Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Great's generals, was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. In 305 BC he declared himself King Ptolemy I, known as "Soter" (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 31 BC.

The dynastic history of Ptolemaic Egypt is very confusing, because all the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, and because most of them married their sisters, who were usually called Cleopatra. The most famous member of the line was the last Ptolemaic queen, Cleopatra VII.

Table of contents
1 Ptolemaic rulers and consorts
2 Simplified Ptolemaic family tree
3 Related articles
4 External links

Ptolemaic rulers and consorts

The dates in brackets are regnal dates for the kings. They frequently ruled jointly with their wives, who were also their sisters. The only queen who actually exercised regal authority was Cleopatra VII (51 BC-30 BC), with her two brothers and her son as successive nominal co-rulers.

Simplified Ptolemaic family tree

                           Ptolemy I = Berenice I
                                     |
                                     |
                            -----------------
                            |               |
                            |               |
                       Arsinoe II    =   Ptolemy II
                                     |
                                     |
                                  Ptolemy III = Berenice II
                                              |
                                              |
                               ------------------
                               |                |
                               |                |
                           Arsinoe III   =   Ptolemy IV
                                         |
                                         |
                      Cleopatra I  =  Ptolemy V
                                   |
                                   |
       ---------------------------------------------
       |                    |                      |
       |                    |                      |
   Ptolemy VI    =     Cleopatra II         Ptolemy VIII = Cleopatra III
                 |                                       |
                 |                                       |
       -----------------------                           |
       |                     |                           |
  Ptolemy VII            Cleopatra III                   |
                                                         |
        --------------------------------------------------------------
        |                     |                  |                   |
        |                     |                  |                   |
     Ptolemy IX (1)  =   Cleopatra IV        Ptolemy X  = (1)  Cleopatra
  = (2) Cleopatra    |                       = (2)           | Selene
  |     Selene       |                    Berenice III       |
  |                  |                          |            |
  |                  |                          |            |
Berenice III        Ptolemy XII     =    Cleopatra V         |
                                    |                        |
                                    |       Berenice III = Ptolemy XI
                                    |
                  -----------------------------------
                  |                  |              |
                  |                  |              |
             Cleopatra VII (1) = Ptolemy XIII       |
Julius Caesar =            (2)         =       Ptolemy XIV
             |
             |
         Ptolemy XV

Related articles

External links