Ptolemy Ceraunus
Quick Summary
Ptolemy Ceraunus was a Macedonian prince and a son of Ptolemy I Soter, the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. He was a grandson of Antipater, a prominent general under Alexander the Great.12
Ptolemy Ceraunus was known for his ambition and involvement in the power struggles that followed Alexander's death. He assassinated his half-brother, Seleucus I Nicator, in 281 BCE, thereby seizing the throne of Macedon. However, his reign was short-lived. He was killed in battle against migrating Celts around 279 BCE. His actions and eventual death significantly impacted the political landscape of the Hellenistic period, contributing to the instability and shifting alliances among the successor kingdoms.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Seleucid empire…year, he was assassinated by Ptolemy Ceraunus, the disgruntled son of Ptolemy I.
Read More…year, he was assassinated by Ptolemy Ceraunus, the disgruntled son of Ptolemy I.
Read More
Seleucus I NicatorConsolidation of gains…281, he was murdered by Ptolemy Ceraunus, who had been passed over by his father, Ptolemy, as successor to the Egyptian throne. Seleucus’s son and successor, Antiochus I, entombed his father’s ashes in Seleucia, initiated (probably) the posthumous cult of his father, and ordered his veneration as Zeus Nicator.
Read More…281, he was murdered by Ptolemy Ceraunus, who had been passed over by his father, Ptolemy, as successor to the Egyptian throne. Seleucus’s son and successor, Antiochus I, entombed his father’s ashes in Seleucia, initiated (probably) the posthumous cult of his father, and ordered his veneration as Zeus Nicator.
Read More