Ptolemy IV Philopator

Ptolemy IV Philopator was the fourth pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, ruling Egypt from 222 BC to 204 BC, with dates uncertain by about a year. He inherited a prosperous kingdom from his parents, Ptolemy III Euergetes and Berenice II. His reign is best remembered for the Fourth Syrian War and the victory over the Seleucid king Antiochus III at the Battle of Raphia in 217 BC, during which Egyptian native soldiers were armed in large numbers for the first time under Ptolemaic rule. This militarisation contributed to prolonged native uprisings in Upper Egypt later in his reign.

Despite internal unrest, Ptolemy IV continued major building programmes, including further construction work on the Temple of Horus at Edfu and the Hathor temple at Deir el-Medina on the west bank of Thebes. He was buried in the royal cemetery at Alexandria, though his tomb has not survived. Scholars know his reign through official priestly decrees, papyri, Greek historical accounts, and temple inscriptions across Egypt.

Monuments

• Battle of Raphia commemorations
• Edfu Temple continuation
• Deir el-Medina Hathor temple

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