PTOLEMY I (called SOTER, the Saviour))) : b. Macedonia; d. 283 B.C. According to Lucian he was born about 367 a.c., but on the supposition of his being a son of Philip it must have been some years later. In 330 B.C. he was admitted into the body-guard, and from this time appears in important transactions. During the Indian campaigns he was regularly em ployed in the most important commands, and distinguished himself alike for valor and ca pacity as a general. He continued on terms of intimate friendship with Alexander, and accom panied him in his last campaign 324 B.C. On the death of Alexander he attached himself to the party of Perdiccas, and secured for himself the government of Egypt. He then proceeded to strengthen himself in his government, and concluded a secret league with Antipater against Perdiccas. In the arrangements made after the death of Perdiccas Ptolemy retained Egypt; and subsequently strengthened himself by marrying Eurydice, daughter of Antipater. On the death of Antipater (319 a.c.) Ptolemy united with Cassander and Antigonus against Eumenes, and on the defeat of Eumenes by Antigonus joined Cassander and Lysimachus against Antigonus, who invaded Syria, 315 B.C., overran Phoenicia, and laid siege to Tyre, which he took in 314 a.c. Cyprus revolted in 313, and Ptolemy proceeded thither in person, and reduced the whole island. In 312 n.c. he in vaded Palestine. In 311 a general peace was effected, hut it was not of long duration and was broken by Ptolemy in 310 B.C. In 308 he in vaded Greece, but made little progress, and Antigonus now resolved to wrest Cyprus from Ptolemy (307 s c.). The Egyptians were totally
defeated at Salamis, and Cyprus fell into the hands of the victor, who assumed the title of king. In 305 a.c. Ptolemy assisted the Rhodians against Demetrius, and from the Rhodians on this occasion acquired his surname of Soter. In 302 a league was formed against Antigonus, but alarmed by a false report that Antigonous had won the battle of Ipsus he retired to Egypt. The defeat and death of Antigonus in this battle raised Seleticus to a position of great power, and a dispute ensued between him and Ptolemy 295 s.c. Ptolemy recovered Cyprus, which be came a permanent dependency ofpt. Ptol emy had two sons by Eurydice, but determined to bestow the crown on Ptolemy Philadelphus, a younger son by his favorite wife Bernice. He announced his own retirement, and caused him to be proclaimed as his successor 285 ac. Ptolemy is regarded as the most prudent of the successors of Alexander. His internal adminis tration of Egypt was enlightened and success ful. He raised Alexandria to the highest rank in commercial prosperity, and founded in that city a colony of Jews, to whom the special place taken by Alexandria in subsequent times in philosophy and literature, as well as in politics, was in great measure due. He was also an eminent patron of literature, science and art, and founded the library and museum of Alex andria. He himself wrote a narrative of the wars of Alexander, used as authority by Arrian. For bibliography see PTOLEMY.