Ptolemy

Ptolemy was a famous historical wizard featured on a Chocolate Frog Card. His primary significance in the series is as a piece of world-building, establishing the culture of collecting these cards and highlighting the existence of renowned figures from wizarding history. He is mentioned by Ron Weasley as one of the two cards, along with Agrippa, that he is missing from his extensive collection.

Ptolemy's life is not detailed within the seven novels. His inclusion on a Chocolate Frog Card confirms his status as a wizard of historical importance. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Ron Weasley mentions to Harry Potter that he owns nearly five hundred cards but is still missing those for Ptolemy and Agrippa. According to supplementary materials, Ptolemy was a celebrated Ancient Greek wizard who lived from approximately 100 to 170 AD. His work was said to be a great influence in the magical world, and his reputation was such that even some Muggles were aware of his accomplishments (video game), (Pottermore).

Ptolemy's physical appearance and personality are not described in the original seven novels.

While his specific magical talents are unknown, Ptolemy's fame and inclusion on a Chocolate Frog Card strongly imply he was a powerful and highly accomplished wizard. His work is noted to have been very influential in the magical community (video game), (Pottermore).

There is no mention of any specific magical items or other possessions owned by Ptolemy in the canonical books.

No personal relationships involving Ptolemy are mentioned in the series. He is linked by name to Agrippa, as they are the two wizards whose cards Ron Weasley had not yet collected early in his first year at Hogwarts.

The name Ptolemy is almost certainly a direct reference to the real-life historical figure, Claudius Ptolemy. Claudius Ptolemy was a Greco-Roman scholar of Alexandria who lived in the 2nd century AD. He was a highly influential mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, and geographer whose work, particularly the geocentric model of the universe (the Ptolemaic system), was the accepted authority in Western and Islamic science for more than 1,400 years. This historical connection aligns with the wizard Ptolemy's description as an ancient and influential figure whose work was known even to Muggles (Pottermore).

Ptolemy's character serves as an early example of the depth of the wizarding world's history, which extends back into antiquity. The biographical details associated with the wizard Ptolemy originate not from the novels, but from his Chocolate Frog Card as depicted in licensed supplementary materials. In the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video games, Ptolemy's card can be collected, and it provides his dates (c. 100 – c. 170) and a brief description of his influence (video game). This information was later affirmed on his official card profile on the Pottermore website (Pottermore).