Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations ─ From Prehistory to 640 CE

Challenging the stereotypes and myths that typically characterize students' understanding of antiquity, Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: From Prehistory to 640 CE, Second Edition, focuses on continuity and connections, along with cultural diffusion and cultural diversity, to show how history is a cumulative process and that numerous similar themes recur in different times and places. The text also explores sensitive issues and debates including attitudes toward race, ethnicity, and tolerance; gender issues and roles; slavery; social mobility; religion; political evolution; the nature of government; and imperialism.

FEATURES

New! Chapter 9: "Civilization beyond the Near East, Greece, and Rome (2300-31 BCE)"

New! "Digging Antiquity": Illustrated features that discuss specific archaeological sites, many of which can still be visited today

New!: "Looking Back": Chapter summaries, followed by "Looking Ahead" sections that preview the following chapters

"History Laboratory": Concise observations on how historians use different methodologies to interpret historical evidence and to debunk pseudoscience

"Historical Controversy": Reflections that explore conflicting modern interpretations of ancient phenomena

"A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words": Illustrations of distinctive material artifacts, accompanied by brief essays

"Mysteries of History": Selections that address puzzling and intriguing aspects of the past

"In Their Own Words": Extended quotations that exemplify each chapter's main themes

Stunning Interior Design: More than 200 maps and illustrations, including an eight-page color portfolio

An Image Bank CD containing more than 100 PowerPoint-based slides and approximately forty maps, available to adopters

Ralph W. Mathisen is Professor of History, Classics, and Medieval Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has authored, edited, or coedited thirteen books and has published 100 scholarly articles. He is a Fellow of the American Numismatic Society, founding editor of the Journal of Late Antiquity, and Director of the Biographical Database for Late Antiquity Project.