The Ptolemies Rise Of A Dynasty Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of The Ptolemies Rise Of A Dynasty book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.
Author : John D. Grainger Publisher : Pen and Sword History Page : 395 pages File Size : 45,7 Mb Release : 2022-09-15 Category : History ISBN : 9781399090230
The Ptolemies, Rise of a Dynasty by John D. Grainger Pdf
“Thoroughly ‘reader friendly’ in organization and presentation . . . an ideal introduction to the creation and rise of the Ptolemaic era of Egypt.” —Midwest Book Review In this first volume of his trilogy on the Ptolemies, John Grainger explains how Ptolemy I established the dynasty’s power in Egypt in the wake of Alexander the Great’s death. Egypt had been independent for most of the fourth century BC, but was reconquered by the Persian Empire in the 340s. This is essential background for Ptolemaic history, since it meant that Alexander was welcomed as a liberator and, after the tyranny of Kleomenes, so was Ptolemy. This was the essential basis of Ptolemy’s power. He conciliated the Egyptians, but reinforced his military strength with Greek settlers, mainly retired or available soldiers. He built the city of Alexandria, but to his own requirements, not those planned by Alexander. The empire outside Egypt was acquired, perhaps for defense, perhaps by sheer greed. Ptolemy took over Cyrenaica (with difficulty), Cyprus, and Syria/Palestine. These had to be defended against his rivals, hence the development of his navy, and the Syrian Wars. The succession was carefully managed, but not directly hereditary (Ptolemy II wasn’t the eldest son), and the new king was very different. He fought repeated wars in Syria, built up his navy in the Aegean to the greatest seen in the ancient world, and extended his empire into the lands of the Red Sea, Sudan, and Ethiopia. He taxed the Egyptians mercilessly to fund all these activities. Yet few of his wars were successful, and he stored up trouble for his successors. This volume by a historian of the period delves into these events in a clear, compelling style.
Author : John D. Grainger Publisher : Pen and Sword History Page : 322 pages File Size : 51,6 Mb Release : 2022-09-15 Category : History ISBN : 9781399090254
The Ptolemies, Rise of a Dynasty by John D. Grainger Pdf
“Thoroughly ‘reader friendly’ in organization and presentation . . . an ideal introduction to the creation and rise of the Ptolemaic era of Egypt.” —Midwest Book Review In this first volume of his trilogy on the Ptolemies, John Grainger explains how Ptolemy I established the dynasty’s power in Egypt in the wake of Alexander the Great’s death. Egypt had been independent for most of the fourth century BC, but was reconquered by the Persian Empire in the 340s. This is essential background for Ptolemaic history, since it meant that Alexander was welcomed as a liberator and, after the tyranny of Kleomenes, so was Ptolemy. This was the essential basis of Ptolemy’s power. He conciliated the Egyptians, but reinforced his military strength with Greek settlers, mainly retired or available soldiers. He built the city of Alexandria, but to his own requirements, not those planned by Alexander. The empire outside Egypt was acquired, perhaps for defense, perhaps by sheer greed. Ptolemy took over Cyrenaica (with difficulty), Cyprus, and Syria/Palestine. These had to be defended against his rivals, hence the development of his navy, and the Syrian Wars. The succession was carefully managed, but not directly hereditary (Ptolemy II wasn’t the eldest son), and the new king was very different. He fought repeated wars in Syria, built up his navy in the Aegean to the greatest seen in the ancient world, and extended his empire into the lands of the Red Sea, Sudan, and Ethiopia. He taxed the Egyptians mercilessly to fund all these activities. Yet few of his wars were successful, and he stored up trouble for his successors. This volume by a historian of the period delves into these events in a clear, compelling style.
A History of the Ptolemaic Empire by Günther Hölbl Pdf
This compelling narrative provides the only comprehensive guide in English to the rise and decline of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt over three centuries - from the death of Alexander in 323 BC to the tragic deaths of Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BC. The skilful integration of material from a vast array of sources allows the reader to trace the political and religious development of one of the most powerful empires of the ancient eastern Mediterranean. It shows how the success of the Ptolemies was due in part to their adoption of many features of the Egyptian Pharaohs who preceded them - their deification and funding of cults and temples throughout Egypt.
The Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Egypt by Charles River Charles River Editors Pdf
*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Among all the periods in ancient Egyptian history, the Ptolemaic Kingdom and its most famous ruler, Cleopatra, may be the most well-known today. By the 4th century BCE, it appeared as though ancient Egypt was in its final death throes. It had long ceased to be an influential kingdom in the Near East and Mediterranean regions, and it had been ruled over by a succession of foreign peoples including Libyans, Nubians, Assyrians, and Persians. But just when Egypt seemed was doomed to pass forever into obscurity, it was reinvigorated by outsiders, most notably Alexander the Great. While in the process of campaigning to destroy the Achaemenid Persian Empire and conquer the world in 331 BCE, he made a pit stop in Egypt that forever changed the course of Egyptian history. Although his understanding of ancient Egyptian chronology and religion was minimal, Alexander was intrigued by ancient pharaonic culture, knowing, as the 5th century BCE Greek historian Herodotus once wrote, "Egypt is the gift of the Nile." As a result, Alexander endeavored to incorporate the land of the pharaohs into Hellenic Civilization. Although Alexander never lived to rule over Egypt, one of his generals, Ptolemy I, did, and it was he who established the last great pharaonic dynasty in Egypt, known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The Ptolemies gave ancient Egypt an injection of vitality that had not been seen in the Nile Valley for centuries, preserving many aspects of native Egyptian culture while adding their own layer of Hellenic culture. The first few Ptolemaic rulers proved as able as any of their Egyptian predecessors as they worked to make Egypt a first-rate power in the world once again. Unfortunately, these able rulers were followed by a succession of corrupt and greedy kings, more concerned with personal wealth and power than the stability and greatness of their kingdom. Eventually, Ptolemaic Egypt collapsed due to weak rulers, internal social problems, and the rising power of Rome, but before the Ptolemaic Dynasty was extinguished, it proved to be one of the most impressive royal houses in ancient Egyptian history. The end of the Ptolemies also happened to coincide with the most famous period of Roman history. In the latter 1st century BCE, men like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian participated in two civil wars that would spell the end of the Roman Republic and determine who would become the Roman emperor. In the middle of it all was history's most famous woman, Cleopatra, who famously seduced both Caesar and Antony and thereby positioned herself as one of the most influential people in a world of powerful men. Cleopatra was a legendary figure even to contemporary Romans and the ancient world, and she was a controversial figure who was equally reviled and praised through the years, depicted both as a benevolent ruler and an evil seductress (occasionally at the same time). Over 2,000 years after her death, everything about Cleopatra continues to fascinate people around the world, from her lineage as a Ptolemaic pharaoh, her physical features, the manner in which she seduced Caesar, her departure during the Battle of Actium, and her famous suicide. And despite being one of the most famous figures in history, there is still much mystery surrounding her and the end of the Ptolemies, leading historians and archaeologists scouring Alexandria, Egypt for clues about her life and Egypt's transition to Roman rule. The Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: The History and Legacy of the Ptolemy Dynasty and the End of the Egyptian Empire chronicles the tumultuous history of Egypt late in the second millennium BCE. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the New Kingdom like never before.
From Alexander to the Theoi Adelphoi by Stefano Caneva Pdf
This book explores the rise of the concept of dynastic continuity in the Ptolemaic kingdom from political, cultural and sociological perspectives, focusing on the first century of Macedonian rule in Egypt, from Alexander's conquest to the early years of Ptolemy III. A chronological and thematic discussion leads the reader from the success of charismatic leadership in the age of the Diadochs to the establishment of a more durable system of the practice and representation of power during the third century. The analysis focuses on actors involved in the processes of negotiation of Ptolemaic power as well as on the way they interacted by adapting ideological themes to different media and socio-cultural contexts. The main topics discussed include: the interaction between royal and non-royal initiatives in the representation of legitimacy and dynastic continuity; royal apparatus and its reception in mass events; the relations between human power and the divine; the combination of historical events and mythic patterns for the creation of an intentional history of the new dynasty; the historical development of the tradition concerning Alexander and the first Ptolemies, with a focus on the survival and reconfiguration of ideological themes in post-Ptolemaic Alexandria.
Inheriting the Ancient Near East After Alexander the Great by Charles River Charles River Editors Pdf
*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes a bibliography for further reading In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great was on top of the world. Never a man to sit on his hands or rest upon his laurels, Alexander began planning his future campaigns, which may have included attempts to subdue the Arabian Peninsula or make another incursion into India. But fate had other plans for the young Macedonian king. One night, while feasting with his admiral Nearchus, he drank too much and took to bed with a fever. At first, it seemed like the fever was merely a consequence of his excess, and there was not much concern for his health, but when a week had elapsed and there was still no sign of his getting better, his friends and generals began to grow concerned. The fever grew, consuming him to the point that he could barely speak. After two weeks, on June 11, 323 B.C., Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, Hegemon of the League of Corinth, King of Kings, died. On his deathbed, some historians claim that when he was pressed to name a successor, Alexander muttered that his empire should go "to the strongest." Other sources claim that he passed his signet ring to his general Perdiccas, thereby naming him successor, but whatever his choices were or may have been, they were ignored. Alexander's generals, all of them with the loyalty of their own corps at their backs, would tear each other apart in a vicious internal struggle that lasted almost half a century before four factions emerged victorious: Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire in the east, the Kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor, and the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. During the course of these wars, Alexander's only heir, the posthumously born Alexander IV, was murdered, extinguishing his bloodline for ever. For a time, the Seleucids commanded the largest empire in the world as it stretched from the high plains and deserts of what is now Afghanistan in the east to parts of the Levant and Asia Minor in the west. The empire's early kings were strong and shrewd and committed to the ideas of Hellenism as much as holding power and expanding the realm of their empire, but later rulers did not prove as capable. In time, the Seleucid royal house often descended into orgies of violence which were driven by ambitious men and women. Despite its troubles and its sheer size and scope, the Seleucid Empire lasted for several centuries, and it would not truly reach its end until the heyday of the legendary Roman general Pompey the Great in the 1st century BCE. Although Alexander never lived to rule over Egypt, one of his generals, Ptolemy I, did, and it was he who established the last great pharaonic dynasty in Egypt, known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Despite the infighting among them, one thing Alexander's generals did agree upon was their Hellenistic culture. Most famously, Ptolemy's line firmly established the Hellenistic culture of the Greeks while ruling over Egypt, and by marrying within their family line, the Ptolemaic pharaohs kept their Hellenistic heritage until the very end of Ptolemy's line, which died with Cleopatra in 30 BCE. The Ptolemies gave ancient Egypt an injection of vitality that had not been seen in the Nile Valley for centuries, preserving many aspects of native Egyptian culture while adding their own layer of Hellenic culture. The first few Ptolemaic rulers proved as able as any of their Egyptian predecessors as they worked to make Egypt a first-rate power in the world once again. Unfortunately, these able rulers were followed by a succession of corrupt and greedy kings, more concerned with personal wealth and power than the stability and greatness of their kingdom. Eventually, Ptolemaic Egypt collapsed due to weak rulers, internal social problems, and the rising power of Rome, but before the Ptolemaic Dynasty was extinguished, it proved to be one of the most impressive royal houses in ancient Egyptian history.
Cleopatra's Realm: A Fusion of Worlds by Elizabeth R. Foster Pdf
In "Cleopatra's Realm: A Fusion of Worlds - The Ptolemaic Dynasty's Lasting Impact on Egypt and Beyond," Elizabeth R. Foster embarks on a captivating exploration of one of history's most enigmatic dynasties. This meticulously researched narrative unveils the profound influence of the Ptolemies on the cultural, scientific, and political landscapes of ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean world. From the grandeur of Alexandria, with its famed Library and Lighthouse, to the intriguing life and strategies of Cleopatra VII, Foster delves deep into the heart of a dynasty that bridged worlds. Through strategic marriages, innovative governance, and a blend of Egyptian and Greek traditions, the Ptolemies not only ruled Egypt for nearly three centuries but also fostered a unique cultural synthesis that reverberates to this day. "Cleopatra's Realm" sheds light on the complex interactions between the Ptolemies and the rising power of Rome, examining how alliances and conflicts with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony shaped the fate of the dynasty and the ancient world. It also explores the dynasty's contributions to art, architecture, and science, illustrating how their patronage of scholars and artists propelled the Hellenistic Age to new heights of creativity and intellectual achievement. Elizabeth R. Foster presents an enthralling account that transcends traditional narratives, offering a fresh perspective on the Ptolemaic Dynasty's enduring legacy. This book is an essential read for anyone fascinated by the blend of cultures, the strategic prowess of one of history's most influential women, and the lasting impact of a dynasty that dared to fuse worlds.
The final dynasty of pharaonic Egypt was born with the death of one of the most famous men in the ancient world - Alexander the Great - and died with the dramatic suicide of one of antiquity's most famous women - Cleopatra. The Ptolemies ruled over Egypt for almost three hundred years and ushered in the final period of Egyptian greatness by establishing the most powerful empire in the eastern Mediterranean. But they were Greek, not Egyptian, and attempted to justify their rule by merging Greek and Egyptian culture and embracing pharaonic traditions. A new era was born with the rise of the Ptolemies in the late fourth century BC. They moved Egypt's capital from Memphis to the newly-established city of Alexandria, and turned it into one of the largest and most prosperous cities of the age. Thanks to Egypt's strategic position at the crossroads of three continents and its abundance of natural resources, the Ptolemaic court was unimaginably wealthy. This enabled the Ptolemies to become generous sponsors of religious cults and extravagant temple building projects, as well as of scholarship and the arts. Alexandria was home to the largest library and greatest research facility in the ancient world, and many academic breakthroughs we take for granted today were accomplished there. But the Ptolemies were also ruthless despots, and their court was a dangerous place. Members of the royal family married each other, plotted against each other, and killed each other in order to gain power (and keep themselves alive). This infighting and opposition from the Egyptian population cost them their empire in the second century BC, yet their kingdom limped on for another hundred years with Roman support. The Ptolemies' relationship with Rome was a toxic one. It kept them on life support, but gradually stripped their kingdom of its independence, and ultimately led to it being absorbed into the Roman Empire. Few tragedies are more famous than the defeat and suicide of the last Ptolemaic pharaoh - Cleopatra - and her lover Mark Antony at the hands of the future Emperor Augustus, which has inspired works of art, poetry, literature, drama and film down through the ages. Even more significantly, it marked one of the most important junctures in human history. Because when the Ptolemaic dynasty collapsed, the age of the Egyptian pharaohs came to an end and the era of the Roman emperors was born.
The Periegesis Hellados (Description of Greece) by Pausanias is the most important example of non-fictional travel literature in ancient Greek. With this work Professor Hutton provides the first book-length literary study of the Periegesis Hellados in nearly one hundred years. He examines Pausanias' arrangement and expression of his material and evaluates his authorial choices in light of the contemporary literary currents of the day and in light of the cultural milieu of the Roman empire in the time of Hadrian and the Antonines. The descriptions offered in the Periegesis Hellados are also examined in the context of the archaeological evidence available for the places Pausanias visited. This study reveals Pausanias to be a surprisingly sophisticated literary craftsman and a unique witness to Greek identity at a time when that identity was never more conflicted.
