Pharaohs of the Sun: Radio 4 Book of the Week, How Egypt's Despots and Dreamers Drove the Rise and Fall of Tutankhamun's Dynasty

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In 1922, a century ago, the most sensational archaeological discovery of all time was made. When Tutankhamun's tomb was found in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, the contents staggered the world and have done so ever since.

Tutankhamun, so obscure he was almost forgotten after his rule, was one of the last kings of the extraordinary 18th Dynasty which ruled Egypt between around 1550 BC and 1295 BC, well over 3,000 years ago. Already an ancient society, Egypt under this new line of kings became the richest and most powerful Bronze Age state, dominating the region and creating a culture of startling originality that has mesmerized the world ever since.

There was a darker side to Egypt than the glamour and the gold. This was one of the world's first great absolutist states, built round a despotic and brutal monarchy that enriched itself and the elite at the expense of other nations and most of the Egyptian population.

A succession of warrior kings, beginning with Ahmose who reunified the nation and established the family line, and including the most successful of all, Thutmose III, fought wars of conquest and used the wealth to create a myth of predestined superhuman rulers with the divine backing of the god Amun. The population acquiesced as the 18th Dynasty kings indulged themselves with massive temple and tomb projects to glorify themselves.

The Climax of Egypt is a history of an era that included Hatshepsut, the queen who made herself king, and the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, whose religious revolution was just another manifestation of selfishness and greed. The book shows how the folly of power and hubris is a story for all times, set against a magnificent backdrop, and featuring the first great personalities in world history.

Reviews

An impressive amalgamation of scholarly research with popular history * The Times *
A scrupulous yet accessible history of ancient Egypt under the 18th dynasty... Complemented by striking illustrations and valuable appendices, this impressive survey will be welcomed by ancient history buffs * Publishers Weekly *
Superb... de la Bdoyere lays out the elusive history of Egypt's 18th dynasty * Library Journal *
Packed with big names, from Tutankhamun to Nefertiti, and de la Bdoyere sets their stories alongside those of the populations they so often exploited... Along the way, he offers an evocative account of an era of epic riches and ruthlessness * History Revealed *
De la Bdoyere tells the story with not just an archaeologist's eye for accuracy but also a broadcaster's nose for a colourful story... His book is peppered with lively details * Radio Times *

Author Bio

Guy de la Bedoyere has written many books on the ancient world in the last three decades, most recently Gladius: Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army and Pharaohs of the Sun, a history of Egypt's 18th Dynasty. He was part of Channel 4's archaeology series Time Team for many years. He has degrees from Durham, London and University College, London, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He has lectured widely in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.