English translation of a well-known Dutch book, De oudheid, now in its third edition
Table of Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Maps xi
Preface xiii
Part I Introduction 1
1.1 Sources and Chronology 3
Sources 3
Chronology 7
1.2 The Ecology of History 11
Physical Geography 11
Agriculture and the Pre-Industrial Economy 13
Demography 20
Part II Before 900 BC 25
2.1 Prehistory 27
Paleolithic 27
Neolithic 32
2.2 Early Civilizations in Eurasia 36
The Rise of Distinct Civilizations 36
Peoples and Languages 41
Western Asia and Egypt in the Bronze Age 45
The Aegean and Southern Europe in the Bronze Age 52
Part III 900–500 BC 59
3.1 A Historical Outline 61
Eurasian Communities 61
The Greek World 71
Italy and Western Europe 86
3.2 The Social Fabric 93
Economic Life 93
Social Hierarchy 97
Political Organization 102
3.3 Daily Life and Mentality 109
The Individual and Society 109
Men and Women 113
Religion, Philosophy, and Scholarship 117
Part IV 500–300 BC 129
4.1 A Historical Outline 131
Eurasian Communities 131
The Greek World 139
Italy and the West 149
4.2 The Social Fabric 152
Economic Life 152
Social Hierarchy 159
Political Organization 163
4.3 Daily Life and Mentality 169
The Individual and Society 169
Men and Women 175
Religion, Philosophy, and Scholarship 178
Part V 300 BC–1 AD 189
5.1 A Historical Outline 191
Eurasian Communities 191
The Greek World 200
Italy and the West 221
5.2 The Social Fabric 241
Economic Life 241
The Social Hierarchy 252
Political Organization 262
5.3 Daily Life and Mentality 269
The Individual and Society 269
Men and Women 277
Religion, Philosophy, and Scholarship 279
Part VI 1 AD–500 AD 291
6.1 A Historical Outline 293
Eurasian Communities 293
The Roman Empire 298
The Greek East and the Latin West 308
6.2 The Social Fabric 314
Economic Life 314
Social Hierarchy 321
Political Organization 327
6.3 Daily Life and Mentality 333
The Individual and Society 333
Men and Women 341
Religion, Philosophy, and Scholarship 343
Part VII After 500 AD 367
7 The 6th Century and Later 369
Eurasian Communities 369
The Byzantine East 378
The Christian Church 382
Islam 387
The Ancient Heritage 390
Appendices 395
Classical Athens 396
The Classical Roman Republic 397
Imperial Rome: The Principate 398
Imperial Rome: The Dominate 399
Hellenistic Rulers 400
Roman Emperors 402
Philosophers 403
Scholars and Scientists 405
Poets and Prose Writers 407
Christian Authors 409
CHRONOLOGY 411
Suggestions for Further Reading 419
Index 433
