About this item
Highlights
- Ptolemy I, whose epithet was Savior, was in many respects the most successful of all of Alexander the Great's successors.
- About the Author: Edward M. Anson is Professor of History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA.
- 248 Pages
- Literary Criticism, Ancient & Classical
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About the Book
"Ptolemy I, whose epithet was Savior, was in many respects the most successful of all of Alexander the Great's successors. He created the longest lasting of the Hellenistic kingdoms that rose in the aftermath of the great conqueror's death, ending with the death of Cleopatra VII and Egypt's incorporation into the Roman Empire. This book is not a standard biography, but rather an examination of the major issues surrounding Ptolemy's reign, the major controversies and questions surrounding his career and legacy. What were his ultimate ambitions? How did he administer his kingdom? What was his role in the demise of the unified empire created by Alexander? Ptolemy's administration of this foreign land, although privileging colonists from Greece and Macedonia over native Egyptians, maintained a level of political stability in a land with a long history of resisting foreign rule. Each of the key themes discussed in the chapters follows a chronological order so that readers unfamiliar with the life of Ptolemy can follow the narrative. Each chapter includes a discussion of the major academic positions on each issue and an evaluation of the primary historical and archaeological evidence. Ptolemy I Soter: Themes and Issues brings new clarity to the history of one of the chief architects of the Hellenistic Age"--Book Synopsis
Ptolemy I, whose epithet was Savior, was in many respects the most successful of all of Alexander the Great's successors. He created the longest lasting of the Hellenistic kingdoms that rose in the aftermath of the great conqueror's death, ending with the death of Cleopatra VII and Egypt's incorporation into the Roman Empire. This book is not a standard biography, but rather an examination of the major issues surrounding Ptolemy's reign, the major controversies and questions surrounding his career and legacy. What were his ultimate ambitions? How did he administer his kingdom? What was his role in the demise of the unified empire created by Alexander?
Ptolemy's administration of this foreign land, although privileging colonists from Greece and Macedonia over native Egyptians, maintained a level of political stability in a land with a long history of resisting foreign rule. Each of the key themes discussed in the chapters follows a chronological order so that readers unfamiliar with the life of Ptolemy can follow the narrative. Each chapter includes a discussion of the major academic positions on each issue and an evaluation of the primary historical and archaeological evidence. Ptolemy I Soter: Themes and Issues brings new clarity to the history of one of the chief architects of the Hellenistic Age.Review Quotes
"This volume on Ptolemy joins [Anson's] excellent series... The volume is a thorough and authoritative discussion of key themes, which are not only important for understanding Ptolemy but for understanding the age of the Successors as well. The work does much to distill the complexities of this transitional period of Hellenistic history into an engaging format and will be fundamental for anyone wishing to know more about Ptolemy I Soter." --The Classical Review
"Anson's biography of Ptolemy is both authoritative and engaging. His lucid and clearly articulated narrative maintains an admirably strong focus on the most important themes of the king's career: politics, administration, diplomacy, propaganda and especially all matters military and strategic." --Daniel Ogden, Professor of Ancient History, University of Exeter, UKAbout the Author
Edward M. Anson is Professor of History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA. He is the author or editor of nine books, including Eumenes of Cardia: A Greek among Macedonians (2nd ed. 2015), Alexander's Heirs: The Age of the Successors (2014), After Alexander: The Time of the Diadochi (323-281 BC) (2013), Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues (Bloomsbury Academic, 2013) and Philip II, the Father of Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020); Affective relations and personal bonds in Hellenistic Antiquity (2021).