A History of Ancient Egypt

Outlining the major political and cultural events, A History of Ancient Egypt is an authoritative and accessible introduction to this fascinating ancient culture.

• An accessible chronological narrative that draws on a range of historical sources
• Offers an up-to-date survey of ancient Egypt’s history from its origins to its domination by the Roman Empire
• Considers social and economic life and the rich culture of ancient Egypt
• Places Egypt’s history within its regional context, detailing interactions with Asia and Africa
• Engages students with various perspectives on a range of critical issues with the Key Debate section included in each chapter
• Makes the latest discoveries and scholarship accessible to a wide audience

List of Illustrations xiii

List of Color Plates xvi

List of Maps xvii

List of Boxed Texts xviii

List of Summaries of Dynastic History xx

Preface xv

1 Introductory Concerns 1

2 The Formation of the Egyptian State (ca. 3400–2686) 27

3 The Great Pyramid Builders (ca. 2686–2345) 52

4 The End of the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period (ca. 2345–2055) 78

5 The Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055–1650) 97

6 The Second Intermediate Period and the Hyksos (ca. 1700–1550) 126

7 The Birth of Empire: The Early 18th Dynasty (ca. 1550–1390) 151

8 The Amarna Revolution and the Late 18th Dynasty (ca. 1390–1295) 184

9 The Ramessid Empire (ca. 1295–1203) 213

10 The End of Empire (ca. 1213–1070) 240

11 The Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1069–715) 260

12 Egypt in the Age of Empires (ca. 715–332) 283

13 Greek and Roman Egypt (332 BC–AD 395) 316

Glossary 358

King List 362

Bibliography 368

Index 387

“This Historywill probably be most valuable to readers new to the subject or to non-specialists interested in aspects of Egyptian culture and in need of historical context.” (Antiquity, 1 January 2013)

Marc Van De Mieroop is Professor of History at Columbia University. He is the author and editor of numerous publications on the Ancient Near East and ancient Egypt, including A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 3000 - 323 B.C., 2nd edition (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), The Eastern Mediterranean in the Age of Ramesses II (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007) and King Hammurabi of Babylon (Wiley-Blackwell, 2005). A History of Ancient Egypt provides a chronological survey of Ancient Egypt from the beginning of the Egyptian state around 3000 B.C. until the time when the Roman Empire banned the writing of hieroglyphs in the late fourth century AD.

This narrative history outlines major political and cultural events, and considers both social and economic life. Written in an authoritative and accessible style, and incorporating the latest scholarship, A History of Ancient Egypt is an invaluable resource for students of ancient Egyptian history. “Professor Van de Mieroop, an eminent scholar, continues his work of making ancient history accessible to all readers. Impeccably researched and with a clear narrative that flows well, the book is as imaginative as it is erudite. It will be invaluable to specialists and non-specialists alike, and will be especially useful to teachers. Highly recommended.”
Ronald J. Leprohon, University of Toronto

“In his wide-ranging and up-to-date A History of Ancient Egypt Marc Van De Mieroop offers the fullest treatment of his subject in many years, using a true historian's eye to study the development of Egyptian society from the late fourth millennium BCE to Graeco-Roman times.”
John Baines, University of Oxford