Clear chronological narrative, which highlights social and cultural developments
Excellent student aids including 10 detailed maps, 23 text boxes containing primary source material, and 50 illustrations making this text the most heavily illustrated Ancient History text on the market
Chapter summaries and in-text chronologies to aid student comprehension
Chronological range is better than the competitions

The Ancient Mediterranean World provides a concise overview of the growth of Mediterranean civilizations from Paleolithic times through the rise of Muhammad in the 7th century A.D. The book surveys ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and examines life in various Roman provinces, such as Judaea and Britain. It ends with a discussion of the rise of Christianity in the late Antique world.

Contents
List of Maps
List of Chronological Tables
List of Boxes
Preface: The Value of History
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER ONE: The First Civilizations

What Is History?
The Origins of Civilization
The Archaeological Record--The First Modern Humans--The Beginnings of Agriculture--A New Complexity: Some Neolithic Sites
The First Civilizations: The Eastern Mediterranean in the Bronze Age
The Bronze Age--Mesopotamian Civilization--Egypt in the Bronze Age--The Canaanites--The Hittites--The Agean--The Collapse of Bronze Age Civilization
Israel and Judah
Myth and History--The Hebrew Bible--Early Israel--The Monarchy and the Babylonian Exile--Society and Family--Religion and Law
Summary
CHAPTER TWO: Greek Civilization: Hellas and Hellenism

The Dark Age
Population Decline and Dark Age Culture--Lefkandi--Homer and Oral Poetry
The Archaic Age: Hellas and the City
Hellas--War and the City: The Rise of the Polis--Literature and Culture in Archaic Hellas
The Classical Age: The Empire and Culture of Athens
The Persian Empire--The Persian Wars--Herodotus: The First History--Greeks and Barbarians--Democracy and Empire: Athens at Its Height--Culture in Imperial Athens--The Peloponnesian War--Athens after the War--Society in Classical Athens
The Hellenistic World
The Macedonian Conquerors--Greeks and Natives--Judaism in the Second Temple Period--Greek Culture in the Hellenistic Period
Summary
CHAPTER THREE: The Romans and Their Empire

Roman Origins
Who Were the Romans?--From Village to City--The Etruscans
Government and Society in the Early Republic
The Ruling Class--Plebeians and Patricians--Society in the Twelve Tables--Warfare and the Conquest of Italy--Conquests Overseas--Imperialism and Culture
The Late Republic: Society in Crisis
The Aristocracy--Peasants: Gracchus` Land Reform--Slaves--The Knights: Provincial Government and Corruption--Soldiers: Marius` Military Reforms and Sulla`s Dictatorship--Cicero and Roman Society--Pompey and Ceasar--The First Emperor
The Empire
The Emperors--The Emperor and the City of Rome--The Army--Taxes--Roads and Cities--Law--Greek Culture in the Roman Empire
Life in the Provinces
Imperial Rule: The Example of Judaea--The Army in Roman Britain--Society in Roman Egypt
Crisis and Reform in the Third Century
Wars and Emperors--Economic Crisis--Diocletian and the Later Roman Empire
Summary
CHAPTER FOUR: Christianity and the Late Antique World

Paganism
The Rise of Christianity
The New Testament and the Gospels--Paul--Persecution and Martyrs--Bishops and Theologians
Christianity in the Later Roman Empire
The Conversion of Constantine--Heresy and Schism--Monks and Ascetics--Christianity and Social Change--Literature: St. Augustine and the Classics
The Decline of the Western Empire
Franks--Visigoths--Ostrogoths--Vandals--Barbarian Legal Codes--Justinian
Muhammad and the Rise of Islam
Summary
Suggested Readings
Index