The Ancient Mediterranean World From the Stone Age to A.D. 600

by Winks, Robin W.; Mattern-Parkes, Susan P.

• ISBN13: 9780195155624
• ISBN10: 0195155629
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-02-26
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

List of Maps

List of Chronological Tables

List of Boxes

Preface: The Value of History

Acknowledgements

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

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

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

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

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