Ptolemy I Soter

Ptolemy I Soter

In some of our previous blogs, we uncovered truly fascinating information about Alexander the Great. One of the most truly fascinating rulers in history, Alexander the Great never experienced defeat in battle. As a result, his influence spread over an entire empire. This vast empire included Egypt, Asia Minor, and Macedonia.

After the mysterious death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, control of his vast empire was split between several of his generals. In Egypt, Ptolemy I Soter became the ruler and self-declared pharaoh of Egypt. Today, we would like to explore some interesting facts about Ptolemy.

Ptolemy I Soter Son of Lagus?

Although many people knew Ptolemy as the son of Lagus, he was rumored to have a much more famous father. Many people thought that Ptolemy was Alexander the Great’s paternal grandfather Philip II’s illegitimate child. However, Ptolemy turned out to be Alexander the Great’s half-brother. What’s so interesting about this dynamic was that Ptolemy and Alexander were considered great friends despite the father who they possibly shared.

Ptolemy’s Mother Was A Concubine

Ptolemy’s mother was Arsinoe of Macedon, who was one of Philip II’s concubines. Therefore, the rumor that Philip II was Ptolemy’s true father seems totally plausible.

The Relationship Between Ptolemy And Alexander

Not only was Ptolemy a great friend of Alexander the Great, but he was also his official taster and bodyguard. Essentially, Ptolemy was more than just a good friend of Alexander’s; he was also his protector. Whether tasting food or drinks to detect poison or protecting him from intruders, Ptolemy had a very tight bond with Alexander the Great.

Ptolemy Respected Egyptian Religion and Culture

Prior to the rule of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy, Egypt was oppressed under the rule of the Persians. The Persians refused to honor the religion and the customs of the Egyptian people, but Ptolemy held a much different attitude towards Egyptian customs. Not only did Ptolemy embrace the Egyptian customs, he prayed at their temples. In fact, he even commissioned a temple to be built to honor the Egyptian goddess Isis. Later on, he would merge both Greek and Egyptian influences into a new religion honoring Serapis, the god of healing.

Ptolemy I Soter Dedication To Learning

Under the rule of Ptolemy, Egypt became the center of the Mediterranean featuring a plethora of museums and libraries. These institutions featured scrolls on the arts, literature, exploration, theater, architecture, mathematics, philosophy, music, and science.

Our Ancient Egyptian Coins

At Ancient Gold Coins, we feature a variety of ancient Egyptian coins from the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Some of the coins include the Arsinoe II Gold Octadrachm (270-68 BCE), Ptolemy III Gold AV Octadrachm (246-222 BCE), and the Ptolemaic Kingdom Ptolemy III Gold Tetradrachm. These antique gold coins display a remarkable attention to detail and highlight a unique time in history.

Are you interested in our collectible gold coins? Shop our selection of exquisite and unique ancient Egyptian coins today. We also feature a variety of ancient Greek gold coins and antique Roman coins as well. Contact Ancient Gold Coins today for more information.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.