The story of the world's greatest civilization - spanning thousands of years - is full of epic stories, spectacular places, and an evolving society rich in inventors, heroes, villains, and pioneers.

The story of the world's greatest civilization spans 4,000 years of history that has shaped the world. It is full of spectacular cities and epic stories of a constantly evolving society peopled with inventors, heroes and heroines, villains, artisans, and pioneers. Professor Joann Fletcher pulls together the complete story of Egypt, charting the rise and fall of the ancient Egyptians while putting their whole world into a context to which we can all relate.

Fletcher uncovers some fascinating revelations: new evidence shows that women became pharaohs on at least 10 occasions and that the ancient Egyptians built the first Suez Canal and then circumnavigated Africa. From Ramses II's penchant for dying his gray hair to how we know that Montuhotep's chief wife bit her nails, Dr. Joann Fletcher brings alive the history and people of ancient Egypt as nobody else can.