Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean - Hardcover

Freeman, Charles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198150032 ISBN 13: 9780198150039

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1996

Synopsis

Long sources of mystery, imagination, and inspiration, the myths and history of the ancient Mediterranean have given rise to artistic, religious, cultural, and intellectual traditions that span the centuries. In this unique and comprehensive introduction to the region's three major civilizations, Egypt, Greece, and Rome draws a fascinating picture of the deep links between the cultures across the Mediterranean and explores the ways in which these civilizations continue to be influential to this day.
Beginning with the emergence of the earliest Egyptian civilization around 3500 BC, Charles Freeman follows the history of the Mediterranean over a span of four millennia to AD 600, beyond the fall of the Roman empire in the west to the emergence of the Byzantine empire in the east. In addition to the three great civilizations, the peoples of the Ancient Near East and other lesser-known cultures such as the Etruscans, Celts, Persians, and Phoenicians are explored. The author examines the art, architecture, philosophy, literature, and religious practices of each culture, set against its social, political, and economic background. More than an overview of the primary political or military events, Egypt, Greece, and Rome pays particular attention to the actual lives of both the everyday person and the aristocracy: here is history brought to life. Especially striking are the readable and stimulating profiles of key individuals throughout the ancient world, covering persons from Homer to Horace, the Pharaoh Akhenaten to the emperor Augustus, Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar, Jesus to Justinian, and Aristotle to Augustine.
Generously illustrated in both color and black-and-white, and drawing on the most up-to-date scholarship, Egypt, Greece and Rome is a superb introduction for anyone seeking a better understanding of the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean and their legacy to the West.

About this title

About the Author

About the Author:
Charles Freeman is a freelance writer living in the United Kingdom. He has been described as "full of the romance of archeology and the people who created it, and full of curiosity about the human side of the ancient world'.

Reviews

With this volume, Freeman (The Ancient Greeks, Oxford Univ., 1996) has written a useful introduction to three significant ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean littoral. While some may question the inclusion of Egyptian civilization in a volume largely surveying classical civilization, the author persuasively presents Egypt and the ancient Near East as strong influences, if not precursors, of classical civilization. Although most recent volumes of the ancient world have been anthologies (e.g., The Oxford History of the Classical World, Oxford Univ., 1986), with different specialists responsible for contributing chapters, Freeman elected to consult various specialists in ancient history when composing his work but assumes sole responsibility for the final presentation. Acknowledging that ancient studies are not free of controversies, the author unfortunately does not feel that a survey volume of this type is the right forum in which to air them. Still, this work is a useful introduction to the ancient Mediterranean civilizations. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.?Robert J. Andrews, Duluth P.L., Minn.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198150032
• ISBN 13: 9780198150039
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 654