Queen: 51 B.C. to 12 Aug 30 B.C. Probably the 9th generation descendant of Ptolemy I Soter (the Saviour) (b. abt. 367 B.C. Macedon d. abt. 283 B.C.) founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a Macedonian general and food taster of Alexander the Great (b. 20/21 Jul 356 B.C. Pella, Macedonia, Greece d. 10/11 Jun 323 B.C. Babylon) Alexander had been educated by Aristotle, led the Greeks through Asia Minor (Turkey), to Egypt and on to conquer the Persian empire of Darius III, razing his capital Persepolis to the ground. Alexander established an empire founding new cities, all called Alexandria, at Kandahar, Afghanistan and Alexandria Eschate ("The Furthest") in Tajikistan. Alexander's campaign continued into Media and Parthia (Iran), Aria (West Afghanistan), Drangiana and Arachosia (South and Central Afghanistan), Bactria (North and Central Afghanistan), Scythia (Sarmatia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland; Kazakhstan, southern Russia, northern Caucasus now Azerbaijan) and into the Indus valley, modern day Pakistan. After Alexander died of a mosquito bite, his empire was divided by his generals into The Antigonid dynasty in Macedon and central Greece; The Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt based at Alexandria; The Seleucid dynasty in Syria and Mesopotamia based at Antioch; and The Attalid dynasty in Anatolia based at Pergamum. The Hellenistic (meaning "Greek-speaking" or "acting like a Greek) civilization represented the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 B.C. to about 146 B.C. (or arguably as late as 30 B.C.). |