26. From a King’s Trusted Sidekick to a King in His Own Right
In the court of King Philip II, Ptolemy met and befriended the crown prince, Alexander. The duo remained close companions until the latter’s death. When Alexander became king, Ptolemy was made one of his seven somatophylakes – trusted Macedonian nobles who served as the king’s bodyguards, and also as generals holding command positions. Ptolemy served Alexander well during his conquests and adventurous careen through the Ancient World. Among his notable achievements were the capture of the assassins of the defeated Persian king Darius III, meritorious service in the subjugation of Persia, and command of the Macedonian fleet in the Indian campaign.
Alexander held Ptolemy in high esteem, and the great conqueror praised, rewarded, and decorated him on various occasions. When Alexander died in 323 BC, Ptolemy realized that nobody could control the vast empire the conqueror had left behind. So he convinced Alexander’s generals to divide it amongst themselves, and ended up with Egypt and the surrounding Libyan and Arabian regions. A capable and shrewd ruler, Ptolemy adopted policies that won over the native Egyptian population. After consolidating his power at home, he methodically seized Cyprus, Syria, and parts of Asia Minor, and transformed his domain into a powerful Hellenistic kingdom.