Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, Pharaohs of Egypt: Their Lives and Afterlives

Description:

"A veritable roadmap, not only to the complex issues surrounding their reigns, but also to the tale of their modern rediscovery. "--Stephen P. Harvey, Ahmose and Tetisheri Project, Abydos

An innovative account of the lives and times of the 'warrior king' Thutmose III, and the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, by renowned Egyptologist Aidan Dodson

Thutmose III and Hatshepsut are among the best-known figures in Egyptian history. Thutmose has been called the "Napoleon of ancient Egypt," during whose reign Egypt's armies penetrated deep into northern Syria and consolidated Egyptian dominion over much of Sudan. Hatshepsut, one of the handful of female pharaohs, also took to the battlefield, but is best known today for a great trading expedition, down the Red Sea coast to the mysterious land of Punt.

At first, Hatshepsut served simply as regent for her young nephew-stepson Thutmose, but subsequently the two shared the throne of Egypt as co-pharaohs for over a decade. Later, as sole king, Thutmose devoted much of the rest of his life to military matters and large-scale building works, continuing the work of Hatshepsut that created much of the core of the great temple of Karnak. During the very last years of his life, Thutmose launched an attack on the memory of Hatshepsut, with most of her images destroyed. Yet, some four centuries later, Thutmose III and Hatshepsut were still remembered together as great figures of the past, whose conception of pharaonic kingship served as the model for later rulers, into the eighth century BC.

This book, illustrated in full color, traces what we know about the lives and times of Thutmose and Hatshepsut, and the monuments they built to guarantee their afterlives. It then explores their posthumous reputations in ancient times, and ends with the story of how the two pharaohs emerged from the mists of time during the nineteenth century AD, to resume their places in history.

Brief description: Aidan Dodson is honorary full professor of Egyptology in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Bristol, UK. He was also Simpson Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo in 2013, and Chair of the Egypt Exploration Society during 2011-16. Awarded his PhD by the University of Cambridge in 2003, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2003. He is the author of some thirty books.

Review Quotes:

"Beautifully presented . . . [Dodson's] knowledge of the subject material is unsurpassed, and he has been meticulous in recording both the latest information available and alternative interpretation of the facts where appropriate. . . . It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive account of the 'lives and afterlives' of these two important characters in the history of ancient Egypt, and this work deserves a place on the shelves of all those, amateur and professional, for whom this period holds fascination."--Ancient Egypt

"Especially and unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Egyptology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists."--Midwest Book Review

"Dodson's Thutmose III and Hatshepsut is a wonderfully illustrated and detailed history, offering an evidence-based exploration of the remarkable reigns and enduring legacies of one of the most politically fascinating eras of Egypt's golden age."--Kara Cooney, author of Recycling for Death

"Aidan Dodson brings his comprehensive knowledge and exacting analysis to one of the most interesting and monument-rich periods of pharaonic history. This meticulous study sets both Hatshepsut and Thutmose III within the context of their time, and surveys the basis for historical reconstructions of their reigns. Importantly, Dodson also considers how and why the differing legacy of each ruler has influenced modern understandings, making for a more well-rounded account than most."--Campbell Price, University of Manchester

"Aidan Dodson has produced a striking portrait of two of the most famous rulers of ancient Egypt: the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, and her co-regent and successor, the warrior-king Thutmose III. Deeply informed by the latest research, and frequently featuring original ideas and illustrations, Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, Pharaohs of Egypt guides us from Hatshepsut's extraordinary rise to power to her startling damnation and disappearance, all against the background of the expansion of Egyptian empire. No other resource provides such a concise overview of this pivotal period in Egyptian history, and Dodson has given us a veritable roadmap, not only to the complex issues surrounding their reigns, but also to the tale of their modern rediscovery. "--Stephen P. Harvey, Ahmose and Tetisheri Project, Abydos

PRAISE FOR TUTANKHAMUN, KING OF EGYPT:

"Dodson's historical work is ever reliable, and this volume of Tutankhamun is no exception."--Kara Cooney, When Women Ruled the World

"By far the best book on Tutankhamun on the market."--Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Cardiff University

PRAISE FOR THE FIRST PHARAOHS:

"A comprehensive, well-written, and profusely illustrated . . . . Recommended"--CHOICE

PRAISE FOR NEFERTITI, QUEEN AND PHARAOH OF EGYPT:

"The most objective and well-balanced summation of her career to date."--Morris Bierbrier, Egyptian Archaeology

"Writing an overview of Nefertiti's life and times is essentially an impossible task. . . Only a few people are up to this task, and thank Heavens that one of them is Aidan Dodson. Bravo!! Buy this book." --Stephen Harvey, Ahmose and Tetisheri Project

"Recommended."--CHOICE

"Dodson goes beyond prior scholarship by meticulously chronicling her life and offering up new theories about her origins and significance."--AramcoWorld