Ptolemaic head of a king
This black granodiorite head of a king dates from the Ptolemaic period, c. 300 B.C.
The Ptolemaic dynasty, also known as the Lagid dynasty (after Ptolemy I’s father, Lagus), was a Macedonian Greek royal house which ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period.
Reigning for 275 years, the Ptolemaic was the longest and last dynasty of ancient Egypt from 305 until its incorporation into the Roman Republic in 30 BC.
Brooklyn Museum. 53.75
Following the earlier dynasties of Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty adopted the practice of inbreeding including sibling marriage, but this did not start in earnest until nearly a century into the dynasty’s history. All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, while queens regnant were all called Cleopatra, Arsinoe, or Berenice.
The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her apparent suicide after the Roman conquest of Egypt marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.
Brooklyn Museum. 53.75
Summary:
Granodiorite head of a king
Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic, c. 300 B.C.
Brooklyn Museum. 53.75
