Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations

Book excerpt: 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 containing more than 100 PowerPoint-based slides and approximately forty maps, available to adopters