Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (The Chronicles Series) [Paperback]

Peter A. Clayton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2006 | Series: The Chronicles Series

"An entertaining overview of an extraordinarily diverse ancient civilization."—Biblical Archaeology Review.

Here are all the rulers and dynasties of Egypt presented in chronological order, from Narmer, who first united the lands along the Nile, to Cleopatra some 3,000 years later. The biographical portraits of each pharaoh form a comprehensive and immensely readable history of ancient Egypt, brought to life through the exploits and personalities of its rulers.

We see how individual pharaohs helped to shape Egyptian civilization and were shaped by it themselves. The rich illustrative material includes timelines and specially drawn cartouches of each pharaoh with translations of their names.

The book is at once an accessible history, an essential work of reference, and a visual introduction to this always fascinating ancient civilization. 350 illustrations, 130 in color

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter A. Clayton is an archaeologist who has excavated sites in Egypt and England. He edits Minerva: The International Review of Ancient Art and Archaeology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (November 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500286280
• ISBN-13: 978-0500286289
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #367,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL BOOK!!!!!, May 30, 2007

By 

Steve Reina (Troy Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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

The Chronicle series is always great including here as Peter Clayton introduces us to the 33 dynasties that were ancient Egypt.

Starting with Menes the Great (who united Upper and Lower Egypt) and ending with the dynasty created by Alexander the Great (which included Cleopatra XIII...THE CLEOPATRA!) this book is a wonderful introduction to both the Pharaohs and their relationships with each other!

In the process, one learns the story behind such luminaries as Menes as well such unsung heros of Egyptian history as Thutmose III (grandfather to Akhnaten and rightly referred to as the Alexander the Great of Egypt).

While it is true that this entry in the Chronicle series (like all of it counterparts) suffers from the curse of brevity, it also has the significant strength of including ALL the characters concerned and giving one that ALL IMPORTANT SENSE OF THE BIG PICTURE.

This is both a wonderful and wonderfully illustrated book that will give you VERY BRIEFLY a sense of the scope of the 33 dynasties that were ancient Egypt.

Buy it. You won't regret the purchase!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who's who of the king & queens of Egypt, December 15, 2008

By 

F. N. Mastrogiovanni (new jersey United States) - 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 (The Chronicles Series) (Paperback)

When you look at the historical Kings and Queens of (Pharaohs) of Egypt, its easy to get mixed up and lost, especially when there are two Kings, one of Upper Egypt and one of Lower Egypt and why. Some of these kings and queens have only been discovered in the last one or two hundred years. This book will show the chronological order in which they ruled and a caption on the mark they left on history. The book will teach you the real meaning of the word DYNASTY and how important the royal blood ties were to them.

The Chronicle of the Pharaohs is generously illustrated with b & w, color photos, drawings and maps. This is a must have book for the novice Egyptian history buff like myself.

I own the hardbound copy and would recommend a good to excellent used copy of this book. It would make a great addition to anyone's private library or a fine gift. Weather hardbound or soft cover, get this book, it's worth every dime you pay for it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Clampton's 'Chronicle of the Pharaohs', October 9, 2010

By 

Ryan S. Mease "scott.godwin" (Chicago, IL, USA) - 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 (The Chronicles Series) (Paperback)

This is an excellent introduction to the political history of ancient Egypt. Readers are given a reign-by-reign review of Egyptian history. In addition, the author presents some information on religious and village culture, generally relating such topics to the treasures discovered in the tombs of the pharaohs. I would have liked to see more information on the international relations of the Egyptian kings--there are some references, but it's never a strong focus of the book.