Ptolemy I Soter

1 9.9

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

proper noun

: Ptolomeo I Sóter

Ptolemy I Soter became ruler of Egypt after Alexander the Great's death.

Examples

The dynasty established by Ptolemy I Soter lasted nearly three centuries.
Historians regard Ptolemy I Soter as a founder of Hellenistic rule in Egypt.
The great Ptolemy I Soter established the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt.
Did Ptolemy I Soter serve under Alexander the Great?
Ptolemy I Soter established the Ptolemaic dynasty after becoming the king of Egypt.
Many scholars consider Ptolemy I Soter a key figure in the history of ancient Egypt.
Ptolemy I Soter was known for his close ties to Alexander the Great during their military campaigns.

Synonyms

Ptolemy I

vsPtolemy I Soter

1 9.9

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

has the identical historical meaning but uses an extended name form

Surface Forms

Ptolemy I Soter main

Morphology

Ptolemy + I + Soter

This is a personal name and historical title rather than a compositional phrase; knowing the parts 'Ptolemy', 'I' and 'Soter' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the encyclopedic meaning (king of Egypt, founder of a dynasty). The elements are proper nouns/epithet and a numeral whose combined referent is arbitrary and language-specific, so the meaning is not derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Ptolemy I Soter includes the Greek title Soter, which means 'savior'. He was one of Alexander the Great's generals who took control of Egypt after Alexander died, and because he kept the country safe and started a new ruling family, people called him 'savior'.