Rosetta Stone decree Rosetta Stone decree The Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy V) is the third Memphis decree, the first being for his grandfather Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus), and the second being The Raphia Decree (Ptolemy IV). The Decree for Ptolemy V is the text recorded on the Rosetta Stone (issued at Memphis in 196 BC) in the Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic (Egyptian) script, and Greek. The Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt from 305 BC to 30 BC, issued a series of decrees over the course of their reign. The Rosetta Stone is the best known example. After six lines of preview on
Rosetta Stone almost certainly did not originate in the town of Rashid (Rosetta) where it was found, but more likely came from a temple site farther inland, possibly the royal town of Sais. The temple from which it originally came was probably closed around AD 392 when Eastern Roman emperor Theodosius I ordered the closing of all non-Christian temples of worship. The original stele broke at some point, its largest piece becoming what we now know as the Rosetta Stone. Ancient Egyptian temples were later used as quarries for new construction, and the Rosetta Stone probably was re-used in this manner. Later