Army of Hellenistic Egypt: organizational and historical-philosophical aspect

Abstract

This article is devoted to the analysis of the formation and transformation of the organization of the army of the Ptolemaic power. The authors consider the mechanisms of the evolution of the army of Hellenistic Egypt and show the main directions of this process, its ideological justification – philosophical concepts that developed in the era of Hellenism. Rejecting the excessively strict classical assessments given to the military art of Hellenistic Egypt, the authors turn not only to historical but also to historical and philosophical argumentation. The conclusion is made about the sufficient effect of the army organization throughout the greater length of the history of the Ptolemaic state when the army acted as one of the main pillars of the Ptolemaic rule and a universal foreign policy tool. The decline of military affairs in Egypt, which occurred in the second half of the II – first half of the I century BC, was mainly caused by the changes that occurred in the system of international relations in the Mediterranean region and in the general crisis of the Ptolemaic dynasty and state. Despite all the shortcomings of the army of Egypt during the Hellenistic period, the army was one of the most stable institutions that slowed down the process of state collapse. The article is prepared based on materials announced during the round table “The Ancient World in the history of mankind”, dedicated to the memory of Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Vyacheslav Gorovoy (1954–2020).