Last Queens Of Egypt

Examining the roles played by the Ptolemaic royal women and exploring their part in religion, politics and court intrigue, Sally-Ann Ashton shows the extent of the power they enjoyed, the price they paid and how they shaped Cleopatra's reign. "Sally-Ann Ashton has a remarkable talent for decoding iconography - the language of images. Here she uses visual sources with surviving written evidence and the latest archaeological discoveries to construct an illuminating guide to the complex world of the last queens of Egypt". Dr. Susan Walker, British Museum "For three centuries the Ptolemies were the most successful dynasty to follow in the steps of Alexander the Great, and the women of this dynasty were more than a match for the men. The Last Queens of Egypt gives a detailed and up-to-date reappraisal of a period which in many ways is still to be explored." John Ray, University of Cambridge The last of the Ptolemaic monarchs who ruled Egypt for 300 years, Cleopatra is the most famous of the Ptolemaic queens. But what of her predecessors? The Last Queens of Egypt examines the roles played by the Ptolemaic royal women and explores their part in religion, politics and court intrigue. Explaining their propensity for incest, murder and power, Sally Ann Ashton shows the extent of the power they enjoyed, the price they paid, and how they shaped Cleopatra's reign.