311-305 BCE
Alexandria
27.5 mm 14.6g 1h
Avers : Buste cornu et diadémé d’Alexandre le Grand sous les traits de Zeus-Ammon à droite, coiffé de la dépouille d’éléphant avec l’égide.
Revers : Athéna Promachos ou Alkidemos marchant à droite, brandissant une javeline de la main droite et tenant un bouclier de la gauche ; dans le champ à gauche, un casque corinthien, un monogramme et un aigle sur un foudre tourné à droite.
Sv.162 (37 ex) – Cop.29 – GC.7750 var. – BMC.- – MP.6
Ex Robert J. Myers Auction 12, lot 291 (December 4, 1975)
I’ve long said that if I had a choice between being a major character on Game of Thrones, and being a major player in the Era of the Diadochi, I’d choose Game of Thrones because my odds of survival would be higher. However, in this real-life game, Ptolemy was clearly the winner.
He deserved this distinction by actually dying of old age. Sure, there were rumors that he was poisoned, but he was at least 84 years old, so it was more likely old age. Back then, it was so unbelievable that someone could actually die without another killing him, that people automatically suspected poison.
Ptolemy grew up as one of Alexander the Great‘s closest friends. There is some speculation that he was an illegitimate son of Philip II, but that seems unlikely. While Ptolemy would have benefited greatly from this attribution later in life (and he may have been the source), he would have been unlikely to enjoy such high circles as a child if it were true.
Ptolemy was an important general under Alexander‘s campaigns against Darius III, though he was far milder in temper than the more infamous Krateros and Antigonos.
After Alexander‘s death, Ptolemy made his smartest move yet in obtaining the satrapy of Egypt. In historical retrospect, this was by far the best satrapy, because the Nile offered a huge natural defense. Twice this saved Egypt from being overrun. The first was when Perdikkas led a strong contingent to punish Ptolemy for stealing Alexander the Great‘s body. After an ill fated crossing where his war elephants dug up silt and roughly two-thousand soldiers drowned, were eaten by crocodiles, or both, Perdikkas‘ soldiers murdered him.
The second, and far more dangerous, involved an attack by Antigonos. Though the crocodiles were disappointed that he was more savvy than his predecessor, and he managed a good deal of damage against Ptolemy, he too was eventually forced to withdraw.
Because Ptolemy’s kingdom was well-defended, he had more time for intellectual pursuits. He built a library in Alexandria, which soon became known as The Library at Alexandria (where do the Greeks get these names?). He also built a tremendous lighthouse on a small island called Pharos that was listed in the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Ptolemy named this lighthouse “Pharos” and we now know it as the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Ptolemy even managed a bit of drama. He married Eurydike. No, he didn’t marry Eurydike, daughter of Cynane. Nor did he marry Eurydike, daughter of Lysimachos. He married the daughter of Antipater. She gave him Ptolemy Keraunos, who served as chief asshole among the diadochi, and murdered Seleukos I Nikator and his half-sister Arsinoe II‘s young sons before his head was placed on a spike by the Gauls. She also gave him Lysandra, who married Lysimachos‘ son Agathokles and convinced Seleukos to attack and kill Lysimachos after he had executed Agathokles.
Ptolemy then fell for her lady-in-waiting Berenike, who’s son Magas had accompanied her to Egypt. When Ptolemy married Berenike, Eurydike (remember which one) felt disgraced and left Egypt. She gave him the aforementioned Arsinoe II, along with Ptolemy II, who inherited the kingdom.
Since he had tons of free time, Ptolemy also wrote a history of his adventures with Alexander. The book was extremely popular and sold out immediately, which is why we don’t have any copies today. Parts of it were copied by writers like Arrian, whose works didn’t sell out and we have. We’re also lucky that plagiarism wasn’t frowned on back then.
Ptolemy I Soter is born.
Birth of historian Hieronymos in Kardia, who documented the history of Eumenes and Ptolemy I.
Laomedon, Harpalos, Nearchos, and Ptolemy are exiled by Philip II due to their involvement in the Pixodaros affair with Alexander III.
November 5
Alexander the Great defeats Darius III at the Battle of Issos. Ptolemy I Soter serves on the left wing under Parmenion.
Alexander the Great visits the Oracle of Ammon in the Oasis of Siwa, where he is pronounced the son of Zeus. Ptolemy I Soter accompanies him.
Ptolemy I Soter marries the Persian Artakama at Susa as ordered by Alexander III.
June 30
Partition of Babylon. Abydos and Adramytteion come under control of Leonnatos. Egypt with Alexandria and Gaza are under Ptolemy. Baktria comes under Seleukos I Nikator. Asandros obtains Caria. Laomedon receives Koele-Syria.
Ptolemy I executes Kleomenes, the previous corrupt satrap.
Kleomenes of Naukratis put to death by Ptolemy I on suspicion of favoring Perdikkas.
Ptolemy I Soter marries Eurydike, the daughter of Antipater.
Ptolemy diverts the funeral carriage of Alexander the Great to Alexandria. Archon may have colluded with him on this.
Kyrene is considered part of the territory of Ptolemy I at the Treaty of Triparidisos.
July
Laomedon rejects an offer from Ptolemy I Soter to purchase Koele-Syria from him.
Ptolemy I sends a general to capture Laomedon and occupy Koele-Syria. He succeeds, but Laomedon escapes and joins Alketas.
Birth of Ptolemy Keraunos to Eurydike and Ptolemy I Soter.
Ptolemy I Soter occupies Syria.
Marriage of Ptolemy I with Berenike, mother of Magas.
Arsinoe II is born to Ptolemy I and his mistress Berenike.
Lysimachos, Seleukos, Ptolemy, and Kassander join against Antigonos Monophthalmos and Demetrios Poliorketes.
Pasikrates of Kourion rejects an alliance with Antigonos Monophthalmos and remains loyal to Ptolemy I Soter.
Antigonos Monophthalmos is received by Seleukos I Nikator in Babylon. When Antigonos demands income from the province, Seleukos flees to Ptolemy I Soter in Egypt.
Ptolemy I Soter gives Seleukos I Nikator a small fleet, which he uses to force Asandros to ally with Ptolemy. He also takes Erythrai and besieges Kition along with Menelaos.
Antigonos‘s son, Demetrios I suffers a major defeat at the Battle of Gaza against Ptolemy I and Seleukos I. Peithon is killed.
Demetrios Poliorketes defeated at the Battle of Gaza by Ptolemy I Soter and Seleukos I Nikator.
The peace treaty for the Third Diadoch War, agreed to by Ptolemy, Kassander, Lysimachos, and Antigonos, recognizes the rights of Alexander IV and states he will succeed Kassander in Macedon when he is of age. Antigonos Monophthalmos is now free to take on Seleukos I Nikator directly.
Demetrios Poliorketes defeats Killes, a general of Ptolemy I Soter, at the Battle of Myos.
Ptolemy II Philadelphos is born on Kos to Berenike I and Ptolemy I.
Ptolemy I frees Andros from Macedonian control.
Kleopatra accepts an offer of marriage from Ptolemy I from her base in Sardis. Antigonos Monophthalmos, who fears the union, executes her.
Ptolemy I declares himself Pharaoh and moves his capital to Alexandria, thus beginning the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
Kyrene ousts the garrison of Ptolemy I.
Lysimachos marries Arsinoe II, the daughter of Ptolemy I.
Pyrrhos is taken as a hostage to Alexandria in an arrangement between Demetrios Poliorketes and Ptolemy I Soter.
Pyrrhos marries Antigone, the stepdaughter of Ptolemy I Soter, in Alexandria.
Demetrios of Phaleron travels to the court of Ptolemy I Soter in Alexandria.
Ptolemy I Soter provides Pyrrhos with funds to restore him to the throne of Epeiros.
Agathokles marries Lysandra, the daughter of Ptolemy I Soter and Eurydike.
Pyrrhos, Ptolemy I Soter, and Lysimachos push Demetrios Poliorketes out of Macedonia.
March 28
Ptolemy I Soter declared Ptolemy II Philadelphos king and co-regent.
May
Death of Ptolemy I Soter. Ptolemy II Philadelphos becomes the sole king of Egypt.