History of Ptolemaic Egypt - Demographics

Demographics

The Ptolemaic kingdom was ethnically diverse. During this period, Greek troops under Ptolemy I Soter were given land grants and brought their families encouraging tens of thousands of Greeks to settle the country making themselves the new ruling class. Early Greek settlers did little to hide their disdain for the Egyptian population which surrounded them, people they thought to be barbaric. Despite this initial disdain, later generations of the Greek population were more open to intermarriage with the Egyptian population, particularly in the settlements farthest away from Alexandria.

Native Egyptians continued having a role in Egypt, yet a small one in the Ptolemaic government mostly in lower posts and outnumbered the foreigners. During the reign of the Ptolemaic Pharaohs, many Jews were imported from neighboring Palestine by the hundred thousands for being renowned fighters, given that their homeland was on the frontier between Egypt and the Seleucid Empire and established an important presence in Alexandria. Other foreign groups settled during this time even Galatian mercenaries, also fierce and skilled warriors, were first invited in the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus in 276 BC. The Galatians are thought to have been resettled in the Faiyum region. Other Celts from Gaul and eastern Europe subsequently served in the armies of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Even the royal bodyguard of Cleopatra VII contained a company of 300 Gallic warriors, a contingent given to her by Gaius Julius Caesar in 48 BC.