Hellenistic Egypt, with its many papyrus preserved by the dry climate, is the natural starting point for studies of Alexander the Great's successors' institutions. No other Hellenistic kingdom has as many sources, even in the military field. This book details the Ptolemaic organization and equipment over the period covering the 3rd to the 1st century BC.

In an effort to bring the Ptolemaic soldier back to life, 37 plates illustrate the text, most of which were made from steles and mosaics found in Egypt.