Ptolemy I Soter was the founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The average person likely doesn’t recognize that the Ptolemies were Greeks and that a long history in Egypt of indigenous Egyptians had existed well before they came into existence. Cleopatra VII, arguably the most famous and last of the Ptolemies and Hellenism in Egypt, was actually Greek. Everything changed around 331 BC when Alexander the Great entered into battle and ultimately was victorious against the Persians at the Battle of Gaugamela. It was also at this time that Alexander first encountered the elephantine army that the Persians had assembled under their leader Darios III. It was in fact those 15 elephants that Alexander took from Darios to assemble his own elephantine army. 

After Alexander’s death, Ptolemy Soter obtained the right to administer Egypt from Perdiccas. Soter had marched with Alexander in Afghanistan and commanded a division. Not as much is known about Soter from historical writings which is unfortunate. What is certain is that it wasn’t particularly easy for Ptolemy Soter to continue as Alexander had. One good thing that Ptolemy did to secure the support of the Egyptian and Greek communities was to put to death Cleomenes of Naucratis, who was actually installed by Alexander himself. Cleomenes, used his position to hold important Egyptian corn “hostage” during a famine in mainland Greece. He also ruthlessly extracted double taxes from the Egyptian priesthood. By killing Cleomenes, Ptolemy showed good will towards the native population. Just like Alexander, Ptolemy was anointed pharoah by the Egyptians.

On Ptolemy Soter’s death, his son Ptolemy Philadelphus, grew Egypt by leaps and bounds. The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled for another three centuries until the death of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony and the Roman success at Actium in 31 BC. 

This coin is an interesting departure from the typical bronzes of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. It combines the local patroness of Cyprus, Aphrodite with the badge of the Ptolemies, the eagle standing on a thunderbolt. There also was a sanctuary of Aphrodite Cypria at Palai Paphos.