World Timelines - The Nile Valley - 332-30 BC Hellenistic

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The conquest of Alexander the Great	Alexandria	The Ptolemaic dynasty	Antony and Cleopatra

Events

332 BC

Alexander the Great takes Egypt from the Persians

331 BC

Alexander founds Alexandria and leaves Egypt

331 BC

Cleomenes of Naucratis is appointed governor of Egypt

323 BC

Alexander dies from a fever in Babylon leaving a huge empire and a succession crisis

323 BC

Perdiccas, one of Alexander's generals and regent of the empire, appoints Ptolemy as satrap of Egypt

307 BC

Ptolemy I creates the library of Alexandria (Museum)

306 BC

Antigonus makes a failed attempt to invade Egypt

306 BC

Ptolemy I declares himself king of Egypt and takes the title Pharaoh.

300 BC

Ptolemy I builds the Pharos of Alexandria

288 BC

Ptolemy I makes his younger son, Ptolemy Philadelphus, co-regent

281 BC

Ptolemy II Philadelphus becomes ruler of Egypt

274 BC

Magus of Cyrene attempts to gain independence from Ptolemaic rule

274 BC

Antiochus I attempts to take Ptolemaic lands; start of the First Syrian War

271 BC

Ptolemy II regains lands lost to Antiochus; end of the First Syrian War

271 BC

Cyrenaica declares its independence from Ptolemaic rule

260 BC

Antiochus II attacks Ptolemaic lands in Asia; start of the Second Syrian War

258 BC

Battle of Cos; Antiochus II defeats Ptolemy II in a naval battle

253 BC

Antiochus II marries daughter of Ptolemy II; end of Second Syrian War

250 BC

Cyrenaica brought back under Ptolemaic rule

246 BC

Ptolemy II declares war on the Seleucids; start of the Third Syrian War

246 BC

Ptolemy III Euergetes becomes ruler of Egypt

241 BC

Peace treaty ends Third Syrian War

221 BC

Ptolemy IV Philopator becomes ruler of Egypt

219 BC

Antiochus III launches attack on Egypt; start of Fourth Syrian War

217 BC

Peasants revolt due to increasingly high taxes.

217 BC

Battle of Raphia; Ptolemy IV defeats Antiochus III; end of the Fourth Syrian War

204 BC

Death of Ptolemy IV provokes succession crisis; Ptolemy V is still a child

202 BC

Antiochus III attempts to take Ptolemaic lands; start of the Fifth Syrian War

200 BC

Rome, concerned about potential grain shortages, gets assurances from Antiochus that he will not invade Egypt itself

198 BC

Antiochus III takes Palestine

196 BC

Ptolemy V crowned; this occasion commemorated by the Rosetta Stone

195 BC

Peace treaty ends the Fifth Syrian War

180 BC

Ptolemy VI Philometor becomes ruler of Egypt

170 BC

Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II becomes ruler of Egypt

131 BC

Cleopatra II Philometora Soteira becomes opposing ruler

116 BC

Ptolemy IX Soter II becomes co-ruler of Egypt with his mother Cleopatra III

107 BC

Ptolemy X Alexander becomes ruler of Egypt

80 BC

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos becomes ruler of Egypt

51 BC

Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera becomes co-ruler of Egypt with Ptolemy XIII (until 47 BC), then Ptolemy XIV (until 44 BC) and then Ptolemy XV Caesarion (until 30 BC)

48 BC

Roman general Pompey flees to Egypt during the Roman Civil War, but is beheaded by Ptolemy XIII

48 BC

Julius Caesar, angered by Pompey's murder, takes Alexandria

47 BC

Caesar besieged in Alexandria by Egyptian forces.

47 BC

Caesar deposes Ptolemy XIII and puts Cleopatra VII on throne of Egypt

44 BC

Cleopatra murders Ptolemy XIV.

42 BC

Mark Antony fathers two of Cleopatra's children

37 BC

Mark Antony returns to Alexandria permanently

31 BC

Octavian (later Augustus) persuades Rome to declare war on Egypt

31 BC

Battle of Actium; Rome defeats Cleopatra and Mark Antony

30 BC

Despite winning a victory at Alexandria, Antony's troops desert him

30 BC

Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide and Egypt comes under Roman control

The Nile Valley

332-30 BC Hellenistic

In 332 BC Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. After his death in 323 BC, the empire was divided between his generals – Egypt was governed by the Macedonian general Ptolemy who later declared himself king. Greek became the state language and the capital moved to the newly-founded Alexandria, which became one of the most important cities of the Hellenistic world.

Although they spoke Greek and worshipped Greek deities, the Ptolemies adopted elements of traditional Egyptian Pharaonic ritual and religion. The fusion of existing Egyptian culture and Hellenistic influences was deliberately designed to support the new administrative system imposed on the Egyptians. The Ptolemies stressed their desire to support things 'Egyptian' and many temples were built during this period.

Although the Nubian kingdom of Kush had been forced south to Meroe in around 663 BC, it continued to flourish. During this period it became the centre of a buoyant economy and developed commercial links with the Mediterranean.

Under Cleopatra VII, the last Ptolemaic ruler, Egypt became embroiled in the struggle for power in Rome between Mark Antony and Julius Caesar’s heir Octavian (later the emperor Augustus). In 31 BC Octavian defeated Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium. Cleopatra committed suicide and in 30 BC Egypt became part of the Roman Empire.

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