Challenging the stereotypes and myths that typically characterize students' understanding of antiquity,Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: From Prehistory to 640 CEfocuses oncontinuityandconnections,along withcultural diffusionandcultural diversity,to show how history is a cumulative process and that numerous themes recur in different times and places. The text alsoexplores sensitive issues and debatesincluding attitudes toward race, ethnicity, and tolerance; gender issues and roles; slavery; social mobility; religion; political evolution; the nature of government; and imperialism. FEATURES: * "A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words":Illustrations of distinctive material artifacts--buildings, frescoes, pots, statues, and more--accompanied by brief essays explaining how nonliterary material can shed light on ancient cultures * "History Laboratory":Concise observations on how historians use different methodologies to interpret historical evidence--including mysterious objects like the "Ice Man" and the Antikythera device--and to debunk pseudoscience * "In Their Own Words":Extended quotations (from literary or epigraphical texts) that exemplify each chapter's main themes and show how various types of written documents can help students learn about history * "Mysteries of History":Selections that address puzzling and intriguing aspects of the past (i.e., "Cleopatra, The Legend and the Reality") * "Historical Controversy":Reflections that explore conflicting modern interpretations of such ancient phenomena as Noah's Flood, "Black Athena," Athenian democracy, and Alexander the Great's character * Stunning Interior Design:More than 200 maps and illustrations--including an eight-page color portfolio--offer the richest and most pedagogical art program of any comparable text available Image Bank CDcontaining more than 100 PowerPoint-based slides and approximately forty maps, organized to accompany the text. Available to adopters of the text.