The Ptolemaic cult of Alexander the Great was an imperial cult in ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period (323–31 BC), promoted by the Ptolemaic dynasty. The core of the cult was the worship of the deified conqueror-king Alexander the Great, which eventually formed the basis for the ruler cult of the Ptolemies themselves. The head priest of the imperial cult was the chief priest in the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
Background Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, the Macedonian Empire fell apart in the Wars of the Diadochi (his generals, the Diadochi or "Successors"). One of them, Ptolemy, son of Lagos, secured rule of Egypt and made it the base for his own imperial ambitions. To legitimize his rule as Ptolemy I Soter ( BC), he relied, like the other Diadochi, not only on the right of conquest, but also on the supposed legitimate succession of Alexander. Not only did Ptolemy I portray himself as Alexander's closest friend in his historical work, but in 321 BC, he seized his body while Alexander's funeral procession was on its way to Macedon from Babylon, and brought it to the Egyptian capital at Memphis. This claim was particularly useful in Egypt, where Alexander had been greeted as liberator from the Achaemenid Empire (the so-called 27th and 31st dynasties) and had been enthroned as Pharaoh and son of the Egyptian deity Ammon-Ra, receiving divine honours. During his stay in Egypt, Alexander had also laid the foundations for the city of Alexandria, which became the main Greek colony and capital of the country.
In the newly-established Ptolemaic Kingdom, the Hellenic element (the Macedonians and the other Greeks from the Hellenic city-states), to which the Ptolemaic dynasty itself belonged, formed the ruling class which succeeded the native Egyptian Pharaohs. While sacred kingship had long been practised in ancient Egypt and other ancient Near Eastern civilizations, it was almost unheard-of in the Greek world. Driven by his unprecedented conquests, in the last year of his life Alexander had demanded even from his Greek subjects to be treated as a living God (apotheōsis). This was accepted only reluctantly, and often rejected outright, by the Greek cities, but Alexander's prolific founding of cities alone secured for him a divine status there, since Greek cities traditionally rendered their founder () divine honours. When Ptolemy took over Egypt, he incorporated the heritage of Alexander into his own propaganda to support the claims of his own dynasty. As part of this effort, Alexander was elevated from a simple patron god of Alexandria to the status of a state god for the Greek populations of the entire Ptolemaic empire, even beyond the confines of Egypt.
Alexander as the chief god of the Ptolemies
During the early Ptolemaic dynasty (), Ptolemy I began the construction of the Tomb of Alexander the Great in Alexandria (the , sēma), and appointed a priest (, hiereus) to conduct religious rites there. This office quickly advanced to become the highest priesthood in the Ptolemaic Kingdom, its prominence underscored by its eponymous character, i.e., each regnal year was named after the incumbent priest, and documents, whether in Koine Greek or Demotic Egyptian, were dated after him. The first priest of Alexander was no less a figure than Ptolemy I's brother Menelaos. The tenure lasted one year, but under Ptolemy I, the priests apparently held the post for longer tenures, while under his successors, with few exceptions, the tenures were reduced to a single year.
Under Ptolemy II Philadelphus ( BC), Alexander's body was brought to the sēma, and, in contrast to the usual Greek custom of cremation, was entombed in a magnificent golden sarcophagus, which was eventually replaced by a transparent glass coffin to display his preserved body. Not only did the presence of Alexander's body in the Ptolemaic capital enhance the dynasty's prestige, but it also became one of the main attractions and pilgrimage sites in the ancient Mediterranean. Even Roman emperors made the journey to Alexandria to visit the great conqueror's tomb.
The Ptolemies assigned the deified Alexander a prominent place in the Greek pantheon, associating him with the Twelve Olympians like Zeus and Apollo. Accordingly, in documents Alexander was referred to simply by his name, as the epithet theos ("god") was regarded as superfluous.
The Ptolemies as temple-sharing gods While Ptolemy I Soter founded the imperial cult of Alexander, his son and successor Ptolemy II completed its connection to the ruler cult around the reigning dynasty itself. The cult of the Ptolemies began in 283/2 BC, when the deceased parents of Ptolemy II were deified as the "Saviour Gods" (θεοὶ σωτῆρες, theoi sōtēres). Statues of the deified couple were installed in the Temple of Alexander, and the priest of the Alexander cult took over the rites for the deified Ptolemies as well. With this gesture, the Ptolemies underlined the superior position of Alexander, and their own subordination to him as "temple-sharing gods" (, synnanoi theoi). Alexander remained the main recipient of rituals and sacrifices, with the Ptolemies only partaking in them.
The elevation of Alexander over the Ptolemies, and their connection to him, was further deepened through the expansion of the cult. Thus in 269 BC, the female priestly office of "basket bearer" (kanēphóros) for the "Sibling Goddess" (thea adelphos) Arsinoe II was established, followed in 211 BC by the "prize-bearer" priestess (athlophoros) in honour of the "Benefactor Goddess" (thea euergetis), Berenice II, and in 199 BC by a priestess for the "Father-Loving Goddess" (thea philopatōr), Arsinoe III. All these priesthoods were subordinate to the priest of Alexander.
Cleopatra III added three further female priesthoods for her own personal cult as "Benefactor and Mother-Loving Goddess" (thea euergetis philometōr): the "sacred foal" (hieros pōlos), the "crown bearer" (stephanēphoros), and the "light bearer" (phōsphoros).
The concept of "temple-sharing gods" was underlined under Ptolemy IV Philopator ( BC), who transported the remains of the Ptolemies and their consorts—unlike Alexander, they had been cremated and kept in urns—to the sēma.
List of priests of Alexander The most recent list is W. Clarysse - G. Van der Veken, The Eponymous Priests of Ptolemaic Egypt, Papyrologica Lugduono-batava 24 (1983).
Ptolemy I Soter (305–282 BC)
Priest Tenure Regnal year References Comments 006Menelaos, son of Lagos285/284 BC 39thP. Hib. I 84a.Brother of Ptolemy I4th tenure 007Menelaos, son of Lagos284/283 BC 40thP. Eleph. 2.5th tenure 008Eureas, son of Proitos283/282 BC 41stP. Eleph. 3.Served for three tenures
Ptolemy II Philadelphos (285/282–246 BC)
Priest Tenure Regnal year References CommentsFor the priests Nr. 9–16, from the 4th to the 11th regnal years of Ptolemy II Philadelphos, there exist two papyri with priest names, but which cannot be precisely dated. ?Athenaios or Limnaios, son of Apollonios ? ?P. Hib. I 97. ?Philiskos, son of Spoudaios ? ?P. Hib. I 30. 017Leontiskos, son of Kallimedes274/273 BC 12thP. Cair. Zen. I 59001.P. Hib. I 110. 018Nearchos or Neomedes, son of Neokles or Philokles273/272 BC 13thP. Hib. I 110; II 199. 019Kallikrates, son of Boiskos272/271 BC 14thP. Hib. II 199.PP VI 14607.From Samos. First priest of Alexander and the deified Ptolemies (Theoi Adelphoi). 020Patroklos, son of Patron271/270 BC 15thP. Hib. II 199.PP VI 15063.Senior Ptolemaic commander in the Chremonidean War.21Archagathos son of Agathokles270/269 BC16thP. Sorb. 3 7023Lykos son of Klesias268/26718thP. Sorb. 3 71For the priests Nr. 21–25, from the 16th to the 20th regnal years of Ptolemy II, there are no extant records. 026Timarchides, son of Asklepiodoros265/264 BC 21stP. Strasb. V 641. 027Pelops, son of Alexandros264/263 BC 22ndP. Hib. I 92.PP VI 14618.From Macedon, father of Pelops 028Kineas, son of Alketas263/262 BC 23rdP. Hib. I 88; II 209.PP VI 17215.From Thessaly 029Aristonikos, son of Perilaos262/261 BC 24thP. Hib. I 85 und 190.PP VI 14897. 030Ptolemy, son of Aratokles261/260 BC 25thP. Hib. I 143.P. Osl. II 16.PP III/IX 5236. 031Taurinos, son of Alexandros260/259 BC 26thBGU VI 1226.From Macedon, brother of Pelops 032Medeios, son of Lampon (or Laagon)259/258 BC 27thBGU VI 1227.P. Petrie III 56b. 033Antiphilos, son of Lykinos258/257 BC 28thBGU VI 1228.P. Hib. I 94. 034Antiochos, son of Kebbas257/256 BC 29thBGU VI 1229; X 1979, 1980.P. Cair. Zen. I 59133.P. Hib. I 95.From Thessaly 035?256/255 BC 30th 036Glaukon, son of Eteokles255/254 BC 31stPP IX 5203.P. Cair. Zen. II 59173, 59182.Brother of Chremonides from Athens 037?254/253 BC 32nd 038Aetos, son of Apollonios253/252 BC 33rdP. Cair. Zen. II 59248.PP IX 4988.From Aspendos 039Neoptolemos, son of Kraisis252/251 BC 34thP. Hib. I 98.From Pisidia 040Ptolemy, son of Andromachos251/250 BC 35thP. Cair. Zen. II 59289.Possibly identical with Ptolemy Andromachou 041Epainetos, son of Epainetos250/249 BC 36thP. Cornell 2. 042?249/248 BC 37thP. Cornell 2. 043Antiochos, son of Kratidas248/247 BC 38thPP III/IX 4999.P. Petrie III 54a. 044Tlepolemos, son of Artapates247/246 BC 39thP. Cair. Zen. III 59340.From Xanthos
Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–222 BC)
Priest Tenure Regnal year References Comments 044Tlepolemos, son of Artapates246/246 BC 1st 045Tlepolemos, son of Artapates246/245 BC 2ndP. Petrie III 43.PSI IV 385.2nd tenure 046Archelaos, son of Damas245/244 BC 3rdBGU X 1981.P. Hib. I 145.PP III/IX 5040. 047Archelaos, son of Damas244/243 BC 4thBGU X 1981.P. Hib. I 145.PP III/IX 5040.2nd tenure 048Aristobulos, son of Diodotos243/242 BC 5thP. Hib. I 171.PSI IV 389. 049Tantalos, son of Kleonikos242/241 BC 6thP. Petrie II 44 = III 54b. 050Archibios, son of Pheidon241/240 BC 7thP. Hausw. 2; 8; 9. 051Onomastos, son of Pyrgon or Pyrrhon240/239 BC 8thP. Hib. I 89; II 261, 262. 052Apollonides, son of Moschion239/238 BC 9thOGIS I 56. 053Apollonides, son of Moschion238/237 BC 10thP. Petrie IV 1.2nd tenure 054Seleukos237/236 BC 11thP. Petrie III 58d. 055Eukles, son of Eubatas236/235 BC 12thBGU X 1982.P. Petrie IV 16. 056Sosibios, son of Dioskourides235/234 BC 13thP. Petrie III 55a; IV 22.PP VI 14631. 057Hellanikos, son of Hellanikos (or Euphragoras?)234/233 BC 14thP. Amsterdam inv. 250. 058?, son of Leon233/232 BC 15thP. dem. Cair. II 30604. 059Aristomachos, son of Timandros232/231 BC 16thP. Hamb. inv. 676. 060Menneas, son of Menoitios231/230 BC 17thP. dem. Berl. 3089. 061?230/229 BC 18th 062Philon, son of Antipatros229/228 BC 19thP. dem. Cair. II 31208; 31210. 063Ikatidas, son of Ikatidas228/227 BC 20thSB V 7631. 064Galestes, son of Philistion227/226 BC 21stP. Petrie III 21a–b.SB III 6277; 6301.P. dem. Cair. 30624. 065Alexikrates, son of Theogenes226/225 BC 22ndP. Petrie I 19; III 19c. 066Ptolemy, son of Chrysermos225/224 BC 23rdPP III/IX 5238; VI 14624. 067Archeteas, son of Iasios224/223 BC 24thP. Hamb. inv. I 24. 068Dositheos, son of Drimylos223/222 BC 25thCPJud. I 127d–e.III Maccabees 1, 3.Born a Jew 069?222 BC 26th
Ptolemy IV Philopator (222–205 BC)