Ptolemy Macron

Ptolemy Macron (fl. 2nd century BCE) was a Greek official in the

Sixth Syrian War between the Seleucid Empire under King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Ptolemaic Kingdom under King Ptolemy VI Philometor, he surrendered Cyprus to an invading Seleucid fleet, betraying the Ptolemies and joining the Seleucid Empire. Roman intervention to end the war would require that the Seleucids hand Cyprus back to the Ptolemies, meaning Ptolemy Macron thereafter served the Seleucids in their empire in Coele-Syria and Phoenicia as governor (strategos) there. However, with the death of King Antiochus IV and his replacement by Lysias

as regent, he apparently fell out of favor with the Seleucid court. His death around 162 BCE was attributed to suicide.

The

books of Maccabees refer both to a "Ptolemy, who was called Macron" who acted positively toward the Jews and a commander called "Ptolemy son of Dorymenes" who led troops into battle against the rebel Jews at the Battle of Emmaus

. Scholars disagree on whether these passages refer to a single person or to two separate people.

Primary sources

The most important surviving sources on Ptolemy are

Jewish Antiquities, albeit likely paraphrased from the mention in 1 Maccabees, as well as a brief biography in the Suda.^[4]

Gorgias

is appointed the new governor of Coele-Syria:

Ptolemy, who was called Macron, took the lead in showing justice to the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, and attempted to maintain peaceful relations with them. As a result he was accused before
Philometor had entrusted to him, and had gone over to Antiochus Epiphanes. Unable to command the respect due to his office, he took poison and ended his life.
— 2 Maccabees 10:12-13 (NRSV)^[5]

Some passages refer to a "Ptolemy son of Dorymenes", who some scholars suggest may be the same person.

2 Maccabees 4 recounts a story that the corrupt High Priest Menelaus paid a bribe to Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, one of the king's advisors, to avoid punishment for his misdeeds.^[6] According to 1 Maccabees 3:38-39, Lysias selected Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias as commanders of the Seleucid force that would eventually fight in the Battle of Emmaus (c. 165 BCE).^[7]

Analysis

The argument that Ptolemy Macron and Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes are the same person is simple: what is the likelihood of two men of the same name governing consecutively in the same Seleucid province?[8] If Ptolemy son of Dorymenes really is the same person as Ptolemy Macron, it suggests he changed his stance toward the Jews later in his life, given the positive tone 2 Maccabees adopts toward his conciliatory policies.^[4]

There are objections to this identification on both chronological and psychological grounds. Terence Mitford cites that the story of 2 Maccabees of Menelaus being accused and then bribing Ptolemy son of Dorymenes seems to take place around 170 BCE, which is a bit too soon for Macron to have defected and for Cyprus to have been conquered.^[8] The sudden switch in stances can also be taken as reason to see them as separate people. Bezalel Bar-Kochva writes that "after the defeat at Ammaus, Ptolemy son of Dorymenes was dismissed and replaced by Ptolemy Macron". After the humiliating defeat at Emmaus in 165 BCE, the name "son of Dorymenes" is not seen again, and dismissing this commander for his failure would have been a reasonable step to take. Ptolemy Macron, conversely, was a respected administrator who likely would have had many opportunities to know and meet Jews through his family in Alexandria. He may also have brought defecting troops with him to Syria; 2 Maccabees 4:29 mentions "Cypriot troops" in the region. Having a three year "cooling off" period while the Seleucids made sure he was not going to defect back to the Ptolemies would be a reasonable move to make before placing him in a high position worthy of his experience.^[1]