The ancient empire that was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty, famously known for its most renowned member, Cleopatra, was the Egyptian Empire. The Ptolemaic dynasty was a Greek dynasty that ruled Egypt from 305 BCE to 30 BCE, after Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and installed Ptolemy I as pharaoh. The Ptolemaic dynasty was known for its patronage of the arts and sciences, and its capital city, Alexandria, became a center of learning and culture in the ancient world.