The Ancient Mediterranean World

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