Greek kings, Egyptian pharaohs

The general Ptolemy

founded the Greco-Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty

that ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years after Alexander

the Great’s death. The Ptolemies tried to gain

the support of Egyptian priests in order to be recognised as legitimate

pharaohs. They renovated temples and also built magnificent new ones. 

These royal portraits illustrate

the determination of the Ptolemaic rulers to

present themselves to their Egyptian subjects as legitimate successors to the

native pharaohs.

This

skilfully executed head shows a Ptolemaic king depicted entirely in accordance

with ancient Egyptian traditions. His head

is adorned by the rearing cobra (uraeus) protruding from the traditional

headcloth of Egyptian pharaohs (nemes).

This

royal head originally belonged to the statue of a sphinx, a type of Egyptian

sculpture usually seen flanking processional routes into temples. It is another example of the Ptolemies’ determination to

draw from Egyptian art and iconography, making them seem less like outsiders.

Find out more about the deep connections

between the ancient civilisations of Greece and Egypt in the BP exhibition Sunken cities: Egypt’s lost worlds (19 May – 27 November 2016).

Ptolemaic king. Canopus, 300–200 BC. Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Antiquities Museum, Alexandria. Photo:

Christoph Gerigk. © Franck Goddio/Hilti

Foundation.

Royal head from a sphinx. Canopus, 200–30 BC. Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Antiquities Museum, Alexandria. Photo:

Christoph Gerigk. © Franck Goddio/Hilti

Foundation.