Ptolemy I Soter

Edward M. Anson’s “Ptolemy I Soter: Themes and Issues” examines the key problems surrounding Ptolemy’s reign rather than providing a traditional biography. Known by the moniker Savior, Ptolemy I was the most successful of Alexander the Great’s successors in many ways. Following the demise of the great conqueror, he established the longest-lasting Hellenistic kingdom, which persisted until Cleopatra VII passed away and Egypt was absorbed into the Roman Empire.

The book focuses on Ptolemy’s final goals, his rule over his realm, and his part in the fall of Alexander’s united empire. In a nation with a long history of rejecting foreign authority, Ptolemy’s government preserved a certain degree of political stability despite favoring immigrants from Greece and Macedonia over native Egyptians. The book gives the life narrative of one of the main Hellenistic Age builders a fresh perspective.