"Even on the most smog-bound of days, the rocky outcrop on which the Acropolis stands is visible above the sprawling roof-scape of the Greek capital. Athens presents one of the most recognizable and symbolically potent panoramas of any of the world's cities: the pillars and pediments of the Parthenon--the temple dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, that crowns the Acropolis--dominate a city whose name is synonymous for many with civilization itself."--...

"In 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and cataclysmic end. Kingdoms fell like dominoes over the course of just a few decades. No more Minoans or Mycenaeans. No...

More than one-and-a-half billion Muslims of all races, nationalities, and ethnicities live in the world today, but the birthplace of Islam is the Middle East. Islam is a religion based on the revelations given to the Prophet Muhammad. These teachings are contained in the Quran, Islam s holy book. Like other religions, Islam preaches peace and love for others. Also like other religions, Islam s teachings are often interpreted differently by different...

"In Assyria, historian Eckart Frahm tells the epic story of one of the ancient world's most accomplished civilizations, the Assyrian Empire. Tracing its origins to a minor city state in present-day Iraq, Assyria at its height, around 660 BCE, stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, the first empire the world had seen. Breath-taking, belligerent conquest-epitomized in the motto of the seventh-century king Esarhaddon, "Before me, cities;...

"A deep history of Africa, from 70,000 BCE to 300 CE, that synthesizes the archaeological and historical linguistic evidence to tell an integrated global history of the continent. A framing chapter introduces the historical goals and issues of the book, recounting the terrible histories of recent centuries that led to Africa being wrongly treated as a peripheral other in the history of us all. Chapter two, "African Firsts in the History Technology,"...

"Ethiopia and the Origin of Civilization" by John G. Jackson is a seminal work that challenges traditional Eurocentric perspectives on the origins of civilization. Originally published in 1939, Jackson's book seeks to highlight the significant contributions of African civilizations, particularly Ethiopia, to the development of human culture and civilization. Through meticulous research and historical analysis, Jackson addresses the historical misrepresentations...

"From great leaders to everyday citizens, delve into the early days and the dramatic collapse of the Roman Republic"

"Based on the podcast with over one hundred million downloads, Fall of Civilizations ... explores how a range of ancient societies rose to power and sophistication, and how they tipped over into collapse. Across the centuries, we journey from the great empires of Mesopotamia to those of Khmer and Vijayanagara in Asia and Songhai in West Africa; from Byzantium to the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs of Central America; from Roman Britain to Rapa Nui. With ......

Presents an illustrated look at various aspects of life in medieval Europe, covering everyday life, religion, and royalty.

An illustrated account of the main features of Japanese culture depicting its geography and society set in relation to the country's historical development. The substance of the volume comprises a discussion of this culture from ancient times through the aristocratic and feudal ages, the eve of the Meiji Restoration of 1868 to present times.