A History of the Ptolemaic Empire [Paperback]

Provides a good overall review of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Covers all aspects of Greek influence on Egypt as well as a military and politcal narrative. Worth the money as it is the best source on the subject.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. After Alexander's death, his general Ptolemy was granted control over the country. His descendants would rule it for three centuries. The Hellenistic or Ptolemaic period in Egyptian history came to a dramatic close in 30 BC when Cleopatra committed suicide and her son Caesarion was murdered by the Romans.

"A History of the Ptolemaic Empire" is a study of this tumultuous period in ancient Egyptian history.

The book isn't intended for a general audience. Rather, it's a scholarly work. The causal reader will soon be lost in the labyrinthine power struggles between various members of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Incestuous relationships, orgies in the name of Dionysius and a penchant for political assassinations characterized this truly dysfunctional family, described with remarkable scholarly restraint by the author.

The book places a particular emphasis on the religious policies of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The Ptolemies (who were Greek or Macedonian) attempted to combine Greek and Egyptian notions of religion and kingship, the better to bolster their authority in a foreign land. The author analyzes the role of the Egyptian priesthoods and describes the ruler cults of the Ptolemies themselves in some detail.

An interesting chapter deals with the class struggles in the Ptolemaic Empire. Periodically, the empire was quite weak and had difficulty restraining the peasantry, which protested against high taxation either by absconding or by taking up arms. Several Ptolemaic rulers were forced to issue decrees of amnesty for peasant rebels, in order to induce people to go back to their work. There was also a rebellion in Upper Egypt, fuelled by a combination of national and social sentiments. For a short period, Upper Egypt was independent and ruled by "real" Egyptian pharaohs.

The scientific and philosophical achievements during the Hellenistic period are mentioned mostly in passing. The author makes the interesting claim that anti-Semitism was rife in Alexandria already during this time. The most sensational claim, however, is that Cleopatra had Egyptian ancestry! The author believes that both her mother and grandmother may have been Egyptian temple priestesses. However, this issue is also mentioned mostly in passing. Perhaps the author (an Austrian professor) isn't aware of the explosive political implications of this claim in the United States.

"A history of the Ptolemaic Empire" isn't the most graceful read around. General readers might be put off by the sheer amount of information about wars, assassination plots and the constantly changing religious cults. However, for advanced students of ancient history, this book might prove indispensable. After reading it, I'm more convinced than ever that the Hellenistic period, despite its scientific and philosophical achievements, nevertheless represents a low point in ancient Greek history.

This is a scholarly history of a disgusting empire.

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