Cult of Nectanebo the Falcon as an Element of Religiuos Policy Of Ptolemy II

The article examines one of the elements of the religious policy of Ptolemy II in Egyptian temples, namely the cult of Nectanebo the Falcon. The cult of Nectanebo the Falcon was created during the reign of Nectanebo II and revered this king as the receptacle of the god Horus. The cult gains new popularity during the reign of Ptolemy II. The article considers the reasons for such a development. The opinion that the cult gained popularity due to Ptolemies' attempts to justify their legitimacy by formalizing their succession with the XXX dynasty was criticized. Instead, another explanation is offered: Ptolemies, who did not strive to fulfill their functions as ritualistic kings, still considered it important to show their divinity in the eyes of the Egyptian priesthood. One way to ensure such divinity was to show that the god Horus was present in the king, the underlining idea of the cult of Nectanebo the Falcon and an important point of Egyptian religion. Importantly, this fits well into the general context of Ptolemy II's cult policy. Ptolemy II created no cults to venerate his own figure but instead used other cults to legitimize his reign. For instance, the cult of Nectanebo the Falcon explained the sacred status of Ptolemy II using traditional terms of Egyptian culture without the need to create a personal cult. The reasons for this might have been twofold: Ptolemy II's self-perception or his desire to avoid dissatisfaction with the Greeks and Macedonians by excessive appeal to Egyptian tradition.