Introduction

Introduction Who were ptolemies? The Ptolemies were a line of Greek rulers who reigned over Egypt from 323 to 30 B.C. Ptolemy I Soter was a Macedonian general who founded the dynasty after Alexander the Great's death. He opened the Library of Alexandria in the capital and the city became a great learning center. The kingdom also included Cyprus, Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) and Palestine at various times. The Ptolemies promoted industry, agriculture and commerce. They only allowed their fellow Greeks to have positions in the government, but respected Egypt's gods and identified with the ancient pharaohs. Ptolemy II, who lived from309 to 246 B.C., began to practice sibling marriages within the dynasty, in imitation of the pharaohs. Later on, rebellions of the natives, feuds within the family and Rome's growing power began to weaken the Ptolemies. With the help of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra VII (69-30 B.C.) overthrew her husband/brother, Ptolemy XII. After Cleopatra died, Egypt became a province of Rome. Contribution to the jewish society 1.Kindness to the Jews. Elsewhere also the kindness of the Ptolemies toward the Jews is highly praised by Josephus and this especially in comparison with the cruel persecutions which the Jews suffered later at the hands of the Seleucidæ in Syria. In fact, the policy of the leading circles in Jerusalem was always to rely on the Ptolemies in opposition to the Seleucidæ. But that manifested itself only in the course of time. As regards the early period the statements of Josephus are very doubtful, since both the early settlement of Jews in Egypt—which, at least in the case of Alexandria, is said to have taken place under Alexander the Great—and their military virtues seem to have been assumed for apologetic reasons when the hatred of the Jews, proceeding from Alexandria, made an apology desirable. According to a later authority, no less than 30,000 Jewish soldiers were placed in Egyptian forts. Something similar must at any rate have happened later; for a "camp of the Jews" is explicitly mentioned, and military achievements of the Jews are certainly spoken of. It is positive that the legal organization of the Egyptian Jews, as in fact the whole legal organization of the Ptolemaic state, was instituted by Ptolemy I. It can hardly be doubted that he gave the Jews at Alexandria equal rights with the incoming Macedonians. 2.Many Jews Follow Ptolemy to Egypt. Ptolemy went to Palestine several times on military expeditions, e.g., in the campaign of the year 320, and in that of 312, which ended with the battle of Gaza. Although he was victorious, he found it expedient to evacuate Palestine for the time being; and on his departure he caused the strongholds of Acre (Acco), Joppa, Gaza, Samaria, and Jerusalemto be razed to the ground . According to the testimony of Hecatæus of Abdera, whom Josephus cites, many Jews felt impelled on this occasion to move to Egypt, and the generally respected high priest Hezekiah also attached himself to Ptolemy. It was, in truth, difficult for Egypt to retain Palestine in opposition to the newly arisen Syrian kingdom, but Ptolemy I. and his successors never relinquished their claim to the cities of Gaza, Joppa, and Jerusalem. The wars which were waged for these places between the Ptolemies and the Seleucidæ, and the sufferings which ensued therefrom for the Jews, are graphically described in Dan.11 the "king of the south" in verse 5 of that chapter referring to Ptolemy. Rule of ptolemies over palestine By 301 B.C. E., however, Ptolemy had finally established a firm hold on Palestine. Despite the damage caused by their ongoing conflict with the Seleucids, the Ptolemies were able to maintain at least de facto control over Palestine. Considerable informa­tion about this period comes from the Zenon papyri, a collection of administrative documents from the archives of an Egyptian finance minister some of which were sent to him by his agent in the Land of Israel.These documents tell us of Palestine under the rule of Ptolemy 11 Philadelphus (283‑246 B.C.E.). The country was often beset by Seleucid attacks and Bedouin incur­sions. Ptolemaic military units were stationed throughout Pal­estine, and many Greek cities were established. Many of these were set up as cleruchies (military colonies) in which soldiers who married native women were given homes and fields, thus fostering the intermarriage which was so much a part of the Hellenistic world.In addition, an extensive Ptolemaic bureaucracy managed governmental affairs and taxation. Central to this officialdom was the goal of developing economic life and trade. Among the exports to Egypt from Palestine and southern Syria were grain, olive oil, smoked fish, cheese, meat, dried figs, honey, dates, and other products. Palestine also assumed importance as a crossroads for the spice trade.