Toby Wilkinson

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 show more 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. show less

Like many Egyptologists, the Ptolemies make me rather uncomfortable. It is a cliché to say that the Ptolemaic period (323-30 BC) has been thought of as too Egyptian for most classicists and too Greek for many Egyptologists. Much has been written about the period from both perspectives, but a good quality synthesis has proven elusive.

Many studies have, understandably, focused on the glamorous final star of the Ptolemaic stage, Queen Cleopatra VII (50-30 BC). But given the comparative show more dominance of Egypt, Greece and Rome in studies of the ancient world, it is surprising that the whole Ptolemaic period has not been subject to more popular interest. Like the proverbial bus, you wait ages for one and two show up at once.

Toby Wilkinson trained as an Egyptologist and is known for his popular treatments of a range of Pharaonic subjects. Here he turns his attention to the last dynasty, proving especially adept at connecting the Ptolemies with Egypt’s ancient traditions. While a more recent convert to Egyptological pursuits, Romanist Guy de la Bédoyère covers the same timespan with similar aplomb. He frames his narrative with the gradual appearance of Rome on the horizon.

Both make extensive use of official texts – often the same ones – but compare and contrast them with a wide range of contemporary documentary accounts (which have survived in profusion) and the words of (usually later and biased) classical authors. This synthesis of sources builds a dynamic picture of the period, something often missing for much of the rest of the ancient world and Egypt in particular.

Although most people know about the ignominious end of the Ptolemies, the ambition of the dynasty’s establishment is breathtaking. Ptolemy I (367-283 BC) emerges in both books as an extremely compelling character, even compared to his childhood friend and predecessor Alexander of Macedon. Having had the audacity to essentially kidnap Alexander’s body in Syria while still only satrap (‘governor’) of Egypt, Ptolemy was responsible for developing Alexandria into the magnificent hub it became, while also maintaining military sense and pursuing an impressive amount of learning. It is probably not too much of a spoiler to say that his successors were not nearly so adept at the business of government.

Read the rest of the review at https://www.historytoday.com/archive/review/last-dynasty-and-fall-egypt-and-rise...

Campbell Price is Curator of Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum and Chair of the Egypt Exploration Society. show less

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 show more 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. show less

What a surprise that this history of Egypt, ending with the bio of Cleopatra, would prove so readable and interesting. At first, the idea of 100 short bios of figures throughout Egypt's ancient history sounds disjointed; why not just read Wikipedia entries? But the stories of pharaohs, administrators, scribes, priests, tomb-builders, and even a common criminal, unfold logically and form a fine portrait of life in the Old Kingdom onwards to Ptolemaic period and then the Romans,

I have read show more several books that seem to be written for the amateur Egyptologist (!)--like myself--but this is the first one that truly gives me a feeling for how the religious, economic and political aspects of Egyptian life changed over 3,000 years. A standard historical view focuses on the 3,000 years of continuity in art, etc. (except for the Amarna period) but reading of these lives the differences emerge.

One note: Some promotional statements note the book is "profusely illustrated! I don't think 17 color plates is how I would define "profusely" and as I read I longed for more illustrations of tombs, sculpture and visual aids. Perhaps even a map. But the convenient paperback is easy to hold and absorb, whereas an expanded format with illustrations could make it into a reference book no one could casually read through so easily as I did. show less