Every year numerous books are published on ancient Egypt about topics such as religion, architecture, warfare and royalty. However, very few publications take the time to explore in depth the indivduals that lived there, whether they be kings or commoners. A fascinating range of evidence survives from inscriptions, monuments, tombs and mummies that can tell us about the diverse inhabitants of the dynastic period (3100-30 BC) in Egypt. By utilising this information it is possible to further enhance our understanding of everyday life for the people of this great civilisation.

This book highlights some of the individuals who made up ancient Egyptian society from the Old Kingdom to the end of Cleopatra's reign: kings such as Akhenaten, Horemheb and Ramses II; queens and other influential women such as Hatshepsut and Taimhotep; officials like Imhotep, Senenmut and Ramose. The lives of some 20 individuals are reconstructed, and we learn of their families, careers, illnesses and religious beliefs. The text is illustrated with a wide range of photographs, diagrams and surviving artefacts that would have featured in their everyday lives. All this ensures that by the end of this volume the people of Egypt will be more alive and accessible to the reader.