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Following the death of Alexander the Great, his
empire was divided between his three generals,
each of whom set up their own kingdoms. One of
them, Ptolemy, took Egypt as his share and made
Alexandria his capital. Ruling as Ptolemy I Soter,
he established the last dynasty to rule Egypt with
the title of Pharaoh. For the next two and a half
centuries, the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Greeks
controlled Egypt, mingling Hellenic traditions
with the mighty legacy of the Pharaohs.
Isis was the bride of Osiris, the mother of Horus,
the healer, the protector of women, the winged
goddess able to grant immortality. The word,
“Isis,” is actually the Greek version of her older
Egyptian name, Aset or Eset, revealing that she
remained a popular deity during the Ptolemaic
period, associated with Demeter. The legend of
Osiris states that his brother Seth, overcome by
jealousy, murdered him and tore his body into
fourteen parts, scattering them across Egypt. Isis
traversed the land and gathered all the parts of
his body. She then cast a spell that resurrected
her deceased husband for one night, during
which their child, Horus, was conceived. Thus,
Isis was one of the central figures of Egyptian
religion, the healer, the giver of life.
- (X.0445)
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