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The Cambridge Ancient History, 2nd edition #3
The Cambridge Ancient History Volume II Part I The Middle East and the Aegean Region c1800 - 1380 BC
This first part of volume II of the series deals with the history of the Near East in the first half of the second millennium BC. This was the era of Hammurabi in Western Asia, the Hyksos and warrior-kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty in Egypt, and the Minoan and early Mycenaean civilizations in Crete and mainland Greece.
The first edition of this series, published a half century ago, has been greatly expanded, so much so that now two separate books are required.
The first edition of this series, published a half century ago, has been greatly expanded, so much so that now two separate books are required.
Hardcover
First published May 1, 1973
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About the author
I.E.S. Edwards
30 books8 followersIorwerth Eiddon Stephen Edwards CBE, FBA— known as I. E. S. Edwards— was an English Egyptologist considered to be a leading expert on the pyramids.
Edwards attended Merchant Taylors' School where he studied Hebrew and later at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Cambridge University, gaining a 'First' in Oriental Languages. He was awarded the William Wright studentship in Arabic and received his doctorate in 1933.
In 1934 he joined the British Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities. He published Hieroglyphic Texts for Egyptian Stellae. in 1939. During World War II he was sent to Egypt on military duty. In 1946 he wrote The Pyramids of Egypt, which was published by Pelican Books in 1947. In 1955 he was appointed the Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum and organized the Tutankhamun exhibition in 1972. He remained there until his retirement in 1974.
On leaving the British Museum he worked with UNESCO during the rescue of the temple complex at Philae. He was also Vice-President of the Egypt Exploration Society, a Fellow of the British Academy (1962) and was awarded the CBE in 1968 for his services to the British Museum.
Edwards attended Merchant Taylors' School where he studied Hebrew and later at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Cambridge University, gaining a 'First' in Oriental Languages. He was awarded the William Wright studentship in Arabic and received his doctorate in 1933.
In 1934 he joined the British Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities. He published Hieroglyphic Texts for Egyptian Stellae. in 1939. During World War II he was sent to Egypt on military duty. In 1946 he wrote The Pyramids of Egypt, which was published by Pelican Books in 1947. In 1955 he was appointed the Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum and organized the Tutankhamun exhibition in 1972. He remained there until his retirement in 1974.
On leaving the British Museum he worked with UNESCO during the rescue of the temple complex at Philae. He was also Vice-President of the Egypt Exploration Society, a Fellow of the British Academy (1962) and was awarded the CBE in 1968 for his services to the British Museum.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 2, 2012
This is the third volume of the massive Third Edition of the Cambridge Ancient History and, naturally, with a 1973 date affixed, it is going to be out of date (the GoodReads introduction appears misleading in this respect since it must refer to the revision of the Second Edition).
However, it still stands up to scrutiny as a basic reference work on a period that is partly to be understood historically, if mostly archaeologically. Stubbings' attempt to relate Greek legend to the creation of the Mycenean culture is particularly entertaining though one remains sceptical.
The period is that of the 12th Dynasty to Amenophis III in Egypt, the Middle and Late Bronze Ages in the Aegean (including the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures), the age of Hammurabi the Law-Giver in Mesopotamia and the rise of the Hittites in Anatolia.
A new Edition will be needed very soon but it can remain in the Library as a basic grounder to be supplemented by reading in more up-to-date and specialist works.
There are good maps throughout the series although Plates have, frustratingly, to be purchased separately. There are also few illustrations making the volume less useful than it might have been.
However, it still stands up to scrutiny as a basic reference work on a period that is partly to be understood historically, if mostly archaeologically. Stubbings' attempt to relate Greek legend to the creation of the Mycenean culture is particularly entertaining though one remains sceptical.
The period is that of the 12th Dynasty to Amenophis III in Egypt, the Middle and Late Bronze Ages in the Aegean (including the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures), the age of Hammurabi the Law-Giver in Mesopotamia and the rise of the Hittites in Anatolia.
A new Edition will be needed very soon but it can remain in the Library as a basic grounder to be supplemented by reading in more up-to-date and specialist works.
There are good maps throughout the series although Plates have, frustratingly, to be purchased separately. There are also few illustrations making the volume less useful than it might have been.
September 27, 2018
Another fascinating book in this series, and again filled with jargon that requires a little research.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews