two legally-defined classes divided ptolemaic egyptian society: greeks and egyptians. macedonians and greeks inhabited the city-states of alexandria, naukratis, and ptolemais hermiou. considered full citizens of those "poleis", they were forbidden to marry native egyptians (although greeks living outside of these municipalities could). native egyptians and even jews could be classified as greeks if they abandoned their original cultures, received a greek education, labeled their gods and goddesses with greek names, and embraced the greek lifestyle. native egyptians had been largely excluded from serving in the military by the reign of ptolemy ii, replaced by greek and jewish landholders called cleruchs. by the reign of ptolemy iv in the late 3rd century bc they were reintroduced as phalangite soldiers. large migrations of greeks to egypt ceased by the 2nd century bc, so that the greek minority in ptolemaic egypt remained demographically small.