Expert: Maria - 8/8/2006

Question
How many countries were around in the period of Ptolemy Dynasty?

Answer
Hello,

First of all the  Ptolemaic dynasty  lasted about three centuries as it ruled over Egypt from 305 BC, when Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Great’s generals who was appointed governor of Egypt by Alexander, declared himself king Ptolemy I,  to 30 BC, when Egypt was conquered by the Romans and became part of the Roman Republic which was about to become an empire.

Therefore to say how many countries were in the Mediterranean area around the period of Ptolemy dynasty we must consider three centuries during which there were many political changes.

So, here are the countries which existed in the 3rd century BC, i.e. from 300 BC to 200 BC:

1-The Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt.
2-The Roman  Republic that embraced Italy, Spain and  Portugal.
3-The Antigonid kingdom which exercised control  over the old Kingdom of Macedon, as well as over most of the Greek city-states.
4-The Seleucid kingdom in Asia, from the Aegean Sea to Afghanistan.

Here are the countries which existed in the 2nd century BC, i.e. from 200 BC to 100 BC:

1- The Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt.
2- The Roman  Republic that embraced Italy, Spain , Portugal, Greece, Northern Africa, Macedonia, whose Antigonid dynasty ended just with the Roman domination of the area after the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC.
3-The kingdom of the Parthians in Persia.
4-The Seleucid kingdom
5-The Kingdom of Pontus in the north east of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) bordering on the Black Sea.

Finally in the 1st century BC, i.e. from 100 BC to 30 BC, all the above mentioned countries, except the kingdom of the Parthians,  were conquered and absorbed  by the Roman Republic which was about to become an Empire.

At that time  in fact the Roman  Republic  embraced Italy , France, England, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Macedonia, Belgium, Swiss, Austria,  Albania, Northern Africa, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Armenia,Palestine, Israel, Syria.

Please note that I’m referring to the Mediterranean area only, as I am an expert in Ancient Greek and Roman History (see my profile) and then I do not mention China, Japan in the Far East.

Best regards,
Maria