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Ancient Worlds
Ancient Worlds: A Global History of Antiquity | Michael Scott
3 posts | 2 read | 7 to read
"As panoramic as it is learned, this is ancient history for our globalized world." Tom Holland, author of Dynasty and Rubicon Twenty-five-hundred years ago, civilizations around the world entered a revolutionary new era that overturned old order and laid the foundation for our world today. In the face of massive social changes across three continents, radical new forms of government emerged; mighty wars were fought over trade, religion, and ideology; and new faiths were ruthlessly employed to unify vast empires. The histories of Rome and China, Greece and India-the stories of Constantine and Confucius, Qin Shi Huangdi and Hannibal-are here revealed to be interconnected incidents in the midst of a greater drama. In Ancient Worlds, historian Michael Scott presents a gripping narrative of this unique age in human civilization, showing how diverse societies responded to similar pressures and how they influenced one another: through conquest and conversion, through trade in people, goods, and ideas. An ambitious reinvention of our grandest histories, Ancient Worlds reveals new truths about our common human heritage. "A bold and imaginative page-turner that challenges ideas about the world of antiquity." Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads
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review
jenlbean
Mehso-so

I did it! I finally finished this book. It was way above my pay grade, but I feel like I learned quite a bit from it anyways. It was actually quite engaging to read, just so full of information that I hadn't encountered before that it got confusing at points.

blurb
jenlbean
post image

I've been reading this for 3 months and I'm only 150pgs in. The info is fascinating but it reads like a text book. I've only not finished 2 books in my life, I don't want this to be my 3rd. How do you get through books that lull you to sleep every time you read them?

review
kammartinez
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Pickpick

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

Does exactly what it says on the tin: explores the connections between such disparate civilizations as Ancient Rome, Ancient India, and Ancient China and makes a very good case for studying ancient civilizations as linked instead of distinct. Scott's writing can be a teeny bit dry sometimes, but is otherwise fascinating and eminently readable :D.

Gezemice This looks very interesting. I used read a lot of ancient history when I was young but not lately, this seems like a good way to get back into it, with a fresh perspective. 7y
kammartinez As someone who still reads about ancient history fairly frequently, this was definitely a treat :D. Scott also referenced Frankopan's book on the Silk Roads fairly frequently as an example of a book that does the same thing with history as this one, so that's next on my TBR :D. 7y
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