Toby Wilkinson is a distinguished Egyptologist whose work delves deep into the intricacies of ancient Egyptian civilization. His extensive research and excavation experience provide a unique lens through which he explores the historical and cultural fabric of this ancient world. Wilkinson's contributions to the field are recognized globally, cementing his reputation as a leading authority whose insights offer unparalleled depth for readers fascinated by this period.
Ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra
384 pages
14 hours of reading
The narrative explores the fascinating era of the Ptolemaic dynasty in ancient Egypt, beginning with Alexander the Great's arrival and the subsequent rise of Ptolemy. It highlights the cultural fusion of Greek and Egyptian traditions that flourished in Alexandria, home to the Great Library. The account delves into the complexities of court life, the role of women, and the socio-political dynamics influenced by wars and foreign powers. Utilizing recent archaeological findings and original documents, the author presents a vivid and engaging portrayal of this dramatic historical period.
The life, dramatic reign, and enduring legacy of the pharaoh Ramesses the
Great, with lessons for the present, from internationally acclaimed
Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson
Published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the moment that Howard
Carter and Lord Carnarvon broke open Tutankhamun's tomb, a riveting account of
the treasures they found, by one of Britain's leading Egyptologists.
A vivid account of the men and women who revealed the treasures of Ancient Egypt to the world, from the first decipherment of hieroglyphics to the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
A collection of rare texts from Ancient Egypt, newly translated for this essential edition The fascination that Ancient Egypt holds in our minds has many sources, but at the heart of it lie hieroglyphics. This extraordinary writing system was for many years seen as the ultimate puzzle, before finally being cracked in the 1820s. Preserved carved in stone or inked on papyri, hieroglyphic writings give a unique insight into an awe-inspiring but also deeply mysterious culture. For this collection, Toby Wilkinson has translated a rich selection of pieces, ranging from accounts of battles to hymns to stories to royal proclamations. Entertaining and revelatory, this is an essential resource for studying one of humankind’s great civilizations. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Renowned Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson embarks on a captivating journey along the Nile, blending history with travelogue. Starting at the First Nile Cataract near Aswan, he explores the rich tapestry of Egypt's past and present, revealing how the iconic river has shaped the nation's identity over time. Through his narrative, readers experience the timelessness and dynamism of Egypt, gaining insights into its cultural and historical significance.
From Herodotus's day to the present political upheavals, the steady flow of the Nile has been Egypt's heartbeat. It has shaped its geography, controlled its economy and moulded its civilisation. The same stretch of water which conveyed Pharaonic battleships, Ptolemaic grain ships, Roman troop-carriers and Victorian steamers today carries modern-day tourists past bankside settlements in which rural life - fishing, farming, flooding - continues much as it has for millennia. At this most critical juncture in the country's history, foremost Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson takes us on a journey up the Nile, north from Lake Victoria, from Cataract to Cataract, past the Aswan Dam, to the delta.The country is a palimpsest, every age has left its trace: as we pass the Nilometer on the island of Elephantine which since the days of the Pharaohs has measured the height of Nile floodwaters to predict the following season's agricultural yield and set the parameters for the entire Egyptian economy, the wonders of Giza which bear the scars of assault by nineteenth-century archaeologists and the modern-day unbridled urban expansion of Cairo - and in Egypt's earliest art (prehistoric images of fish-traps carved into cliffs) and the Arab Spring (fought on the bridges of Cairo) - the Nile is our guide to understanding the past and present of this unique, chaotic, vital, conservative yet rapidly changing land.
The first major history of Ancient Egypt to marshal the detail of the lives of
the pharaohs and of the ordinary citizens, to reveal the harsh political
realities behind the 3000-year civilisation.§Illustrated on the page with many
of the author's own photographs in black and white, and with three stunning
colour inserts§A brilliantly readable, beautifully illustrated general history
of ancient Egypt, from the builders of the first pyramids to Cleopatra
In this magnificent history, Toby Wilkinson combines grand narrative sweep with detailed knowledge of hieroglyphs and the iconography of power, to reveal Ancient Egypt in all its complexity--from the brutality and repression that lay behind the appearance of its unchanging monarchy to its extraordinary architectural and cultural achievements
