Type Figure Region Macedon Time c. -367–-282 Also known as Ptolemy Soter

Ptolemy I was a general of Alexander the Great who seized Egypt after the Wars of the Diadochi, became king around 305 BCE, and founded the Ptolemaic…

Timeline

  1. c. -367–-323Macedon · MacedonPtolemy came from the house of Lagus, was a childhood companion of Alexander the Great and one of his seven bodyguards. During the eastern campaigns he served as a general, took part in many battles and received the title 'Soter' (Savior), accumulating military and political capital under Alexander.
  2. -323–-305Egypt · EgyptAfter Alexander's death, Ptolemy received Egypt in the division at Babylon. He seized Alexander's body, secured the Nile Delta, and maneuvered against Perdiccas, Antigonus, Seleucus and other rivals in the Wars of the Diadochi, gradually turning Egypt into an independent power.
  3. -305–-282Alexandria · AlexandriaAround 305 BCE Ptolemy formally took the royal title and established the Ptolemaic dynasty. He pursued a Greco-Egyptian style of rule, expanded Alexandria's harbor and lighthouse, attracted scholars, and consolidated relations with Seleucus and other Diadochi through diplomatic marriages, laying the foundation for the dynasty's long rule.

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