Book Review: Ancient Egyptian Imperialism. By Ellen Morris. Pp. 320. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2018. ISBN 978-1-405-13678-5. Price £24.

Abstract

Abstract: The publication of a book which approaches topics with a strong theoretical bias is always very welcome. Naturally, ancient Egypt is a relevant leading case for the study of the diverse dynamics of emergence, expansion, contraction, and even collapse of socio-political entities, due to its characterization as a pristine state and an evolvement through time which allows analyzing varied interrelational practices with other neighboring socio-political entities. Comparison with other expansive polities – not only ancient but also modern or even contemporary – is a useful methodological resource to propose and eventually adjust concepts and categories which allow the explanation of dynamics that can also be corroborated in the past. Nevertheless, Morris states that creating or reifying classificatory schemes is not a goal of her work, and that she based her views on previous works of political scientists, anthropologists, and comparative historians (p. 8). She also sustains that her interest in the study of ancient Egyptian imperialism is not new and her goal in this contribution is not only to expand the analysis to other socio-political situations in ancient Egypt than those she analyzed in previous works, but also to reach a wider audience (p. 3).