Statue of a Ptolemaic King
GEM 48136

Statue of a Ptolemaic King

Beneath the waters of Abu Qir Bay, near modern-day Alexandria, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable statue believed to depict Ptolemy II Philadelphus, one of the Greek rulers of Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty, which lasted from 305 to 30 BC. The statue, carved from red granite quarried in Aswan, was found among the submerged ruins of Thonis-Heracleion—an ancient port city that sank due to earthquakes and rising sea levels in the 2nd century BC. The Ptolemies, descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, a general of Alexander the Great, ruled Egypt while embracing its culture to solidify their power. They ap ... Discover more with Premium!
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