The Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations. The Distant Past of Humanity

The leading expert on ancient history, Professor Gordon Childe, in this most significant work of his, offers an original concept of early human history. It is based on a European perspective, according to which the "main tradition" that influenced the Hellenistic Mediterranean is linked to Egypt and Mesopotamia. In accordance with his intentions and objectives, Childe opens his book with the Stone Age and concludes with the decline of the Roman Empire. The author vividly describes the life of primitive peoples during the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods, tracing the rise of Iron Age cultures up to their culmination as a result of the unification of a significant part of Europe due to the deeds of Alexander the Great. The narrative concludes with a chapter containing the author's viewpoint on the sunset and fall of the Ancient World.