Da Alessandro ai Theoi Adelphoi. Fondazione e legittimazione della dinastia tolemaica, tra IV e III secolo a.C.

The research focuses on the first century of the Macedonian rule over Egypt in order to study how the Ptolemies had their power legitimated in Africa and in the broader Mediterranean context. Literary sources (both prose and verse, in Greek and Egyptian language), inscriptions, papyri, and iconography are used to set an interdisciplinary approach to the topic. Major attention is paid to the social contexts where ideological motifs originate and spread; to the link between media, genres and consensus making; to the genealogy and development of specific legitimating themes and their later incorporation in learned traditions or local identities.
Section I: From Alexander to the Ptolemies.
Chapter I: Alexander in Egypt: focus is on the role of Siwah in the perspective of the Greek, Macedonian, and Egyptian legitimation of Alexander's power in Egypt; particular attention is paid to how legitimating traditions are used and reshaped to the purposes of broadening the limits of Macedonian kingship, depicting Alexander as a Greek hero, interpreting Egyptian kingship for Greeks and Macedonians and naturalizing Alexander as a Pharaoh.
Chapter II: In the name of Alexander: how Ptolemy adapted to the hierarchy of proximity to the king to legitimate his power in Egypt and finally to establish a new dinasty; main topics are the use of Alexander's body in the historical context of the succession and in the local tradition of Alexandria; the historical events of the last decades of IV century are considered from the perspective of the development of legitimating themes, such as the political allegiance to Alexander, the right of conquest, the use of marriage diplomacy.
Section II: The Political Use of Religious Festivals under Ptolemy II.
Chapter III: Sources and Historical Problems concerning the Ptolemaia: sources on the Ptolemaia, Pentaeteris and Callixeinus' report in Athen. V are discussed to study dynastic festivals during Ptolemy II’s reing.
Chapter IV: Anatomy of a Festival: The Grand Procession of Ptolemy II: focus is on the making of an historical and mythic legitimating past through the scenes in the procession.
Section III: Patterns of Female Power: The Case of Arsinoe II
Chapter V: Shaping Female Power: Arsinoe II as a Queen: Arsinoe II's career and political legacy are discussed to offer a gender-related evaluation of her role as a queen in both Greco-Macedonian and Egyptian traditions.
Chapter VI: Female Ruler Cults. Arsinoe in Early Hellenistic Context: the analysis combines court poetry, iconography and documentary texts to study the cults for Arsinoe both as a member of the Theoi Adelphoi and as an individual goddess, the Philadelphos. Arsinoe's case is then discussed in the broader perspective of female ruler cults in early Hellenism.