Description
Book SynopsisPtolemy I, whose epithet was Savior, was in many respects the most successful of all of Alexander the Great's successors. He created the longest lasting of the Hellenistic kingdoms that rose in the aftermath of the great conqueror's death, ending with the death of Cleopatra VII and Egypt's incorporation into the Roman Empire. This book is not a standard biography, but rather an examination of the major issues surrounding Ptolemy's reign, the major controversies and questions surrounding his career and legacy. What were his ultimate ambitions? How did he administer his kingdom? What was his role in the demise of the unified empire created by Alexander? Ptolemy''s administration of this foreign land, although privileging colonists from Greece and Macedonia over native Egyptians, maintained a level of political stability in a land with a long history of resisting foreign rule. Each of the key themes discussed in the chapters follows a chronological order so that readers unfamiliar with t
Trade ReviewAnson’s biography of Ptolemy is both authoritative and engaging. His lucid and clearly articulated narrative maintains an admirably strong focus on the most important themes of the king’s career: politics, administration, diplomacy, propaganda and especially all matters military and strategic. -- Daniel Ogden, Professor of Ancient History, University of Exeter, UK
Table of ContentsPreface List of Maps List of Abbreviations A Chronology Introduction 1. Ptolemy: An Introduction 2, An Early Life Imagined 3. The Man with a Plan 4. The Destruction of an Empire 5. The General 6. Lord of Egypt 7. Ptolemy and Religion 8. The Royal Historian 9. Ptolemy: A Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index
