Ptolemy I

1 9.9

A king of Egypt who founded a Macedonian ruling family and was Alexander the Great's general

proper noun
/ˈtɒl.ə.mi aɪ/

: Ptolomeo I

Ptolemy I ruled Egypt as the first Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty after Alexander the Great's death.

Examples

Ptolemy I seized control of Egypt following the death of Alexander the Great.
Under Ptolemy I, Alexandria became a prominent center of culture and learning.
The dynasty established by Ptolemy I lasted nearly three centuries.
Did Ptolemy I really establish the Library of Alexandria?
What achievements are attributed to Ptolemy I?
Ptolemy I founded the city of Alexandria, which became a major cultural hub of the ancient world.
Ptolemy I was known for his friendship with Alexander the Great and his military leadership.

Synonyms

Ptolemy I Soter

vsPtolemy I

1 9.9

A Greek general who becomes king of Egypt and starts a ruling family

has identical meaning but appears as the simpler name without epithet

Surface Forms

Ptolemy I main

Morphology

Ptolemy + I

This is a proper name with a regnal numeral; knowing the constituents 'Ptolemy' (a name) and 'I' (the numeral) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the historical identity, role, or dates (e.g. King of Egypt, founder of a dynasty). While the numeral signals 'the first', that alone is insufficient to derive the MWE's encyclopedic meaning, so the expression is not compositionally transparent.

Etymology

Ptolemy I belongs to a Greek general who was a close friend of Alexander the Great and who took control of Egypt after Alexander died. He became 'king of Egypt', started a long-ruling family and made Alexandria a famous place of learning, so his name is remembered as the founder of that royal line.