Ptolémées or Lagides. Hellenistic dynasty of origin Macedonian which succeeded Alexandre the Large one on the throne of Egypt, of 323 with 30 av. J. - C.

It counted about fifteen sovereigns, who bore all the name of Ptolémée (in gr. Ptolemaios) and whose majority married their sister, or of the women of their family, named Arsinoé or Cléopâtre.

Ptolémée I er Sôtêr (“the Saver”) (v. 367-283 av. J. - C.). King d' Egypte (305-285).
General Macedonian, son of Lagos (from where the name of Lagides given to the dynasty of Ptolémées), officer of Alexandre the Large one.

With the death of the Conqueror, it accepted the satrapie of Egypt and settled in Alexandria. During the wars of succession, it took part in the coalition of diadoques against Perdiccas (322-321), then against Antigonos Monophthalmos, of which it beat the son Démétrios Poliorcète in Gaza (312). It then made of Egypt a maritime power, imposing its hegemony on all Eastern Mediterranean.

In 305, it took the title of king and, after the victory of Ipsos (301), occupied southernmost Syria, Palestine, Cyprus and Cyrénaïque. By a skilful policy of matrimonial unions, it was combined with the principal Hellenistic royal houses. Inside, it reorganized the military system and the administration. In 285, he abdicated in favor of Ptolémée II. He did of Alexandria one of the large cultural hearths and one of the economic metropolises most prosperous of the Hellenistic world. He made build the mausoleum of Alexandre, founded the Museum and the Library, and founded the worship of Sérapis.

Against Séleucides, it supported the first two wars of Syria (274-271, 260-253) and Maria finally her Berenice II daughter in Séleucide Antiochos II. In the south, it extended its kingdom towards Ethiopia and Arabia. Inside, it strengthened the organization of the State (finances), installed Greek colonists in Fayoum, instituted the dynastic worship and highly encouraged the development of the letters (translation of the Seventy) and of arts.

Ptolémée III Evergète I

Ptolémée III Evergète I er (“the Benefactor”) (v. 284-221 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (246-221),
son of the precedent and Arsinoé I Re. He married Berenice II, heiress of the kingdom of Cyrène. He undertook IIIe war of Syria (246-241), to avenge the assassination for his sister Bérénice Syra, and obtained by his successes of vast territorial compensations in Syria, Asia Mineure, Egée and Thrace.

Ptolémée IV Philopatôr

Ptolémée IV Philopatôr (by irony, “Which loves his/her father”) (v. 244-203 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (221-205), son of the precedent, it reigned via his ministers Sosibe and Agathocle, after having eliminated several members from his family. In the IV E war of Syria (221-217), it lost Séleucie de Piérie, but succeeds in overcoming Antiochos III with Raffia (217). Its reign marked the beginning of the decline of Egypt lagide.

Ptolémée V Epiphane

Ptolémée V Epiphane (“the Famous one”) (210-181 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (205-181),
son of the precedent, reigned under the supervision of his ministers. Benefitting from its weakness, Antiochos III attacked Egypt (O C war of Syria: 202-195), removed its Asian and Anatolian possessions to him. Ptolémée V married Cléopâtre I Re, girl of Antiochos III. Serious internal disorders obliged it to reconquer Thébaïde. It was poisoned by its courtiers.

Ptolémée VI Philomêtôr

Ptolémée VI Philomêtôr (“Which loves his/her mother”) (v. 186-145 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (181-145),
son of the precedent, husband of his sister Cléopâtre II. During the VI E war of Syria (170-168), Antiochos IV invades Egypt, drove out Ptolémée VI and replaced it by his/her brother, Ptolémée VII. Rome restores Ptolémée VI on the throne into 164, but of new internal quarrels led to the partition of the kingdom, Ptolémée VII receiving Cyrénaïque.

Ptolémée VII Evergète II

Ptolémée VII Evergète II (v. 182-116 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (170-163, 145-116),
brother of the precedent, placed on the throne by Antiochos IV, it reigned with his brother and their sister Cléopâtre II between 170 and 163, then was king de Cyrène before succeeding his brother on the throne of Egypt into 145. He married the girl of his sister, his niece Cléopâtre III. He made assassinate his nephew,

Ptolémée XI Alexandre II

Ptolémée XI Alexandre II (80 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte, son of Ptolémée X and last descendant legitimates dynasty. Imposed by Sulla, it was constrained to marry his mother-in-law, Bérénice III, rules over kingdom, which it made soon disappear. Furious, the people of Alexandria revolted and killed it.

Ptolémée XIII Théos Philopatôr

Ptolémée XIII Théos Philopatôr (61-47 av. J. - C.), oldest son of the precedent and brother-husband of Cléopâtre VII the Large one. It made assassinate Pompée (48), but was killed by César, was combined of the queen.

Ptolémée XV Césarion

Ptolémée XV Césarion (47-30 av. J. - C.), king d' Egypte (44-30), son of Cléopâtre VII the Large one and César, it shared the power with his/her mother and, shortly after the death of this one, was killed on the order of Octave.