Hellenistic Portraits, McFadden 1951George H. McFadden

51 5. Ptolemy I, Soter, 367/6-283/2, ruled as satrap from 323, as king from 305, B.C. born Pls. XCVII-XCVIII [handwritten: Ptolemy I, he was] Figs. 438,453 - 459-462 [handwritten: ...] [handwritten: the] the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, was of humble origin, son of Lagus and Arsinoe, born at Eordaea. [handwritten: +] When he was a page boy at the court of Philip he became an intimate friend of Alexander. Later he was Alexander's bodyguard and general and distinguished himself particularly in the Indian campaign. He wrote down the events through which he had lived and in which he had taken part, and his reports became an important source for Arrian's account of Alexander.

After the death of Alexander he became satrap of Egypt, [handwritten: at the] when aged [handwritten: 5] forty-four. Although he took the official title of king only in 305, he dated his reign from the death of Alexander, for whom he instituted an official state cult (see No. 36). He founded a large army and navy and thus created a strong power in the rich province, so that he could add the Cyrenaica and the island of Cyprus to his empire. [handwritten: In Cyrene] He also annexed Palestine (Coele-Syria), places on the coast of Asia Minor and some Aegean islands. He battled with Seleucus over Coele-Syria and occupied it four times, but always withdrew again to his safe Egypt. This struggle over Coele-Syria continued between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties for more than one hundred years (see No. 66), Ptolemy VI, Philometer). He was given the title Soter (saviour) by the Rhodians, when he liberated them from Demetrius.

Ptolemy I founded many Macedonian and Greek colonies in Egypt, but drew also Syrians and Jews into his country. On the other hand he won the confidence of the Egyptian inhabitants by his clever treatment and regard for their usages, monuments, and religious institutions. He tried to melt together Egyptian and Greek religions by the introduction of Serapis, who had traits of the Egyptian Osiris and the Greek Hades. He made his capital, Alexandria, a center of art and industry, decorated it with magnificent buildings, furthered science and literature. He founded the celebrated Museum, a home for philosophy, and literature.