Ptolemaic

Art & Architecture Thesaurus

Ptolemaic

Refers to the period in Egypt from about 304 to 30 BCE named after the first ruler of the Dynasty, Ptolemy I, who inherited Egypt in the division of Alexander the Great's empire. The period is characterized by the merging of strong Greek influences with traditional Egyptian modes of expression especially in architecture, and changes in pictorial conventions such as the representation of the human figure in statuary and relief sculpture.