The History of Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted longer than any other on the planet. Yet, even after archaeologists deciphered their system of hieroglyphs, Egypt remains one of the most mysterious human civilizations - so extraordinary and yet so ""other"" from what we live today. With these 48 comprehensive lectures that combine the precision and care of a scientist with a novelist's feel for plot, action, and character, Professor Brier chronologically surveys the full 3,000 years of recorded ancient Egyptian history. Throughout this historical adventure, you'll discover how Egyptology has been one ongoing detective story; witness the Egyptians rise to a greatness far surpassing any other people in the Near East; examine the fabulous Dynasty XVIII, the period of Egypt's greatest wealth and most fascinating personalities; meet enigmatic kings and queens like Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Tutankhamen, and Ramses the Great; and study the causes of ancient Egypt's eventual decline. As you wind your way through 30 impressive centuries of Egyptian history, you'll pause repeatedly to look at the details that make up the big picture. Among these are Tutankhamen's preferred wine, the arthritis that crippled the boastful Ramses the Great, and the experience of a miner sent to the turquoise mines in the Sinai. As Professor Brier believes (and proves in each of these masterful lectures), to a great extent, the fun of history is in the details.