Friday

iii

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The Ptolemies shared great skill and sound political handling of matters in integrating, if only apparently, between the occupying Hellenes and the Egyptians despite the clear differences between the two. Actually, Ptolemy II following the footsteps of his his father Ptolemy I from the beginning of his reign found that unifying the Hellenes and the Egyptians with regards to all aspects of life is impossible. Each of these two groups had its own customs and traditions which required approaching this sensitive issue with patience, care and great wisdom.

From the side of the Egyptians, Ptolemy II knew quite well from the history of the Egyptian land that no ruler was able to control it unless he was a Pharaoh from the descendants of the god Ra. The reason behind this is that the clergy as well as the Egyptian people viewed the pharaoh as a descendant of the god Ra, the first king to control Egypt. Therefore, in order to take control of the Egyptian people, the Ptolemies had to convert to the Ancient Egyptian religion and also to appear as the descendants of Ra. When they implemented this strategy, their monarchy became stable and they were able to secure their control specially that the controlling switch of the Egyptian people was in the hands of the clergy, viewed as being the strongest sector in the country having the ability to steer the whole population to whichever direction they wish at the times of peace and war. That way, Ptolemy II was able, through getting the clergy on his side, to make the farmers and all the working labor under his disposal directing them to wherever he pleased having established himself as a god to be worshiped and obeyed on earth.

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