From its earliest beginnings thousands of years ago, the course of man's progress has been measured by his empires. Large, dynamic flows of power, people, and culture that merge, thrive, then break apart - the pieces only to merge again in a new configuration, the process to be repeated. Through pictures and words, "Empires: Their Rise and Fall" brings the reader face to face with many of the world's greatest empires. Full-color photographs are combined with an absorbing narrative in a lively historical account of each empire and an examination of the period's most enduring cultural achievements. This volume in the series focuses on Ancient Egypt, and Alexander and the World of Hellenism. In light of the barbarism that has existed over the history of civilized man, it is remarkable how much of ancient societies remains. For the earliest civilizations, our knowledge begins with scanty, often mythological, lists of kings. In the temples of ancient Egypt, the prowess of the king is dramatized in battle, in receiving tributes of the vanquished, and in other ennobling pursuits that glorify his reign. The greater part of the scenes and texts represented in the temples, however, illustrates and describes the rituals performed by the king for the gods. Although the Egyptian kings are identified by name, their personalities rarely rise above their activities. Yet beneath the impression of cold anonymity, glimpses of individuals do, on occasion, emerge. In contrast, the literature and documents of Hellenistic society reveal a more complex society. The polyglot atmosphere of the cosmopolis not only gave rise to many tensions, but also fostered an environment that must have been both lively and stimulating. So it was that the new Macedonian dynasties in Greece, Syria, and Mesopotamia by slow degrees transformed the Western world, creating the new order of Hellenism. The legacies of Greece, Palestine and the Levant, Mesopotamia, and Egypt were incorporated into this new order.

Sunrise of Power: Ancient Egypt, Alexander and the World of Hellenism (Imperial Visions Series: The Rise and Fall of Empires)

History

Milton, Joyce

Middle East

Edgell Communications

From its earliest beginnings thousands of years ago, the course of man's progress has been measured by his empires. Large, dynamic flows of power, people, and culture that merge, thrive, then break apart - the pieces only to merge again in a new configuration, the process to be repeated. Through pictures and words, "Empires: Their Rise and Fall" brings the reader face to face with many of the world's greatest empires. Full-color photographs are combined with an absorbing narrative in a lively historical account of each empire and an examination of the period's most enduring cultural achievements. This volume in the series focuses on Imperial Rome, considered by many to be history's greatest empire. Rome began as the humble convergence of a few small villages on the Tiber River and eventually encompassed more than two million square miles. At its height, the power of Rome spread from Britain in the northwest across the Mediterranean and through the Middle East to the Persian Gulf. In its contributions to our languages, cultures, and customs, no other empire has had greater impact on our lives today.

The Order of Rome: Imperium Romanum, Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire (Imperial Visions Series: The Rise and Fall of Empires)

Jack Holland

John Monroe

Americas

From its earliest beginnings thousands of years ago, the course of man's progress has been measured by his empires. Large, dynamic flows of power, people, and culture that merge, thrive, then break apart - the pieces only to merge again in a new configuration, the process to be repeated. Through pictures and words, "Empires: Their Rise and Fall" brings the reader face to face with many of the world's greatest empires. Full-color photographs are combined with an absorbing narrative in a lively historical account of each empire and an examination of the period's most enduring cultural achievements. This volume in the series focuses on Imperial China, and Islands of the Rising Sun. As Charlemagne was crowning himself King of the Holy Roman Empire in Europe, China was just beginning its fabulous Tang Dynasty, one of the most brilliant empires in the realm of the arts and in sweeping political influence. Printing and gunpowder were both invented during its rule, and Changan, the Tang capital, was at the time perhaps the greatest city in the world, with more than one million inhabitants. The power of Chinese culture to transmit its values and observances to another society was well demonstrated in Japan. Beginning with the introduction of Chinese writing and Buddhism in the fifth and sixth centuries, Chinese learning and political institutions transformed Japan from a primitive, tribal society to an ardent follower of the Chinese model. The chief of the ruling clan, who claimed descent from the sun goddess Amaterasu of early Japanese mythology, became an "emperor" in the Chinese style, having all the trappings and ritual of the Chinese court and presiding over an elaborate bureaucracy. The Japanese imperial line has continued until the present day - a unique record of unbroken succession.

Dynasties of the East: Imperial China, Islands of the Rising Sun (Imperial Visions Series: The Rise and Fall of Empires)

Joyce Milton

Wendy B. Murphy

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