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Nile Musings ~ Celebrating the Egyptian Arabian Horse ~ Volume 1 Number 8 August 2003

image of grey horsehead Nile Musings image of horsehead from Haremheb's tomb

Ptolemy Euergetes on horseback
Maspéro 1

A post pharaonic image of king Ptolemy (III) Euergetes on horseback rounds out the Nile Musings of royal riders. Previous articles about mounted royalty discuss young Amenhotep III's hunt on horseback and an ostracon which perhaps depicts Ramses VI on horseback. The royal rider in this article ruled during the Ptolemaic dynasty of foreign rule in Egypt.

Ptolemy III was also called Ptolemy Euergetes, the Benefactor. Ptolemy III ruled 246-222 BC. His naval and cavalry military accomplishments include an attack on Syria to avenge his sister's murder. He further expanded his empire into Syria by marrying the daughter and heiress of the king of Cyrene. 2

Ptolemy III lived in Alexandria, the northern city in Egypt established by Alexander the Great. There he contributed to the library and the arts. 3

Many temples attest to Ptolemy Euergetes' influence throughout Egypt during his reign. In southern Egypt at Karnak, of the eleven gates he built the southern gate which is known as Bab el-’Amara. El Karnak Temple Street north from Luxor center leads straight to the gateway. At the gate the road makes the first of several right angle turns around the perimeter of the complex as it follows the mud brick wall enclosure. A late 1800's photo shows the gate free standing. The modern mud brick wall adjoins it now. Well preserved incised carvings cover its face and a winged sun disk speads across the mortise top.

Stoddard photo ©1897 of the Euergetes Gate from the top of a pylon
Looking south out through the Euergetes Gate towards Luxor onto the ram-headed sphinx lined El Karnak Temple Street. 1897 Stoddard photo 4
March 2003 photo of Euergetes Gate from Karnak Temple Street
Looking north through the Euergetes Gate from the street towards the temple of Khonsu in the Karnak Temple complex–2003.
March 2003 photo of the mud brick wall adjoining Euergetes Gate
A mud brick wall surrounds the Karnak Temple complex and abuts Euergetes Gate. Modern visitors enter from the west gate.

Farther south near Aswan, Ptolemy Euegertes built the Mamissi birthhouse in the temple at Philae. He also built the foundation of the temple at Edfu.

The Birth House of the Temple of Aset at Philae built by Ptolemy III. March 2003.
The Mamissi birthhouse in the temple at Philae, built by Ptolemy III
The Temple of Horus at Edfu which Ptolemy III began building. March 2003.
The entrance gate and pylons of the well preserved Ptolemaic temple of Horus at Edfu, begun by Ptolemy III

This month's article looks briefly at Ptolemy Euegertes on horseback.

The next article begins a series about Nile faring horses.

What's new on the Nile Muse?
—a Ptolemaic Egyptian King on horseback
—August 2003 - First cloned horse born… to her twin. Link to the MSNBC article: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077197/

Your webscribe, Donna Hyora

NOTES:

  1. Gaston Maspéro, Art In Egypt 1912, Gaston Maspéro.
  2. University College London, Petrie Museum, Ptolemy (III) Euergetes www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk/digital_egypt/chronology/ptolemyiii.html
  3. The History of the Ptolemy's and the Nabataean Empire http://nabataea.net/ptolomy.html
  4. The John L. Stoddard Lectures, Volume II, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Egypt, Geo L Shuman Co, Copyright 1897, 1910.

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