Ptolemais: The lost city in Egypt

Abstract

Undoubted, the founding of Greek city-states in ancient Egypt was irreplaceable; the Polis was the most characteristic expression of the Hellenic way of life. It is a commonplace that the Ptolemaic government of Hellenistic Egypt was unusual, perhaps unique, among the successors in not founding Greek cities kingdoms, with a single exception. As a result, Egypt had only three Greek cities until the foundation of Antinoopolis by Emperor Hadrian (AD 117-138) Naukratis , the archaic foundation; Alexandria , the greatest of the cities founded by Alexander the Great; and Ptolemais in Upper Egypt or Ptolemais Hermiou that was founded by Ptolemy I Soter(323 -283 BC). If Alexandria perpetuated the name and cult of the great Alexander (332-323BC), Ptolemais perpetuated the name and cult of the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty; Ptolemy I Soter.