Presents general reader's history of the ancient mediterranean that combines a grasp of the scholarship of the day with a great historian's gift for imaginative reconstruction and inspired analogy. This book features notes that allow the reader to appreciate the state of scholarship at the time of writing.

The focus of this work is the Mediterranean world in the second half of the 16th century. However, the book also ranges back in history to the world of Odysseus and forward to our time, moving out from the Mediterranean area to the New World and other destinations of Mediterranean traders.

A survey of the civilizations of the modern world in terms of the broad sweep and continuities of history. It is written from a consciously anti-enthnocentric approach.

The focus of this work is the Mediterranean world in the second half of the 16th century. However, the book also ranges back in history to the world of Odysseus and forward to our time, moving out from the Mediterranean area to the New World and other destinations of Mediterranean traders.