Egypt According to Cleopatra

By the time Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemaic pharaohs in Egypt, came to power in 51 B.C., the pyramids at Giza were already 2,000 years old, and her country was defined by interaction with the expanding Roman Empire in almost every aspect: religion, culture, and commerce--as was her personal life. The main emphasis in Egypt According to Cleopatra is not, however, on Cleopatra, but rather on how she would have seen various places, such as the city of Dendara, the temples of the island of Philae, and the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). Combining maps, 3-D recreations, stunning aerial photography, paintings, and an articulate script, this "virtual tour"--one of 27 titles in the Secrets of Archaeology series, which uses archaeological finds to make inferences and interpretations concerning ancient structures and beliefs--is, as its tagline claims, a solid "modern look at ancient history." Recommended. Other titles include: Pompeii: A City Rediscovered, The Roads to El Dorado, and Travels Through Greece. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)