The Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt, established after the death of Alexander the Great, is characterized by a gradual confluence of Greek and Egyptian cultural elements in some, but not all, aspects. Shortly after Alexander's death, his principal generals divided the provinces of his empire into regions governed by satraps (governors). Ptolemy was appointed the satrap of Egypt. In the ensuing power struggle and civil war, three principal kingdoms emerged: Egypt, Syria, and Macedonia. Ptolemy retained control of Egypt and his dynasty continued its reign for three centuries (from 323 BC to 30 BC).
In an effort to legitimize his reign in the eyes of his Greek subjects, Ptolemy deified his predecessor Alexander and instituted an official cult for his worship. After Ptolemy's death, he and his wife Berenice were conferred with divine status. Their descendants were deified during their lifetimes.
To legitimize his reign among the native Egyptians, the Ptolemies represented themselves as a new dynasty of Pharaohs. To further curry favor with the Egyptians, the early Ptolemies maintained the traditional priesthood, the only segment of the Egyptian elite that survived under the new regime. The intellectual, religious class exerted a powerful influence over the Egyptian masses--the native temples became centers of Egyptian nationalism and it was the priesthood that was expected to preserve national pride.
The Ptolemies also built additional Egyptian temples and presented gifts to the Egyptian gods. The priests, responding to the threat to traditional culture, expressed nationalism in the design of these new temples: "Egyptian temple architecture recalled a lost and largely mythical past of primitive simplicity."
Egyptian positions of power in the government and military were usurped under Ptolemaic rule. Egyptians were ousted from the upper levels of the central bureaucracy and the native nomarchs at the local level w...