The Mediterranean in History

by David Abulafia

Overview

Contained in this history of the "Great Sea" are the stories of the birth of Western Civilization, the clash of warring faiths, and the rivalries of empires.
David Abulafia leads a team of eight distinguished historians in an exploration of the great facts, themes and epochs of this region's history: the physical setting; the rivalry between Carthaginians, Greeks, and Etruscans for control of the sea routes; unification under Rome and the subsequent break up into Western Christendom, Byzantium, and Islam; the Crusades; commerce in medieval times; the Ottoman resurgence; the rivalry of European powers from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries; and the globalization of the region in the last century.
The book departs from the traditional view of Mediterranean history, which placed emphasis on the overwhelming influences of physical geography on the molding of the region's civilizations. Instead, this new interpretation regards that physical context as a staging ground for decisive action, and at center stage are human catalysts at all levels of society-whether great kings and emperors, the sailors of medieval Amalfi, or the Sephardic Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492. The authors do more than simply catalogue the societies that developed in the region, but also describe how these groups interacted with one another across the sea, enjoying commercial and political ties as well as sharing ideas and religious beliefs.
This richly illustrated book offers contemporary historical writing at its best and is sure to engage specialists, students, and general readers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780892367252
Publisher:	Getty Publications
Publication date:	10/23/2003
Series:	Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum Series
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	8.63(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

David Abulafia is professor of Mediterranean History at the University of Cambridge.

Table of Contents

	Preface	9
	Introduction: What is the Mediterranean?	11
1	The physical setting	33
2	The first trading empires: prehistory to c.1000 BC	67
3	The battle for the sea routes: 1000--300 BC	99
4	The creation of Mare Nostrum: 300 BC--500 AD	127
5	The Mediterranean breaks up: 500--1000	155
6	A Christian Mediterranean: 1000--1500	183
7	Resurgent Islam: 1500--1700	219
8	The Mediterranean as a battleground of the European powers: 1700--1900	251
9	A globalized Mediterranean: 1900--2000	283
	Further reading	313
	Sources of illustrations	317
	Index	319

Editorial Reviews

The illustrations are magnificent and not just decorative, but mesh intelligently with the text.”-The London Sunday Times

 “A superb resource for personal enrichment and an acclaimed contribution to both academic and community library shelves.”-Library Bookwatch

From the Publisher