S. Müller

Hellenistische Königspaar S. Müller German, 1 edition

The Hellenistic monarchies arose from the collapse of Alexander´s empire, and represented new forms of rule. This study demonstrates how the Hellenistic ruler presented himself and his family in picture, text and on official occasions. In particular the representation of the Hellenistic royal couple and the role of the queen at court are examined on the basis of the Ptolemaic dynasty. It was Ptolemy II who was mainly responsible for shaping the royal image, and his precedents remained binding until the end of the kingdom. It was during his reign that marriage between royal siblings and the deification of the ruling royal couple were introduces, and in ensuing generations this became the norm and the trademark of the royal family. Central aspects of the study are therefore the political background to the marriage between Ptolemy II and his sister Arsinoë II, and how the royal couple presented themselves to Greeks, Macedonians, and Egyptians.