Pakistan, June 24 -- TORONTO - A new study suggests that Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt's most successful rulers, was not targeted after her death simply because she was a woman. University of Toronto scholar Jun Wong argues that previous theories overstated the role of gender in explaining why her legacy was erased. Instead, he believes her successor, Thutmose III, may have acted out of ritual tradition, not personal revenge or gender bias.

Hatshepsut ruled Egypt around 3,500 years ago and brought economic prosperity through trade and grand architecture. She first served as regent to her stepson, Thutmose III, but later assumed full power as pharaoh. Her reign left behind magnificent structures, including a mortuary complex in t...