' A truly splendid read richly detailed and powered by an unfailing gift for storytelling'
John Guy 'Superb and gripping' Simon Sebag Montefiore A definitive and thrilling new account
of the last great dynasty of ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra. When
Alexander the Great arrived in Egypt he overthrew the hated Persian overlords and was welcomed
as a saviour. He repaid them by showing due reverence to their long-held traditions. After his
death as the Greek empire broke up and his closest advisers squabbled over the spoils a
Macedonian general named Ptolemy seized the Egyptian throne ushering in a new dynasty that
would last for 300 years. What followed was as dramatic and compelling as any period in
Egyptian history. The unique blend of Greek and Egyptian cultures led to an unprecedented
flowering of learning as the new city of Alexandria became home to the Great Library the
largest in the ancient world that attracted the brightest minds. Wars incest double-dealing
foreign empires and huge wealth all followed but the rise of the Roman empire would
eventually bring the Ptolemaic era crashing to a close. Helped by the latest archaeological
discoveries and using original papyrus documents Toby Wilkinson uncovers a story that can only
now be fully told. From courtly life to the role of women from international trade to the
tensions between native Egyptians and incoming Greeks all aspects of life are here. Filled
with surprising insights vivid descriptions and larger-than-life characters and written in
the author's compelling narrative style The Last Dynasty will appeal to all lovers of history
archaeology art and culture.
