Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (Chronicles) [Hardcover]

Peter A. Clayton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0500050740 | ISBN-13: 978-0500050743 | Publication Date: December 1994

Who was the first king of ancient Egypt, and who was the last? Which Egyptian queens ruled in their own right? What in fact do we know about the 170 or more pharoahs whose names have down to us? This book sets down in narrative form, using timelines, and other visual aids throughout, all the rulers and dynasties of Egypt in their chronological order, from Narmer, who first united the lands along the Nile, to Cleopatra 3000 years later. The biographical portraits of each pharoah build into a history of ancient Egypt. This is at once a work of popular history, a reference tool, and a visual introduction to the extraordinary diversity and richness of an ancient civilization. Other work by the author includes "Rediscovery of Ancient Egypt".

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter A. Clayton is a well-known authority on Egyptian civilization and the author of The Rediscovery of Ancient Egypt.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500050740
• ISBN-13: 978-0500050743
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Chrononology of the Pharaohs of Egypt., February 2, 2003

By 

James P. Zaworski (Shenzhen, China) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (Chronicles) (Hardcover)

have long been an avid student of ancient Egypt, since the age of 11 to be exact. I have never lost my interest in Egyptology, and it only gets strengthened when a book of this calibre comes along.

Chronicle of the Pharaohs is a wonderful guide to each and every pharaoh that ruled Egypt during its 3000 year history, and 30 dynasties. The author, Peter A. Clayton, does a fantastic job in not only the chronology, but also in the biographical information, history, and hieroglyhpic translations and transliterations of each pharaohs name.

Richly illustrated, this book is a must for any ancient Egypt fan's library.

Author: Peter A. Clayton
Published: 1995
Binding: Hardcover with Dust Jacket
Pages: 224
Illustrations: 350 (130 in color)

What follows is a synopsis/review of the book.

This book is five major sections, with a number of subsections in each section.

Preface and Introduction. This section introduces us to the subject of ancient Egypt, and we get a good introduction to the place of the pharaoh in the political state, as well as in the religion and mythology of ancient Egypt.

Section One. The First Pharaohs.
This section covers mainly the late predynastic period and early dynastic period. The unification of Egypt is the dominant theme here, when the "two lands" became one. Narmer and the legendary "Menes" are compared.

Section Two. The Pyramid Builders.

This section and subsections covers the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, from 2700-2400 BC, and covers in particular the pyramid age.

Section Three. Chaos and Rebirth.
This section and its constituent subsections cover the "First Intermediate Period", when political stability collapsed, and there was over 120 years of civil war. This is followed by the "rebirth", and reunification of Egypt in the Middle Kingdom, dynasties 11-12. The "Second Intermediate Period" is also covered, the time when Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos.

Section Four. Rulers of an Empire. The New Kingdom era begins with the expulsion from Egypt of the foreign invaders. Thus begins a pattern of warrior pharaohs, who carve out the first empire in history of any significance.
Pharaohs like Thutmose III and Ramses II dominate the scene here.

Section Five. The Weakening of Pharaonic Power.
This is the Late Period of Egypt, or the "Third Intermediate Period", in which Egypt's power and influence decline for another 1000 years, from the 21st to 30 dynasties. During this time there was mostly foreign rule, but a few native dynasties prevailed. Finally, in 332 BC, Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great, and his general, Ptolemy founded the last dynasty, the one that ended with Cleopatra VII as the last pharaoh of Egypt. Then Egypt became a province of Rome, and there were no more pharaohs.

All in all, "Chronicle of the Pharaohs" is an excellent piece of scholarship, history, biography, and is a fascinating reference tool and a great read. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in ancient Egypt, and history in general.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Overview Of Pharoah History, March 20, 2000

By 

FXO (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (Chronicles) (Hardcover)

Without a doubt, this is one of the best accounts of Egypt's pharoahs I have ever read (and I have been reading about Egyptian history since a child in the 1960s). Easy-to-read and concise, "Chronicles" provided me with new information about personal favorites (Akhenaton, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III) and reminded of the reigns of others I'd forgotten (e.g. Ahmose I, Amenhotep III). I am not a historian and expect this book might lack details that a historian would want. However, as a history lover, and one fascinated by Egyptian history in particular, this is one of the books I would want with me if stranded on a desert island. I liked it so much that I also bought the "Chronicles Of The Roman Emperors", with which I am equally as pleased.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent & informative!, May 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (Chronicles) (Hardcover)

An excellent books, perhaps lacking a bit in depth, but very informative nevertheless. The best feature is that it gives some information on every pharoah, not just the famous ones, as well as on their wives, daughters and other female relatives, who often seem to be ignored by more prestigious tomes. I also especially appreciated the fairly comprehensive coverage of the evidence concerning the identity of the first pharoah, the shadowy "Scorpion", which I hadn't come across in any other book to date. In short, a valued addition to my Egyptology library.