Ptolemaic cult of Alexander the Great Ptolemaic cult of Alexander the Great The Ptolemaic cult of Alexander the Great was an imperial cult in ancient Egypt in the Hellenistic period (323–31 BC), promoted by the Ptolemaic dynasty. The core of the cult was the worship of the deified conqueror-king Alexander the Great, which eventually formed the basis for the ruler cult of the Ptolemies themselves. The head priest of the cult was the chief priest in the Ptolemaic Kingdom, and years were dated after the incumbents (eponymous priests). Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, his empire fell apart in the wars of
Ancient Cypriot art came to assimilate Hellenistic elements as the Ptolemies conquered the country in 300 BC. Although artistic elements of ancient Athens influenced Cypriot burial architecture and other art forms in the beginning, Egyptian styles ultimately superseded. After the Romans seized control in 58 BC, Cyprus once again became a vibrant trading centre. Eastern Mediterranean traders and artists, including sculptors, brought with them a range of foreign artistic practices as they entered the country. As marble and bronze sculptures were increasingly imported from the Aegean, traditional limestone sculptures started to diminish. Hellenistic elements were still prevalent in Cypriot sculpture, ceramics and jewellery