- Greek:
- Benefactor
- Flourished:
- 246–221 bce
- Flourished:
- 246 BCE - 221 BCE
- Title / Office:
- king (245BC-221BC), Egypt
- Notable Family Members:
- spouse Berenice II
- Role In:
- Syrian Wars
Ptolemy III Euergetes
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Who was Ptolemy III Euergetes?
Ptolemy III Euergetes, who flourished from 246–221 BCE, was a Macedonian king of Egypt and the son of Ptolemy II. He is known for reuniting Egypt and Cyrenaica through marriage and for successfully waging the Third Syrian War against the Seleucid kingdom.
Shortly after his reign began, Ptolemy III married Berenice II, daughter of Magas, king of Cyrene, reuniting Egypt and Cyrenaica. To avenge the murder of his sister, the widow of Seleucid king Antiochus II, Ptolemy invaded Coele Syria. His army penetrated Mesopotamia, reaching Seleucia on the Tigris. Classical sources say he halted his advance due to domestic issues. Ptolemy managed to retain the Orontes River region and Antioch in Syria, Ephesus in Asia Minor, and Thrace.
Ptolemy III is also credited with the restoration of divine statues taken from temples during Persian rule and initiated construction at Edfu. In addition, a declaration published by a synod of Egyptian priests, suggests that the true duration of the year (365 1/4 days) was now recognized, for an extra day was added to the calendar every four years.
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What does it mean that Ptolemy III was a Macedonian king of Egypt?
Ptolemy III Euergetes, who flourished from 246–221 BCE, was a Macedonian king of Egypt. In the autumn of 332 BCE, Alexander the Great invaded Egypt with his Macedonian and Greek army and was welcomed by the Egyptians as a liberator who helped them throw off the oppressive control of the Persians. When Alexander died in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his generals, and Ptolemy, the son of a Macedonian nobleman, claimed the position of satrap.
The Ptolemaic dynasty was a Macedonian dynasty of ancient Egypt founded by Ptolemy I Soter in 305 BCE. His descendants ruled Egypt until the death of Cleopatra VII on August 12, 30 BCE. Ptolemaic Egypt was the wealthiest of the kingdoms that emerged after Alexander the Great’s death.
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When did Ptolemy III rule Egypt?
Ptolemy III Euergetes, a Macedonian king of Egypt, reigned from 246 to 221 BCE. Succeeding his father, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, he inherited a prosperous kingdom. Ptolemy III married Berenice II in 245 BCE, reuniting Egypt and Cyrenaica. Shortly after his accession, he initiated the Third Syrian War to avenge the murder of his sister, Berenice, by invading Coele Syria and advancing into Mesopotamia. He captured statues of Egyptian gods that had been taken by the Persians, which increased his popularity. Additionally, Ptolemy III supported temples throughout Egypt and began the rebuilding of the Temple of Horus at Idfū.
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What were some important achievements of Ptolemy III during his reign?
Ptolemy III Euergetes, a Macedonian king of Egypt, achieved several important milestones during his reign. He reunified Egypt and Cyrenaica through marriage to Berenice II. Ptolemy III also successfully waged the Third Syrian War against the Seleucid kingdom, advancing into Mesopotamia and reaching Seleucia on the Tigris.
Additionally, Ptolemy III continued his father's work of colonizing al-Fayyūm and reformed the calendar by adopting a "Ptolemaic Era" and adding an extra day every four years, as reflected in the Decree of Canopus. He initiated construction at Edfu and restored divine statues plundered from temples during Persian rule.
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How did Ptolemy III help expand or strengthen the Ptolemaic kingdom?
Ptolemy III Euergetes expanded and strengthened the Ptolemaic kingdom through strategic military campaigns and internal reforms.
Military Achievements
Ptolemy III reunited Egypt and Cyrenaica through his marriage to Berenice II. To avenge the murder of his sister, he initiated the Third Syrian War against the Seleucid kingdom, achieving significant victories in Syria and Mesopotamia. His navy advanced as far as Thrace, and he captured islands off the Asia Minor coast.
Internal Policies
Ptolemy III continued his father's colonization efforts in al-Fayyūm and reformed the calendar, which included adding an extra day every four years. He supported temples throughout Egypt and initiated the rebuilding of the Temple of Horus at Idfū. His policy of maintaining an equilibrium of power guaranteed the safety and stability of his territory, leaving Egypt at the peak of its political power, prosperous and stable.
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What impact did Ptolemy III Euergetes have on the culture and history of ancient Egypt?
Ptolemy III Euergetes, a Macedonian king of Egypt, reunited Egypt and Cyrenaica through marriage and successfully waged the Third Syrian War against the Seleucid kingdom. Within Egypt, Ptolemy III continued the colonization of al-Fayyūm, initiated by his father.
He reformed the calendar, adopting a "Ptolemaic Era" and adding an extra day every four years, though this change wasn't widely accepted. The Decree of Canopus, written in Greek, demotic, and hieroglyphs, was promulgated by priests upon the death of his daughter. The priests and classical sources also credited Ptolemy with restoring divine statues plundered from temples during Persian rule. Additionally, he initiated construction at Edfu, the site of a great Ptolemaic temple, and made donations to other temples.
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Ptolemy III Euergetes (flourished 246–221 bce) was a Macedonian king of Egypt, son of Ptolemy II; he reunited Egypt and Cyrenaica and successfully waged the Third Syrian War against the Seleucid kingdom.
Almost nothing is known of Ptolemy’s youth before 245, when, following a long engagement, he married Berenice II, the daughter of Magas, king of Cyrene; thereby he reunited Egypt and Cyrenaica, which had been divided since 258. Shortly after his accession and marriage, Ptolemy invaded Coele Syria, to avenge the murder of his sister, the widow of the Seleucid king Antiochus II. Ptolemy’s navy, perhaps aided by rebels in the cities, advanced against Seleucus II’s forces as far as Thrace, across the Hellespont, and also captured some islands off the Asia Minor coast, but were checked c. 245. Meanwhile, Ptolemy, with the army, penetrated deep into Mesopotamia, reaching at least Seleucia on the Tigris, near Babylon. According to classical sources he was compelled to halt his advance because of domestic troubles. Famine and a low Nile, as well as the hostile alliance between Macedonia, Seleucid Syria, and Rhodes, were perhaps additional reasons. The war in Asia Minor and the Aegean intensified as the Achaean League, one of the Greek confederations, allied itself to Egypt, while Seleucus II secured two allies in the Black Sea region. Ptolemy was pushed out of Mesopotamia and part of North Syria in 242–241, and the next year peace was finally achieved. Ptolemy managed to keep the Orontes River region and Antioch, both in Syria; Ephesus, in Asia Minor; and Thrace and perhaps also Cilicia.
Within Egypt, Ptolemy continued the colonization of al-Fayyūm (the oasis-like depression southwest of Cairo), which his father had developed. He also reformed the calendar, adopting 311 as the first year of a “Ptolemaic Era.” The Canopus decree, a declaration published by a synod of Egyptian priests, suggests that the true duration of the year (365 1/4 days) was now recognized, for an extra day was added to the calendar every four years. The new calendar failed, however, to achieve popular acceptance. The priests and classical sources also credited Ptolemy with the restoration of the divine statues plundered from the temples during Persian rule. In addition, the King initiated construction at Edfu, the Upper Egyptian site of a great Ptolemaic temple, and made donations to other temples.
Ptolemy avoided involvement in the wars that continued to plague Syria and Macedonia. He did, however, send aid to Rhodes after earthquakes devastated the island, but he refrained from subsidizing the schemes of the Spartan king against Macedonia, though he granted him asylum in 222. In Asia Minor, when a pretender to one of the kingdoms, who was the instigator of much of the trouble there, sought asylum in Ptolemaic territory, Ptolemy promptly interned him. His policy was to maintain an equilibrium of power, guaranteeing the safety of his own territory. After declaring his son his successor, Ptolemy died, leaving Egypt at the peak of its political power and internally stable and prosperous.