A good look at a very old and at times mysterious ancient civilization. The pharaohs were a mixed bunch, some good rulers, some mediocre, and others bad. Yet the Ptolemies. Wow. What a bunch they were to finish off a 3,000 year old culture! ( )

I should have known. The title alone, that simplistic ‘The Rise and Fall’, did not bode well. Nevertheless, I was convinced by the rave reviews, also in renowned newspapers. Note: this is written with verve, and so it certainly appeals to those who want a short overview of ancient Egyptian history. But there's the rub: Wilkinson has systematically described all of Egyptian history in 20th-21st century terms, that is, in terms of an anti-statist conservative. Constantly, Wilkinson describes Ancient Egyptian society as dictatorial, authoritarian, and even totalitarian. My suspicion is that he had a current agenda with this book. I don't want to compromise his knowledge and skills, but with this simplistic and anachronistic approach he has done the historiography of ancient Egypt no favors at all. More in my History account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5059998714. ( )

Toby Wilkinson’s The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt examines the history of pharaonic Egypt from the earliest nomadic herdsmen and their eventual unification under King Narmer all the way down to Cleopatra roughly three thousand years later. He describes how the role of kingship and state religion became intertwined in ancient Egypt, creating a powerful elite who glorified themselves and thus maintained their power over one of the most prosperous empires of the ancient world, though they did so at the expense of workers and farmers. As Wilkinson writes, “in early Egypt, the kings were the gods. Monarchy was not just an integral part of religion; the two were synonymous” (p. 36). Kings used the symbol of the mace both to demonstrate subjugation of foreign adversaries and to command the respect of their own people. Popular art and literature, some of which survives from the Middle and New Kingdoms, directly link obedience to the pharaoh with Egyptian identity. The learned elite were the primary audience for works such as The Tale of Sinuhe, which cautioned them against betraying the power the pharaoh granted them in exchange for loyalty (p. 149).

In the New Kingdom, the cult of the pharaoh eventually broke down due to inept administration at all levels, leading to one of the first recorded strikes when laborers working on the royal tomb did not receive their food and pay (p. 335). Wilkinson demonstrates how this break down in pharaonic power under Ramses III foreshadowed the eventual end of native pharaonic rule, opening Egypt to rulers from Libya, Nubia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The internecine fighting between various factions with foreign ties laying claim to the throne of Egypt. The last effort of an Egyptian sovereign to reclaim power only doomed the institution further. Wilkinson writes of Amenirdis (404 – 399 BCE), “By seizing power through cunning and brute force, he had stripped away any remaining mystique from the office of pharaoh, revealing the kingship for what it had become (or, behind the heavy veil of decorum and propaganda, had always been) – the preeminent political trophy” (p. 430). This set the stage for pharaonic Egypt’s last gasp under the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Wilkinson’s history boldly recounts over three thousand years of history using a variety of historical, archaeological, climatological, and other sources filtered through a Foucauldian lens of power relationships in order to challenge the traditional top-down history of Egypt often written by the pharaohs – or their inner circles – which took for granted the role of power in their society. Naturally, such a work condenses events, but Wilkinson successfully captures the drama of each pharaoh, pointing the way for future reading while providing an essential introduction for those looking to learn about pharaonic civilization as it continues to capture the modern imagination all these millennia later. ( )

Another great novel by Toby Wilkerson. ( )

The Battle of Kadesh was fought in 1274 BC in an strategic location. When that battle was fought the Great Pyramid at Giza was almost 1300 years old.

2500 years after the battle of Kadesh the crusaders, also recognizing the strategic location of the place, built their principal fortress, Krak des Chevaliers, in a near location. The last pharaoh of Egypt was crowned more than 1200 years after this battle.

That gives you an idea that Ancient Egypt was indeed very ancient, and very enduring.
This book is an excellent introduction to this civilization and hence, the 5 stars. ( )