Ptolemy II ruled Egypt for 38 years, and he was inclined to reconciliation and loved peace, which made his reign calm without wars or revolutions, and this led to the expansion of the country's wealth, the flourishing of trade and the spread of science and knowledge, and in this period Egypt's relations with Rome began with independence from each other in its policies and foreign relations.
He took care of trade, so he renovated the ancient bay that connects the Nile River and the Red Sea, and he also took care of trade routes and made caravan routes easy and safe, This led to the progress and prosperity of Egyptian trade until it reached Arabia and India in the east and Ethiopia in the south. As for maritime trade, he built the lighthouse of Alexandria to guide merchant ships, and Egypt's trade with the Greeks and other countries became very important.
Ptolemy II also erected buildings and concerned himself with the construction of structures, and one of the most important monuments that he left is the palace of “Anas al-Wujood” in the temple of the island of Philae, and he was also interested in explorations, sending expeditions to the countries of Africa, the coasts of the Persian Sea and Nubia to know the truth about the course of the Nile and its source, and these explorations also led to increased trade.
Interestingly, one of the reasons for Ptolemy II's fame was his marriage to his sister Arsinoe. Initially, before marrying his sister, he was married to the powerful daughter of Lysimachus of Thrace, who was one of Alexander the Great's most important generals.
However, when his sister, Arsinoe, who was bored with the sanctuary in Samorthrace, finally returned to Egypt, she took care of her brother who was eight years younger. Arsinoe immediately adopted the children of his first wife, and began to appear with her brother and now husband on his gold and silver coinage. The date of this marriage is uncertain, but it must have occurred before 274/3 BC, when Arsinoe appeared as queen on the new coins.