Editing 196 BC (section)

==== Egypt ====
* The [[Rosetta Stone]] is created. This stone is a [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]] era [[stele]] written with the same text in two [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] language scripts ([[hieroglyphic]] and [[Demotic (Egyptian)|demotic]]) and in classical Greek. The translation of the Greek passage reveals that the inscription is a royal [[edict]] recording the benefits conferred on Egypt by the pharaoh Ptolemy V Epiphanes at the time of his [[coronation]]. This stone will provide the key to the hieroglyphic, or [[pictographic]] writing, of ancient Egypt and the decree on it reveals the increasing influence of Egyptian natives, remitted debts and taxes, released prisoners, pardoned rebels who have surrendered, and granted increased benefactions to the temples.