Table of Contents

Introduction. Part 1: The Ancient Near East 1. The Origins of the Civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia 2. The Third Millennium BC 3. The Second Millennium 4. The First Millennium 5. Religion 6. Economy and Society 7. Government Part 2: he Greek World 8. The Early Iron Age 9. The Archaic Period (c.750-c.500 BC) 10. The Classical Period (c.500-c.330 BC) 11. The Hellenistic World (c.330-c.30BC) Part 3: Rome 12. Early Roman History (753–265 BC) 13. Further Expansion and New Social Tensions (264–133 BC) 14. The Century of the Civil Wars (133–30 BC) 15. The Early Imperial Age (27 BC–AD 193) 16. The Crisis of the Third Century AD and Late Antiquity Epilogue Part 4: Appendices 1. Greek and Roman names 2. Greek and Roman money 3. The Roman emperors Bibliography Index

About the Author

Lukas de Blois is Professor of Ancient History at the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and specialises in Roman and Greek history and ancient historiography. Robartus van der Spek is Professor of Ancient History at the Free University of Amsterdam, and specialises in the history of the ancient Near East.

Reviews

"This new textbook provides a more analytical overview of ancient political and social systems than is commonly the case. It takes account of the latest scholarship, and the many illustrations, maps, and charts will make this book particularly welcome to the introductory students as will its willingness to discuss ancient culture and issues in private life."
-Ronald Mellor, University of California, Los Angeles
." . . "[An Introduction to the Ancient World] takes the reader from Egypt and Mesopotamia right through Greece and Rome to the Empire's end. Its outstanding feature is the wealth of illustrations. Brief, but always to the point."
-"Greece and Rome
"Richly illustrated ..., this text is admirably comprehensive in its scope and breadth ... Of particular interest for those who wish to gain a broad familiarity with the ancient world quickly and to students in survey courses."
-"Religious Studies Review
"Well organize, easily readable and clearly written, it offers some line drawings and a few black-and-white photographs. Best recommended for students in history, classics and archaeology.."
-"The Bibliography of Ancient Egypt