Both the great bilingual Egyptian tablets, which we possess (the Rosetta stone, line 10 of hieroglyphic text; Gr.

text, line 46.
and the edict of Canopus ed.

Lepsius, hieroglyphic text 1.3.

Gr.
text 1.

5.) mention the celebration of the birthday of one of the Ptolemies; and even of Rameses II., so early as the 14th century B.
C.we read: "There was joy in heaven on his birthday."] The entire body of officials and deputies streamed from the provinces up to the royal city, bringing presents to their ruler and good wishes; they came also to take part in the great sacrifices at which horses, stags, bulls and asses were slaughtered in thousands as offerings to the gods.
At this festival all the Persians received gifts, every man was allowed to ask a petition of the king, which seldom remained unfulfilled, and in every city the people were feasted at the royal expense.