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The Ptolemies: Rulers of the Ptolemaic Dynasty
The Ptolemies were a Macedonian-Greek royal family that ruled Egypt from Alexandria, from Ptolemy I (king from 306 BC) to Cleopatra VII (died 30 BC). The list shows 32 rulers.
The Ptolemies at a glance
After the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) his general Ptolemy took over Egypt, at first as satrap and from 306 BC as king. His descendants bore Egyptian royal titles and had themselves shown as pharaohs on temple reliefs. The capital was Alexandria; more on the period on the page Greco-Roman Period. The dynasty ended with the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, when Egypt became a Roman province.
Women of the dynasty often appeared as co-regents, see Female Pharaohs.
All rulers of the Ptolemies
- Ptolemy I Soter323–306 BC 306–283 BC
- Magas300–c. 250 BC
- Ptolemy II Philadelphus285–283 BC 283–246 BC
- Demetrius the Fair250–249/248 BC
- Ptolemy III Euergetes248–246 BC 246–222 BC
- Ptolemy IV Philopator222–205 BC
- Horwennefer206–200 BC
- Ptolemy V Epiphanes205–180 BC
- Ankhwennefer200–186 BC
- Ptolemy VI Philometor180–164 BC 163–145 BC
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes168 BC
- Ptolemy Eupator152 BC
- Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator145 BC
- Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II170–164 BC 164/163 BC 163–145 BC 145–131 BC 128–116 BC
- Cleopatra II170–164 BC 131–128 BC 116/115 BC
- Harsiesi131–130 BC
- Ptolemy IX Soter II116–107 BC 106–88 BC 88–81 BC
- Cleopatra III116–107 BC 107–101 BC
- Ptolemy X Alexander I110–107 BC 107–101 BC 101–88 BC
- Ptolemy Apion100–96 BC
- Cleopatra Berenice III81–80 BC
- Ptolemy XI Alexander II80 BC
- Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos80–58 BC 55–51 BC
- Ptolemy of Cyprus80–58 BC
- Berenice IV58–55 BC
- Cleopatra VI58/57 BC
- Archelaus56/55 BC
- Cleopatra VII52/51 BC 51–30 BC
- Ptolemy XIII50–47 BC
- Arsinoe IV48/47 BC
- Ptolemy XIV48/47 BC 47–44 BC
- Ptolemy XV Caesarion44–30 BC
Books on this topic
- The Rise and Fall of Ancient EgyptToby WilkinsonThe whole story from the first kings to Cleopatra, told in a readable way.AdOn Amazon
- Ancient Egypt: The Definitive Visual HistoryDKA large illustrated volume with photographs of temples, tombs and finds.AdOn Amazon
- The Oxford History of Ancient EgyptIan Shaw (ed.)The standard one-volume history, written by leading Egyptologists.AdOn Amazon
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The price stays the same for you. All book tips
Frequently asked questions
Who were the Ptolemies?
A Macedonian-Greek royal family that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great. Their founder was Ptolemy I, a general of Alexander.
How long did the Ptolemies rule?
According to this list from 306 BC (Ptolemy I as king) to 30 BC (Cleopatra VII), that is a good 270 years.
Who was the last Ptolemy?
Cleopatra VII was the last ruler of the dynasty; her son Ptolemy XV Caesarion was co-regent and was killed in 30 BC on Octavian’s orders.
Why are so many Ptolemies called Ptolemy?
The men of the family were mostly called Ptolemy, the women Cleopatra, Berenice or Arsinoe. To tell them apart the names are numbered (Ptolemy I to XV) and given epithets.
Were the Ptolemies Egyptian?
No. They came from Macedonia but adopted Egyptian royal titles and customs and had temples built in the Egyptian style.
Sources
- Ptolemies: rulers and reigns from the German Wikipedia “Liste der Pharaonen” (CC BY-SA)
- Ptolemaic dynasty
Facts checked on 19 October 2026. Dates follow the list on this site and are estimates.
More to start with
- List of Pharaohs
- Female Pharaohs
- First & Last Pharaoh
- Timeline & Dynasties
- What is a Pharaoh?
- Roman Emperors as Pharaohs
- Test your knowledge in the quiz
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