Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: From Prehistory to 640 CE

After a chapter on the origins of history, Mathisen, who holds appointments in history, classics, and medieval studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discusses ancient Mediterranean civilization from prehistory to a.d. 640 under four major headings: the cradle of civilization, the glory that was Greece, the grandeur that was Rome, and the world of late antiquity. The chapters most pertinent to the NT field include those on Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic age, the rise of Rome and the Roman republic, the decline of the republic and the founding of the principate, the Roman peace, the formation of the late Roman empire, and the Christian empire and the late Roman world. Throughout Mathisen stresses evolution and continuity, connections, causality, and cultural diffusion and diversity.