ptolemy i soter (; , ; c. 367 bc – january 282 bc) was a general in the greek army of alexander the great who was the king and pharaoh of ancient egypt from 305/304 bc until he died. he was the first king of egypt during the hellenistic period. ptolemy made alexandria the capital city of egypt. (the old capital was memphis.) ptolemy's children were the next kings of the ptolemaic dynasty. this dynasty (line of rulers) controlled egypt until the beginning of the roman empire.