Cup of the Ptolemies understanding, also referred to as "un-naming", seems to have been a way for pagan artifacts to be reused for Christian purposes. The cup was probably made in Alexandria, Egypt. It was once thought to date back to the Hellenistic period, c. 250 BC, but is now regarded as dating to the 1st century AD. Its supposed connection with the Ptolemies dates back to 1644, when the historian Jean Tristan de Saint-Amant argued that the vase was made for the funeral processions of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 285 until 246 BC. Later, the scholar
Monarchs, Rulers, Dynasties and Kingdoms of the World book begins with a bibliography arranged by author's name in alphabetical order, followed by a Guide to Dynasties and States, a 150-page section giving brief descriptions and indicating where the related list(s) can be found. It is a good reference for finding the main rulers of a particular part of the world at various times. Tapsell briefly describes some royal family ties and attempts to help the reader locate many of the early realms of the world using the modern map, providing some history on each country or province. Minor criticisms of the book center on the complicated nature of