Nineteenth century novel from the German Egyptologist and novelist who discovered the Egyptian medical papyrus at Luxor. Ebers early conceived the idea of popularizing Egyptian lore by means of historical romances. His first novel, An Egyptian Princess was published in 1864 and obtained great success. His subsequent works of the same kind Uarda (1877), Homo sum (1878) - of which the scene is laid in Egypt at the time of Hadrian - Serapis (1885) and Cleopatra (1894), were also well received, and did much to make the public familiar with the discoveries of Egyptologists. Ebers also turned his attention to other fields of historical fiction-especially the 16th century (The Burgomaster's Wife, 1882) without, however, attaining the success of his Egyptian novels.
German Egyptologist and novelist Georg Moritz Ebers discovered the Egyptian medical papyrus, circa 1550 BC, named Ebers papyrus, at Luxor (Thebes) in the winter of 1873/74.
Ebers early conceived the idea of popularizing Egyptian lore by means of historical romances. Eine ägyptische Königstochter was published in 1864 and obtained great success. His subsequent works of the same kind—Uarda (1877), Homo sum (1878), Die Schwestern (1880), Der Kaiser (1881), of which the scene is laid in Egypt at the time of Hadrian, Serapis (1885), Die Nilbraut (1887), and Kleopatra (1894), were also well received, and did much to make the public familiar with the discoveries of Egyptologists. Ebers also turned his attention to other fields of historical fiction—especially the 16th century (Die Frau Bürgermeisterin, 1882; Die Gred, 1887)—without, however, attaining the success of his Egyptian novels.
Could not finish book. After watching the TV series Rome, I was expecting an exciting inside view of Cleopatra's life. I read chapter after chapter without even the mention of her name, with so many other characters I could keep them straight. I will put this book on the back burner, but I doubt that I ever pick it up again.