Fabulous, powerful, scandalous: what better way to describe Egypt's last ruling family? Although they weren't ethnically Egyptian, the Ptolemies immersed themselves in their adopted homeland's vibrant culture and traditions without hesitation, discarding their Macedonian identity to rule with all the splendor and might of conventional Egyptian pharaohs. The first pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty, Ptolemy I, started out as one of Alexander the Great's most trusted generals. Fo

I figured that, since I've been writing so much about Hypatia of Alexandria lately, it might be a good idea to give you more information on the establishment where she taught and studied: the Library of Alexandria! The Library of Alexandria was the largest institution of its kind in the ancient world, containing 500,000 written works (some accounts even put this figure higher, at around a million volumes!). Ptolemaic rulers added to its collection by borrowing scrolls from th

Hypatia of Alexandria is the perfect example of how dangerous being an eloquent, educated woman in the ancient world could be. Born ca. 355-370 C.E., sadly little is known about Hypatia's life. She was the daughter of Theon, a renowned Alexandrian mathematician, who taught at the Museum of Alexandria (a center of learning dedicated to the Muses, and part of the great Library of Alexandria). Guided by her father, Hypatia received a well-rounded education and soon became a reno

Today I'd like to talk about a really important and culturally- significant ancient Egyptian city, which rose to prominence during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods: Alexandria. This is the first in a series of posts about Alexandria and some of its most famous inhabitants, so stay tuned for more over the coming days! In 331 B.C.E., Macedonian King Alexander III conquered the country of Egypt, wresting it from Persian control. He stayed for only a few months, and when he left h

One of the most recognizable elements of ancient Egyptian culture is the distinctive writing style known as "hieroglyphics." Hieroglyphics are "pictographs," symbols/images that represent a certain word or phrase. Egyptian hieroglyphics are very ancient, dating back to the dawn of the dynastic period; however, they are not the oldest known form of writing, being predated by Sumerian cuneiform from Mesopotamia (Iraq). Like any language, over the centuries hieroglyphics changed

Before you can engage in any kind of in-depth exploration of ancient Egyptian history and culture, it's vital that you have an understanding of how Egyptologists divide and categorize Egypt's history. In my posts you'll probably see me throwing around terms like "New Kingdom" or "Second Intermediate Period." Don't worry if you don't recognize these names yet... you will! OUTLINE A post about the intricacies of dating and organizing ancient Egyptian history could get really co