Chronology of the Ptolemaic Dynasty ruling from Egypt
| 323-283 | Ptolmaios I. Soter | The satrap of Egypt, Ptolemy son of Lagides, eventually asserts his claim as a successor Alexander and king/pharaoh of Egypt. His dynasty is known as the Lagids (Lagides) or Ptolemies. This dynasty was to rule Egypt and other holdings until the defeat of Antony at Actium (30BCE). The last Ptolemaic queen was the famous Cleopatra, the lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Later on, Egypt was an imperial province, directly controlled by the Roman emperor. As the granary of the Roman Empire, Egypt was extremely important for the supply of the citizens of Rome, by then a veritable megalopolis. |
| c. 301-200BCE | Ptolemaic rule over Jerusalem | From 301 (death of Antigonus) until 200 (battle of Paneion), Jerusalem and Ioudaia (the erstwhile Yehud) are controlled by the Ptolemies, ruling from Alexandria in Egypt, a newly established city (in honor of Alexander the Great) with a sizable Jewish colony. |
| 283-246 | Ptolemaios II. Philadelphos | Note the long period of this king's rule. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible begins under his reign, indicating the favorable relations between Jews and Hellenistic rulers of Alexandria (Egypt). |
| 280/279 | Syrian war of succession | |
| 274-271 | First Syrian war | During the century of Ptolemaic rule over Judah/Palestine and Phoenicia, the Seleucids (ruling from Antioch/Syria), ruling the eastern provinces of the erstwhile Achaemenid Empire, exert constant pressure on the Ptolemies. Their immediate aim is the southern Levant (esp. the Phoinician port cities of Tyre, Sidon, etc.); the long term goal is Egypt herself. |
| 260-253 | Second Syrian war | |
| 246-221 | Ptolemaios III. Euergetes
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According to Josephus, power in Jerusalem is divided between two influential families: the Oniad high priests and the taxfarming Tobiads, represented by Joseph son of Tobis (240-218). One of the best remembered high priests of the late 3rd century BCE is Simon son of Onias, also known as Simon "the Just," who was immortalized by Jesus son of Sirach, a wisdom poet, c.190-180. Read Ben Sira's praise of Simon son of Onias. |
| 246-241 | Third Syrian war | |
| 221-204 | Ptolemaios IV. Philopator | |
| 221-217 | Fourth Syrian war | |
| 217 | Battle of Raphia | Ptolemaios IV vanquishes the Seleucids at Raphia (near Gaza) with the help of native Egyptian troops. This boosts Egyptian nationalism. |
| 204-180 | Ptolemaios V. Epiphanes | |
| 201-200 | Fifth Syrian war | Seleucid king Antiochos III (223-187) succeeds in pushing the Ptolemies out of Judah, the Galilee, Samaria, and Phoenicia. |
| 200 | Battle of Paneion (Banyas) | This battle forces the Ptolemies to relinquish Palestine and Phoenicia. From 200-64BCE, Palestine will be under Seleucid rule, even as the Hasmoeans establish a client kingdom of their own. The Roman conquest of in 64 brings nominal Seleucid rule to an end. |
| 180-145 | Ptolemaios VI. Philometor | |
| 170 | Sixth Syrian war | Antiochos IV. Epiphanes wages war on Egypt. The second campaigns is cut short by Roman intervention. This event, known in Roman literature as the "Day of Eleusis," is obliquely referred to in Daniel 11. |
Source: Peter Schäfer, Geschichte der Juden in der Antike. Die Juden Palästinas von Alexander dem Großen bis zur arabischen Eroberung (Stuttgart 1983). On the Hellenistic period in the history of Jerusalem more broadly see the classic study by Victor Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civilization and the Jews (1959).