Rosetta Stone decree facts for kids
The Rosetta Stone is a super important ancient stone slab that helped us finally understand Egyptian hieroglyphs, which are the ancient Egyptian picture-writing system! It's famous because it has the same message written in three different ways: in Egyptian hieroglyphs, in a simpler Egyptian script called Demotic, and in Ancient Greek.
This special stone was created in 196 BC by a group of priests in Memphis. They wrote a decree (a fancy word for an official order or announcement) to celebrate the young king, Ptolemy V. The decree talked about how great Ptolemy V was and confirmed his special status as a ruler. It also mentioned an Egyptian rebellion against the Greek rulers of the time, which was something we didn't know much about from other sources.
Contents
Why Was the Rosetta Stone Made?
Life in Ancient Egypt Under Greek Rulers
Imagine living in Egypt a long, long time ago, but your rulers were from Greece! That's what happened after Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. The Greek rulers, part of the Ptolemaic dynasty, often treated native Egyptians like second-class citizens. Plus, there were many wars, which made life hard and hurt the economy.
For example, a powerful ruler named Antiochus III the Great took over some lands that used to belong to Egypt, like Coele-Syria (which included Judaea), after a big battle in 198 BC. There was also a long-running rebellion in southern Egypt led by people like Horwennefer and Ankhwennefer. These rebellions were still happening when Ptolemy V became king. Cities that joined the rebellion faced tough consequences, like their ports being closed, which meant no trade!
Ptolemy V: A Young King's Challenges
Ptolemy V became king when he was only five years old, after his parents died suddenly. It was a bit of a messy situation, with some people trying to control Egypt as his guardians. For a while, a woman named Agathoclea and her family were in charge. But eventually, people got angry, and a revolt broke out, leading to Agathoclea and her family being attacked by a mob.
Later, a man named Aristomenes of Alyzia became Ptolemy V's chief minister. When Ptolemy V was 12, he was officially crowned king in Memphis. This was a really important event, and the priests of Egypt gathered there to pass the decree that would later be carved onto the Rosetta Stone. This decree was a way to show everyone that Ptolemy V was a strong and good ruler, and to get the people to support him, especially after all the rebellions and problems.
What Does the Rosetta Stone Say?
The Three Scripts and Two Languages
The Rosetta Stone is amazing because it has the same message written in three different ways:
- Egyptian Hieroglyphs: This was the formal, sacred writing system used for important religious and royal texts.
- Demotic: This was a simpler, everyday version of Egyptian writing, used for common documents and letters.
- Ancient Greek: This was the language of the Greek rulers of Egypt at the time.
Having the same text in all three scripts was the key to unlocking the mystery of hieroglyphs! Scholars could read the Greek, then use it to figure out the Egyptian parts.
The stone isn't perfectly preserved; some parts are missing or damaged. For example, only bits of the hieroglyphic section remain. But luckily, we found other copies of this same decree elsewhere, which helped fill in the missing pieces!
Key Messages in the Decree
The decree on the Rosetta Stone is like a big "thank you" note from the priests to King Ptolemy V, listing all the good things he did. Here are some of the main points:
- Tax Cuts and Amnesty: Ptolemy V reduced or even got rid of some taxes for the army and ordinary people, making them happier. He also gave amnesty (forgiveness) to prisoners and stopped the practice of "pressganging" (forcing people into the army).
- Support for Temples: The king was very generous to temples. He made sure they kept their income and property, and he even reduced the taxes priests had to pay. He also ordered that temples be restored and rebuilt all over Egypt.
- Honoring Sacred Animals: Ancient Egyptians believed certain animals were sacred. Ptolemy V showed great care for these animals, like the Apis and Mnevis bulls, providing money for their burials and festivals.
- Ending Rebellions: The decree mentions Ptolemy V's victory in a siege against a rebellious city called Shekan. He showed mercy to the ordinary people who had rebelled, letting them return home, but the leaders of the rebellion were punished. Later versions of the decree from other places even talk about him conquering Thebes after its rebellion.
- Establishing the King's Cult: To show how important Ptolemy V was, the decree ordered that statues of him be placed in the most visible parts of temples throughout Egypt. These statues were to be treated with the same respect as statues of the gods, with priests performing rituals for them three times a day. Priests were also given a special title: "priests of the God who appears, whose goodness is perfect."
- Special Celebrations: The decree set up special feast days to celebrate the king's birthday and the anniversary of him becoming king. These days were to be celebrated every month in all temples. His statue was also to be included in major festivals for other gods.
- Worship at Home: Even ordinary people were encouraged to have small gold shrines with the king's statue in their homes and celebrate his festivals.
The Final Instructions
The decree ends by telling all temples across Egypt to put up a stone slab (a "stela") with a copy of this decree, written in all three scripts and two languages. This is why we have the Rosetta Stone today!
Other Copies of the Decree
Because the decree ordered copies to be put up everywhere, we've found other versions of this same text! The Rosetta Stone is the earliest and most complete copy we have. Other copies have been found in places like Philae temple, and they sometimes have small differences, like mentioning Ptolemy V's wife, Cleopatra I, after they got married, or talking about different military events depending on where the stone was located. For example, copies from Upper Egypt mention the reconquering of Thebes instead of the siege of Lycopolis.
These other copies were super helpful in understanding the Rosetta Stone completely, especially the parts that were damaged.
See also
- Decree of Canopus for Ptolemy III
- Decree of Memphis, or Raphia Decree, for Ptolemy IV
- Nubayrah Stele
