MAES October Study Day: Alexandria – Melting Pot or Simmering Cauldron?

The Media Line Staff

10/21/2021

Sat, 23 Oct 2021 09:30 - 16:30 British Summer Time (UTC+1)

Tickets (£40) here.

A study day exploring the Egyptians and Jews under the Ptolemies with Michael Tunnicliffe and Sarah Griffiths in association with MAES

About this event

Following the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, the Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years, presiding over one of the most wealthy, prestigious and powerful countries in the known world. This was an era of unprecedented change for Egyptian culture and society, ruled by Macedon-Greeks from a new capital – Alexandria – which became one of the most important cosmopolitan cities in the Near East. But with Egyptians, Greeks and Jews all living in the same space, tensions were likely to rise and, as the House of Ptolemy imploded from bitter sibling rivalries, corruption, intrigue, murder and civil unrest, the “Alexandrian mob” became a significant force in the power politics of Egypt. Meanwhile Rome – the rising power in the West – watched, waited and then stepped in.

In this study day, Michael Tunnicliffe and Sarah Griffiths will paint a vivid picture of Egypt’s last ancient dynasty, from Ptolemy I to the famous Cleopatra VII, exploring the changing political relationships within Alexandria and the fluctuating fortunes of the Jewish community, tracing the series of catastrophic events leading to Rome’s annexation of Egypt and the end of more than 3000 years of Pharaonic rule.

Michael Tunnicliffe is a freelance lecturer. He studied Theology at Birmingham and Cambridge and the Certificate in Egyptology at Manchester He is interested in the inter-face between biblical studies and ancient history.

Sarah Griffiths is Secretary of MAES and Deputy Editor of Ancient Egypt Magazine. A former BBC producer and project manager, she currently manages property and presents Egyptology lectures and study days across the UK.

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