Antiquity - From the Birth of Sumerian Civilization to the Fall of the Roman Empire

“With his characteristic eloquence and lucid insights. . . Cantor offers a splendid and accessible portrait of the cultures of the ancient world.”—Publishers Weekly

Bestselling author Norman Cantor delivers this compact but magisterial survey of the ancient world—from the birth of Sumerian civilization around 3500 B.C. in the Tigris-Euphrates valley (present-day Iraq) to the fall of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476. He covers such subjects as Classical Greece, Judaism, the founding of Christianity, and the triumph and decline of Rome.

In this fascinating and comprehensive analysis, Cantor explores social and cultural history, as well as the political and economic aspects of his narrative. He explains leading themes in religion and philosophy and discusses the environment, population, and public health. With his signature authority and insight, he highlights in Antiquity the great books and ideas of antiquity that continue to influence culture today.

In Antiquity EPB, Norman Cantor provides a lucid and authoritative guide to the foundational pillars of the ancient world:

Four Foundational Cultures: A concise survey of the societies that shaped the West, from the hydraulic despotisms of Egypt and Mesopotamia to the intellectual vibrancy of Classical Greece and the imperial might of Rome. Political and Social History: An analysis of how ancient peoples lived, from their political and economic structures to their environment, population, and public health. The Birth of Great Religions: An exploration of the origins and leading themes of ancient belief systems, including the development of Judaism and the founding of Christianity. Philosophy and Great Ideas: A guide to the great books, philosophies, and intellectual traditions of antiquity that continue to influence our world today.