Question: How long did the Ptolemaic dynasty last?

Ptolemaic dynasty













Dynasties of Ancient Egypt
All years are BC
Early First Dynasty I c. 3150–2890 Second Dynasty II 2890–2686
Old Kingdom Third Dynasty III 2686–2613 Fourth Dynasty IV 2613–2498 Fifth Dynasty V 2498–2345 Sixth Dynasty VI 2345–2181
First Intermediate Seventh Dynasty VII spurious Eighth Dynasty VIII 2181–2160 Ninth Dynasty IX 2160–2130 Tenth Dynasty X 2130–2040 Early Eleventh Dynasty XI 2134–2061
Middle Kingdom Late Eleventh Dynasty XI 2061–1991 Twelfth Dynasty XII 1991–1803 Thirteenth Dynasty XIII 1803–1649 Fourteenth Dynasty XIV 1705–1690
Second Intermediate Fifteenth Dynasty XV 1674–1535 Sixteenth Dynasty XVI 1660–1600 Abydos Dynasty 1650–1600 Seventeenth Dynasty XVII 1580–1549
New Kingdom Eighteenth Dynasty XVIII 1549–1292 Nineteenth Dynasty XIX 1292–1189 Twentieth Dynasty XX 1189–1077
Third Intermediate Twenty-first Dynasty XXI 1069–945 Twenty-second Dynasty XXII 945–720 Twenty-third Dynasty XXIII 837–728 Twenty-fourth Dynasty XXIV 732–720 Twenty-fifth Dynasty XXV 732–653
Late Period Twenty-sixth Dynasty XXVI 672–525 Twenty-seventh Dynasty
(1st Persian Period) XXVII 525–404 Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398 Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380 Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343 Thirty-first Dynasty
(2nd Persian Period) XXXI 343–332
Ptolemaic (Hellenistic) Argead Dynasty 332–305 Ptolemaic Kingdom 323–30
See also: List of Pharaohs by Period and Dynastyvt
The Ptolemaic dynasty (/ˌtɒlɪˈmeɪɪk/; Ancient Greek: Πτολεμαῖοι, Ptolemaioi), sometimes also known as the Lagids (/ˈlædʒɪdz/) or Lagidae (/ˈlædʒɪdi/; Λαγίδαι, Lagidai, after Lagus, Ptolemy I's father), was a Macedonian Greek[1][2][3][4][5] royal family, which ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 to 30 BC.[6] They were the last dynasty of ancient Egypt.
Ptolemy, one of the seven somatophylakes (bodyguards) who served as Alexander the Great's generals and deputies, was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. In 305BC, he declared himself Ptolemy I, later known as Sōter "Saviour".
The Egyptians soon accepted the Ptolemies as the successors to the pharaohs of independent Egypt. Ptolemy's family ruled Egypt until the Roman conquest of 30 BC.
All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy. Ptolemaic queens regnant, some of whom were married to their brothers, were usually called Cleopatra, Arsinoe or Berenice. The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her apparent suicide at the conquest by Rome marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.
Ptolemaic rulers and consorts
Dates in brackets represent the regnal dates of the Ptolemaic pharaohs. They frequently ruled jointly with their wives, who were often also their sisters. Several queens exercised regal authority. Of these, one of the last and most famous was Cleopatra ("Cleopatra VII Philopator", 51–30 BC), with her two brothers and her son serving as successive nominal co-rulers. Several systems exist for numbering the later rulers; the one used here is the one most widely employed by modern scholars.


Ptolemy I Soter (303–282 BC)[10] married first Thaïs, then Artakama, then Eurydice, and finally Berenice I
Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BC)[11] married Arsinoe I, then Arsinoe II; ruled jointly with Ptolemy Epigonos (267–259 BC)
Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BC) married Berenice II
Ptolemy IV Philopator (221–203 BC) married Arsinoe III
Ptolemy V Epiphanes (203–181 BC) married Cleopatra I Syra
Ptolemy VI Philometor (181–164 BC, 163–145 BC) married Cleopatra II, briefly ruled jointly with Ptolemy Eupator in 152 BC
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (never reigned)

Ptolemy VIII Physcon (170–163 BC, 145–116 BC) married Cleopatra II, then Cleopatra III; temporarily expelled from Alexandria by Cleopatra II from 131-127 BC, then reconciled with her in 124 BC.
Cleopatra II Philometora Soteira (131–127 BC), in opposition to Ptolemy VIII Physcon
Cleopatra III Philometor Soteira Dikaiosyne Nikephoros (Kokke) (116–101 BC) ruled jointly with Ptolemy IX Lathyros (116–107 BC) and Ptolemy X Alexander I (107–101 BC)
Ptolemy IX Lathyros (116–107 BC, 88–81 BC as Soter II) married Cleopatra IV, then Cleopatra Selene; ruled jointly with Cleopatra III in his first reign
Ptolemy X Alexander I (107–88 BC) married Cleopatra Selene, then Berenice III; ruled jointly with Cleopatra III till 101 BC
Berenice III Philopator (81–80 BC)
Ptolemy XI Alexander II (80 BC) married and ruled jointly with Berenice III before murdering her; ruled alone for 19 days after that.
Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos (Auletes) (80–58 BC, 55–51 BC) married Cleopatra V Tryphaena
Cleopatra V Tryphaena (58–57 BC) ruled jointly with Berenice IV Epiphaneia (58–55 BC) and Cleopatra VI Tryphaena (58 BC)
Cleopatra ("Cleopatra VII Philopator", 51–30 BC) ruled jointly with Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (51–47 BC), Ptolemy XIV (47–44 BC) and Ptolemy XV Caesarion (44–30 BC).
Arsinoe IV (48–47 BC), in opposition to Cleopatra
Ptolemaic family tree




Ptolemaic family tree





























Ptolemy I
Soter 
(Kg 303-282 BC)Berenice IPhilipArsinoe IIPtolemy II
Philadelphus 
(Kg. 285-246 BC)Arsinoe IMagas
of CyreneApama IIPtolemy III
Euergetes 
(Kg. 246-221 BC)Berenice IIPtolemy IV
Philopator 
(Kg. 221-203 BC)Arsinoe IIIPtolemy V
Epiphanes 
(Kg. 203-181 BC)Cleopatra I
SyraPtolemy VI
Philometor 
(Kg. 181-164 BC,
 163-145 BC)Cleopatra II 
(Qn. 131-127 BC)Ptolemy VIII
Physcon 
(Kg. 170-163 BC,
 145-116 BC)EirenePtolemy VII
Neos PhilopatorCleopatra III 
(Qn, 116-101 BC)Ptolemy
MemphitesPtolemy ApionCleopatra IVPtolemy IX
Lathyros 
(Kg. 116-107 BC,
 as Soter II 88-81 BC)Cleopatra
SelenePtolemy X
Alexander I 
(Kg. 107-88 BC)Ptolemy XII
Auletes 
(Kg. 80-58 BC,
 55-51 BC)Berenice III 
(Qn. 81-80 BC)Ptolemy XI
Alexander II 
(Kg. 80 BC, 
for 19 days)Cleopatra V 
(Qn. 58-55 BC)Cleopatra VI 
(Qn. 58 BC)Berenice IV 
(Qn. 58-55 BC)Ptolemy XIII
Theos Philopator 
(Kg. 51-47 BC)Cleopatra VII
Thea Philopator 
(Qn. 51-30 BC)Ptolemy XIV 
(Kg. 47-44 BC)Arsinoe IV 
(Qn. 48-47 BC)Julius
 CaesarMark
 AntonyPtolemy XV
Caesarion 
(Kg. 44-30 BC)Alexander
 HeliosPtolemy 
PhiladelphusCleopatra
Selene IIPtolemy of 
Mauretania
Other notable members of the Ptolemaic dynasty
Ptolemy Keraunos (died 279 BC) - eldest son of Ptolemy I Soter. Eventually became king of Macedonia.
Ptolemy Apion (died 96 BC) - son of Ptolemy VIII Physcon. Made king of Cyrenaica. Bequeathed Cyrenaica to Rome.
Ptolemy Philadelphus (born 36 BC) - son of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
Ptolemy of Mauretania (died 40 AD) - son of King Juba II of Numidia and Mauretania and Cleopatra Selene II, daughter of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony. King of Mauretania.
Medical analysis
Contemporaries describe a number of the Ptolemaic dynasty members as extremely obese, whilst sculptures and coins reveal prominent eyes and swollen necks. Familial Graves' disease could explain the swollen necks and eye prominence (exophthalmos), although this is unlikely to occur in the presence of morbid obesity. This is all likely due to inbreeding within the Ptolemaic dynasty.
In view of the familial nature of these findings, members of this dynasty likely suffered from a multi-organ fibrotic condition such as Erdheim–Chester disease or a familial multifocal fibrosclerosis where thyroiditis, obesity and ocular proptosis may have all occurred concurrently.[12]
Gallery of images

Ptolemy of Macedon founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
Ptolemy II
Ptolemy III
Ptolemy IV
Ptolemy V
Ptolemy VI
Cleopatra II (right)
Ptolemy VIII
Ptolemy IX
Ptolemy X
Ptolemy XI
Ptolemy XII
Ptolemy XIII and Isis
Ptolemy XIV
Cleopatra VII
Ptolemy XV, commonly called Caesarion.

See also
List of Seleucid rulers
Hellenistic period
History of ancient Egypt
Donations of Alexandria
Ptolemaic Decrees
List of Ptolemaic pharaohs
On Weights and Measures - contains a chronology of the Ptolemies


Further reading
Susan Stephens, Seeing Double. Intercultural Poetics in Ptolemaic Alexandria (Berkeley, 2002).
A. Lampela, Rome and the Ptolemies of Egypt. The development of their political relations 273-80 B.C. (Helsinki, 1998).
J. G. Manning, The Last Pharaohs: Egypt Under the Ptolemies, 305-30 BC (Princeton, 2009).


 — by Jona Lendering.