Life The so-called Ptolemy II Philadelphus Eleazar Letters (Πτολεμαίου τοῦ Φιλαδελφεῖ καὶ Ἐλεαζάρου τοῦ ἀρχιερέως Ἐπιστολαί) are not an independent work but a set of epistolary documents embedded within the Letter of Aristeas. They purport to be an exchange from the 3rd century BCE between Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, a known patron of Alexandrian scholarship [1], and Eleazar, the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem [2]. Their literary purpose is to frame the legendary origins of the Septuagint translation.

Works The correspondence exists solely as a component of the pseudepigraphical Letter of Aristeas to Philocrates. This text presents the letters as authentic diplomatic documents to lend authority to its narrative of the Greek Bible's translation [3][4].

Significance The letters are a key literary device within the Letter of Aristeas, a foundational text for the Septuagint legend. They serve to legitimize the translation project by portraying Ptolemy as a pious benefactor and Eleazar as a cooperative authority, thereby asserting the Greek Torah's sanctity for Hellenistic Jews and a wider Greek audience. While fabricated, the correspondence offers valuable insight into 2nd-century BCE Jewish apologetics and ideologies of textual authority in a cross-cultural context [3][4].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: Ptolemy II Philadelphus: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ptolemy-II-Philadelphus 2. Jewish Encyclopedia: Eleazar (High Priest): https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5677-eleazar 3. Encyclopædia Britannica: Letter of Aristeas: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Letter-of-Aristeas 4. Perseus Digital Library: The Letter of Aristeas: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0226:text=Arist.:section=1