A History of the Eastern Mediterranean World

This is an ambitious and ground-breaking history of the Eastern Mediterranean from the Bronze Age (c. 1200 BCE) to the present. Identifying the Eastern Mediterranean as a distinct historical unit, Nicholas Doumanis examines the internal development of the region and its external interactions across geographical, political, economic and cultural boundaries. From the time that complex societies were first formed in the Mediterranean world, through to the early modern period, its centre of gravity was the semi-circle formed by Egypt, the Levant and Anatolia. In the East lay the largest centres of wealth, population and production. In terms of lifestyles and learning, the East led the way; and in political terms, large territorial states nearly always dominated, in contrast to the relatively fragmented zones of the West. Today, Europe's centre of gravity is again being drawn back east through the extension of the European Union and through its political and military involvement in the Balkans and beyond.

Building on recent, seminal works such as Horden and Purcell's 'The Corrupting Sea' as well as more focussed studies of particular periods and places within the Eastern Mediterranean 'hub', Professor Doumanis presents a clear, dynamic overview of the region through time. Space is given to careful thematic analysis, in particularly exploring the role of state formation and the development of connected cultures. But the book moves chronologically through time making it accessible to students and general readers new to the field.