Pharaohs
About this book
Ancient Egypt is one of the great wellsprings of human civilization, first developing around the city of Memphis on the Nile River in the fourth millennium BCE. Egyptian life was centred on a complex system of religious rituals, with the pharaoh (king) seen as a living god among the people. Mighty pyramids, tombs and monuments were built to celebrate the pharaohs, many of which can still be seen in all their grandeur today. Arranged by dynastic period, Pharaohs offers a compact history of the reign of these god- kings, from Menes, who united the north and south kingdoms, to the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra, who was defeated along with her lover Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium (31 BCE) by imperial Rome. Along the way the reader will learn about the Great Pyramid constructed by Khufu, the last of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world; Queen Hatshepsut, a rare female pharaoh whose name means "foremost of noblewomen" and who launched a massive building programme at Luxor; the young pharaoh Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered intact in the Valley of the Kings, complete with the fabulous trappings of his divine status; and Ramesses II ("the Great"), who is thought to have enslaved the Israelites, built the magnificent temple of Abu Simbel, and defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE) riding his trade-mark chariot. Carefully researched, superbly entertaining and illustrated throughout with more than 180 photographs and artworks, Pharaohs is an accessible history of the kings who ruled Ancient Egypt for more than 4, 000 years.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Dawn of the God-Kings
- Chapter 2: Royal Decline & Recovery
- Chapter 3: Reimagining Egypt in a Wider World
- Chapter 4: The Age of Egyptian Empire
- Chapter 5: Decline or Transformation?
- Chapter 6: The End of Independent Egypt
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Index
- Picture Credits
