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

Charles Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0198150032 | ISBN-13: 978-0198150039

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

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.

Review

`comprehensive, clearly structured and lucidly written ... should appeal to and be enjoyed by the intelligent general reader' Dr Dominic Rathbone, King's College, London

`Confronted with Charles Freeman's Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civiliations of the ancient Mediterranean, whose 600 carefully written pages encompasses three major civilizations ... it is impossible not to be impressed by the author's sheer staying-power ... this is a triumph of tenacity; a skilful exercise in the compression of the past ... Freeman's magisterially paced prose ensured that the past runs to a tight commuter timetable - secure, familiar, assured ... no one can deny Freeman's enthusiasm and his concern that a survey volume, whatever its faults, should - like any properly run prep school - "provide the springboard into further study of these fascinating societies".' Times Literary Supplement

`The book is not only enjoyable but comprehensive in its description of the richness and complexity of the classical past ... He writes attractively ... He discusses clearly philosophers and philosophies, historians,the theatre, art, education and social life, including the status of women and the role of slavery ... this book has, in addition, copious suggestions for further reading, a comprehensive list of dates, useful maps and excellent illustrations.' Arthur Foss, The Anglo-Hellenic Review, 1997

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 696 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (November 14, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198150032
• ISBN-13: 978-0198150039
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,508,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book I have been looking for, February 20, 2002

By 

Donald Steiny (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean (Paperback)

Over the last few years I have gotten interested in the sources of the ideas of our current world. For instance, when reading about Jefferson, Adams and people that founded the US I find they are fluent in Latin and Greek and read the classics extensively.

I have read the Histories, the Pelloponesian Wars, much of Plutarch and survey books I could find and though I found the stories interesting I have been groping for some context. I felt like one of the blind men and the elephant, only apprehending the little piece I was in contact with and not having any idea what a whole elephant is like.

I came across this book by looking through ...(this very place) and it looked like it would give me an overall structure. The book succeeded beyond my expectations. Starting with Egypt and ending with the Byzantine Empire it covers the myriad civilizations around the Mediterranean during that period. It puts Solon and Dracon into their context. It explains how the Etruscians related to the Greek civilization, and then to Roman. It discusses the Phoenecians, the Latins, the Gauls, the Celts and all the various people that interacted with the Romans as their empire expanded and then the Germans, Huns and other that became important as their empire declined.

Much of what we know about the ancient world is relatively new because excavations are ongoing and techniques are improving. Besides that our thinking aout the ancient world is evolving as well. This book trys to understand the period it covers not just from the point of view of the wealthy, literate folks that wrote the classics, but from the point of view of craftsmen, farmers and slaves as well.

This is definately the book I had been looking for to get me started learning about the influence the past has had on the present. I may not know yet what the elephant of ancient history smells like because I have not been that close, but I have a pretty good idea what it looks like thanks to this book.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb history, September 18, 2002

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magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean (Paperback)

This is a great book to get an integrated view of the ancient world. I looked at many different books before reading this one, having previously devoured a number of more specialized books about the ancient world over the years, but wanting something more in the way of an overall perspective and context. This book is great for that.

I was mainly interested in the sections covering pre-Classical Period Greece, from 1500 down to the Golden Age (about 500 BC), but the other areas of coverage are superb also. Freeman also has an especially nice touch and fluency with the Greek history, and I wasn't surprised to find a separate book on Greek history by him next to this one on the bookshelf. There were also several gaps in my historical knowledge that this book plugged. For example, his section on the Etruscans, which I only had very fragmentary and superficial knowledge of, was also excellent.

The book benefits from much recent scholarship, and the author points out in the introduction that one of the main differences between a modern book on ancient history and older ones is the degree to which ancient civilizations like Greece can be placed much more securely in the context of their times, showing them not as isolated cultural entities, but as arising from the interplay of much more cosmopolitan influences as they interacted with, and were influenced by, their contacts, peaceable or otherwise, with neighboring or competing cultures. This is another one of the great scholarly strengths of the book.

I also found the author's deft touch and writing style a big plus, and although by necessity this is not a short book, it rarely got tedious or boring. That is notable by itself in a work of this size and nature. Overall, it counts as the best overall book on the history of the ancient world, and one of the most consistently interesting history books, I've ever read.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to an enormous subject, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean (Hardcover)

Many histories of this period respond to the lack of known detail about what happened by spending all their time droning on about social history. I wanted an narrative introduction to Greek and Roman history and this is it. The addition of Egypt is a welcome bonus. If you don't know your Marathon from your Issus, your Pompey from Ptolomy then this is the book for you. It serves as the ideal jumping off point to examine the particular areas that really spark your interest.