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Ptolemaic dynasty
Pharaonic dynasty in ancient Egypt, lasting for a period of 275 years from 305 BCE until 30 BCE (or from 323 until 30, if including the time Ptolemy 1 was governor) when it was ended by Roman annexation.
The founder of the dynasty was the Macedonian general Ptolemy, who became governor after the death of Alexander the Great. At first he controlled Egypt as a region, but he made himself an independent ruler from 305.
The Ptolemaic dynasty was marked by little territorial expansion, even if the neighbour regions of Cyrenaica and Palestine, as well as Cyprus were at times under their control. Egypt experienced at first a positive economic period as the first Ptolemaic rulers developed wide scale administrative systems in Egypt.
The Ptolemies respected Egyptian customs and lived according to it, and were in many ways contributors to the country's culture. In the later part of the dynastic period, the rulers faced problems with nationalism, and public protests became more frequent.
All male rulers of this dynasty, were named Ptolemy, but the most famous of the rulers was Cleopatra. The end of the Ptolemaic dynasty came after a period of weak rulers, but Cleopatra's close relations with Rome would also prove critical.
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By: Tore Kjeilen
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