Opinions differ, but some historians believe they had been displaced from their homeland by famine or. The corrupting sea is a book that all classicists should read. The sea is almost completely surrounded by land, on the north by europe, on the south by north africa, and on the east by the middle east. The mediterranean sea its history and present challenges. A fascinating study of the mediterranean is full of stories pulled from the. His first monograph was on the norman campaigns in the balkans 10811108 2014, while his second book on the byzantine military tactics in syria in the 10th century will be out in the autumn of 2018. A magisterial account of the human history of the mediterranean sea from the copper and bronze ages through modern times. Called the incubator of western civilization, it runs west to east from the strait of gibraltar between spain and morocco to the coast of turkey and north to south between croatias southern shores and libya. Geographically, it is a whole world in miniature, an inland sea whose shores encompass every type of. Mediterranean was created in earths biggest deluge. The mediterranean sea is a sea connected to the atlantic ocean, surrounded by the mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land. He decided to stop in 1919 peace of versailles and let us waiting for the history of the middle sea since 1920. Bronze age collapse during which the major civilizations of the mediterranean declined or fell. This volume is an indispensable addition to the multidisciplinary coverage of the science of the mediterranean sea.
The mediterranean context of early greek history reveals the role of the complex interaction of mediterranean seafaring and maritime connections in the development of the ancient greek citystates. The mediterranean sea is the body of water that separates europe, africa and asia. The corrupting sea is a history of the relationship between people and their environments in the mediterranean region over some 3,000 years. British historian david abulafia has written the first complete history of the mediterranean sea and its people. Rather than imposing a false unity on the sea and the teeming human activity it has sustained, the book emphasises diversity ethnic, linguistic, religious and political. Mar 01, 2011 the book departs from the traditional view of mediterranean history with its emphasis on the influences of physical geography. Ranging from time when it has been one of the great centers of civilization, so often joining three continents and many diverse societies, till nowadays when the mediterranean sea is a frontier dividing the continents from one another. Uatur mentioned in latter predynastic period in egypt as name for mediterranean sea. The suez canal is a manmade waterway connecting the mediterranean sea to the indian ocean via the red sea. The mediterranean in history university lecturer in history.
Cyprus, an island in the eastern mediterranean sea renowned since ancient times for its mineral wealth, superb wines and produce, and natural beauty. It advocates a novel analysis of this relationship in terms. The great sea is a history of the mediterranean from a human perspective in that it covers the history of the lands surrounding the sea by telling the stories of the peoples who lived there. It enables a more direct route for shipping between europe and asia, effectively. The great sea deserves a place on the shelf next to braudels classic work. Was life in the lands around the mediterranean sea really as wretched. This quantity is an indispensable addition to the multidisciplinary protection of the science of the mediterranean sea. The mediterranean context of early greek history reveals the role of the complex interaction of mediterranean seafaring and maritime connections in the development of the ancient greek city. The editors have gathered leading authorities from the fields of marine biology, ecology, paleoclimatology, chemical and physical oceanography, zoology, botany, aquatic photosynthesis, socioeconomics, mariculture, mediterranean history and science of humanity. David abulafia is an accomplished expert in the field, having spent over a decade as professor of mediterranean history at the university of cambridge. Opinions differ, but some historians believe they had been displaced from their homeland by famine or natural. The great sea a human history of the mediterranean david abulafia. Popular mediterranean history books empires of the sea. A brief history of the mediterranean sea geography.
It is a credit to the science and study of the mediterranean sea, and as such it. Instead it regards physical context as a staging ground for decisive action with, at center stage, human catalysts at all levels of societyfrom great kings and emperors to the sailors of medieval amalfi to the. May 03, 2012 the great sea ranges stupendously across time and the whole extraordinary space of the mediterranean from gibraltar to jaffa, venice to alexandria. Connecting europe, asia, and africa, the mediterranean sea has been for millennia the place where religions, economies, and political systems met, clashed, influenced and absorbed one another. The mediterranean has since witnessed innumerable turmoils, caused principally by the greed for riches and by the ambition for power of certain mediterranean leaders. A wonderfully illustrated account of the civilizations that rose and fell on the lands. Offers fascinating insights into the origins of urbanization in the ancient mediterranean, including the greek citystate. The eruption of the arabs into world history in the 7th century, with their dynamic new religion, changes the mediterranean scene in a remarkably short time. The middle sea bring us through time and space, taking as focal point the mediterraneo sea and the lands around it. Contained in this history of the great sea are the stories of the birth of western civilization, the clash of warring faiths, and the rivalries of empires. The early bronze age settlement at tel kabri is destroyed as part of. The editors have gathered leading authorities from the fields of marine biology.
The mediterranean sea is connected to the atlantic ocean by a narrow passage called the strait of gibraltar. D in history 2010, university of glasgow, is a historian specialising in the military history of the eastern mediterranean. It has often been called the incubator of western civilization. For over three thousand years, the mediterranean sea has been one of the great centres of civilization. Equally mysterious is the sea peoples motivation for ravaging the mediterranean. For over four thousand years the mediterranean was the centre of western civilization. Antioch in the northeast falls to the muslims in 645. Mediterranean timeline ancient history encyclopedia. In this brilliant and expansive book, david abulafia offers a fresh perspective by focusing on the sea itself. Apr 20, 2018 from the outset, from cains murder of his brother abel, this encyclopedic book of books makes it clear that the history of this sea and the peoples who live on its shores is a history of violence, fratricide, bloodthirsty sackings, abuses of power, lootings and rape. Some of the most ancient human civilizations were made around the mediterranean sea, so it has had a large influence on the history and ways of life of these cultures.
Shipping may be from our sydney, nsw warehouse or from our uk or us warehouse, depending on stock availability. Crisis in the mediterranean is essential reading for detailed information on naval conditions in the mediterranean sea in the decade leading to world war i. This is a magnificently written, remarkable, view changing book. Beginning with the birth of the mediterranean sea and its myths. The editors have gathered main authorities from the fields of marine biology. A human history of the mediterranean 9780199315994. The final battle for the mediterranean, 15211580 hardcover. Aug 29, 2018 equally mysterious is the sea peoples motivation for ravaging the mediterranean. Geographically, it is a whole world in miniature, an inland sea whose shores encompass e. Dec 09, 2009 the mediterranean sea was formed by the most spectacular flood in earths history when water from the atlantic ocean breached the mountain range joining europe and africa with the force of a. The great sea a human history of the mediterranean by david abulafia is a fascinating book. This volume brings together for the first time a collection of twelve articles written both jointly and individually by peregrine horden and nicholas purcell as they have participated in the debates generated by their major work, the corrupting sea. Its history and present challenges is an indispensable addition to the multidisciplinary coverage of the science of the mediterranean sea.
The mediterranean in history seminary coop bookstores. Shelf awareness david abulafias new book about the mediterranean sea, the great sea, has everything a major work of history requires. Midway through his book, he touches on the career of a medieval namesake of his, a jewish intellectual from saragossa who, in addition to the. The culinary history of the mediterranean basin is a big topic, and food writer clifford wright has written a big book.
The book begins in the ancient times and ends in the great war. A human history of the mediterranean reprint by abulafia, david isbn. If it was a work of fiction, or if it was more mythically inclined, i would even venture to call it an epic. A wonderfully illustrated account of the civilizations that rose and fell on the lands bordering the mediterranean, the middle sea represents the culmination of a great historians unparalleled art and scholarship. The book departs from the traditional view of mediterranean history with its emphasis on the influences of physical geography. Instead the book tells us a story based on documented deeds and occurrences, which makes it all the more interesting. Apr 15, 2014 crisis in the mediterranean is essential reading for detailed information on naval conditions in the mediterranean sea in the decade leading to world war i. David abulafia leads a team of eight distinguished historians in an exploration of the great facts, themes and epochs of this regions history. This magnificent history, at once sweeping and precise, spans the period from 22,000 b. Worldclass interpretations exist of its classical and subsequent history, but there has been remarkably little. Towards a history of mediterranean noir crimereads.
This volume brings together for the first time a collection of twelve articles written both jointly and individually by peregrine horden and nicholas purcell as they have participated in the. This lively and dramatic book brings roaring to life the grand sweep of 5,000 years of history in the cradle of civilization. Oxford university press, jun 1, 2011 history 816 pages. His first monograph was on the norman campaigns in. The history of the mediterranean sea is the history of communications between people and cultures from the lands surrounding it through the way of trade, transport, colonization, war and cultural swap between different peoples.
Situated at the intersection of europe, asia, and africa, the mediterranean sea has been for millenia the place where religions, economies, and. The mediterranean was once a deep, dry valley, some five million years ago, dividing the three continents, europe, africa and asia, until a cataclysmic broach was made in the retaining wall, which kept out the atlantic ocean in the west, towards presentday gibraltar. A military history of the mediterranean sea aspects of war. If it was a work of fiction, or if it was more mythically inclined, i. Shelf awareness david abulafias new book about the mediterranean sea, the great sea, has everything a.
The editors have gathered leading authorities from the fields of. The editors have gathered leading authorities from the fields of marine biology, ecology, paleoclimatology, chemical and physical oceanography, zoology, botany. The black sea is a body of water and marginal sea of the atlantic ocean between eastern europe, the caucasus, and western asia. With the coming of the fifth mediterranean the whole character of this process changed. Jan 01, 2000 the culinary history of the mediterranean basin is a big topic, and food writer clifford wright has written a big book. Jul 05, 2007 the middle sea bring us through time and space, taking as focal point the mediterraneo sea and the lands around it. The mediterranean context of early greek history wiley. It is supplied by a number of major rivers, such as the danube, dnieper. Instead it regards physical context as a staging ground for. David abulafias the great sea is the first complete history of the mediterranean, from the erection of. The history of the mediterranean sea is the history of communications between people and cultures from the lands surrounding it through the way of trade, transport, colonization, war and cultural swap. Cyprian broodbank the mediterranean has been for millennia one of the global cockpits of human endeavor.
A military history of the mediterranean sea aspects of. The mediterranean is a relatively closed sea, with only a slight interchange of waters with the atlantic at the straits of gibraltar and with the black sea at the bosphorous straits, at istanbul. Survey of the mediterranean sea, the intercontinental sea that separates europe from africa. The piratical sea peoples ravage the mediterranean. This book belongs in university libraries and on the desks and bookshelves of all researchers interested in the mediterranean sea. The mediterranean sea was formed by the most spectacular flood in earths history when water from the atlantic ocean breached the mountain range joining europe and africa with the force of. Apr 19, 2016 i briefly discuss the great sea by david abulafia which is a nonfiction history of the peoples and cultures of the mediterranean sea from neolithic times until 2010. It advocates a novel analysis of this relationship in terms of microecologies and the often extensive networks to which they belong. First published in 2011, it is a history of the mediterranean sea from 22,000 bc to the present time, and provides one of the most comprehensive treatments of the subject since the works of fernand braudel. Some of the most ancient human civilizations egyptian, phoenician, greek and roman were organized around it. Mediterranean sea, an intercontinental sea that stretches from the atlantic ocean on the west to asia on the east and separates europe from africa. Although the sea is sometimes considered a part of the atlantic ocean, it is usually referred to. A human history of the mediterranean is an awardwinning book by the british historian david abulafia.
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