_Alexander the Great in Egypt--Alexandria founded--The Greeks favour the Jews--Ptolemy Soter establishes himself in Egypt and overcomes Perdiccas--Struggles for Syria--Beginning of Egyptian coinage--Art and Scholarship--Ptolemy resigns in favour of his son Philadelphus --First treaty with Rome--Building of the Pharos--Growth of Commerce--Encouragement of Learning--The library of Alexandria--Euclid the geometer--Poets, astronomers, historians, and critics--The Septuagint--Marriage of Philadelphus to his sister Arsinoe--Ptolemy Euergetes plunders Asia--Egyptian temples enlarged--Religious tolerance--Annual tribute of the Jews--Eratosthenes the astronomer--Philosophy and Science--Culmination of Ptolemaic rule--The dynasty declines under Philopator--Syrians invade Egypt; Philopator retaliates; visits Jerusalem--The Jews persecuted--The king's follies--Riots at Alexandria--Inglorious end of Philopator--The young Ptolemy Epiphanes protected by Rome--Military revolt suppressed--Coronation of Epiphanes--The Rosetta Stone--Marriage of Epiphanes and Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus the Cheat--A second rebellion repressed--Accession of Ptolemy Philometer under the guardianship of Cleopatra--Antiochus Epiphanes defeats Philometer--Euergetes seizes the throne and appeals to Rome--Antiochus supports Philometor against his brother Euergetes--The brothers combine against Antiochus--Fraternal rivalry--Philometer appeals to the Romans who adjust the quarrel--Philometer arbitrates in a dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans--New temples built--Egyptian asceticism--Philometer's death; Euergetes reigns alone, and divorces his queen Cleopatra--Popular tumult in Alexandria--Euergetes flees--Cleopatra in power--Euergetes regains the throne; conquers Syria and makes peace with Cleopatra--The reign of Cleopatra Cocce with Lathyrus (Ptolemy Soter II.)--Cleopatra in the ascendent--She helps the Jews, while Lathyrus helps the Samaritans--Lathyrus flees to Cyprus--Ptolemy Alexander I rules with Cleopatra--Death of Alexander and restoration of Lathyrus--Accession of Cleopatra Berenice--Ptolemy Alexander II. bequeaths Egypt to Rome, murders Berenice, and is slain by his guards--Auletes succeeds--The Romans claim Egypt--Pompey assists Auletes who is expelled by the Egyptians--Cleopatra Tryphama and Berenice placed on the throne--Grabinius and Mark Antony march into Egypt and restore Auletes--The reign of Cleopatra--Pompey made governor--The Egyptian fleet aids Pompey--Pompey is slain--Caesar besieged by the Alexandrians--He overcomes opposition, is captivated by Cleopatra and establishes her authority--The Queen's extravagance--Defeat of Antony--Death of Cleopatra--Octavianus annexes Egypt._ INTRODUCTORY ESSAY HELLENISM AND HEBRAEISM IN EGYPT UNDER THE PTOLEMIES I.