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A review by socraticgadfly
The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt: The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra by Toby Wilkinson
5.0
Religious exploitation? Climate problems? Barbarians at the gate? Check, check, and check.
But, no, this isn't Gibbon's "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire."
While not as long or as in depth as that classic, "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt" is still worthy of a full read. Toby Wilkinson documents the "bootstrapping" arrival of the Old Kingdom out of nowhere, then shows how it, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom in turn had individual rises and falls.
Even for those who have some degree of familiarity with the New Kingdom of "Tut" and Raameses II, this book still has plenty of information on Middle and Old Kingdoms. And, on the periods in between. And, on the period after the end of the New Kingdom until Cleopatra and the asp of legend.
I learned a lot about Persian-era Egypt. I had no idea that the subterranean canals of ancient Persia were exported to Egypt, for example.
Wilkinson presents a detailed, complex picture of ancient Egyptian history in all of its good, bad and ugly details, including its ethnic diversity, periods of open-mindedness and more.
But, no, this isn't Gibbon's "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire."
While not as long or as in depth as that classic, "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt" is still worthy of a full read. Toby Wilkinson documents the "bootstrapping" arrival of the Old Kingdom out of nowhere, then shows how it, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom in turn had individual rises and falls.
Even for those who have some degree of familiarity with the New Kingdom of "Tut" and Raameses II, this book still has plenty of information on Middle and Old Kingdoms. And, on the periods in between. And, on the period after the end of the New Kingdom until Cleopatra and the asp of legend.
I learned a lot about Persian-era Egypt. I had no idea that the subterranean canals of ancient Persia were exported to Egypt, for example.
Wilkinson presents a detailed, complex picture of ancient Egyptian history in all of its good, bad and ugly details, including its ethnic diversity, periods of open-mindedness and more.