A knowledge of the great civilizations of the ancient world is fundamental to an understanding of the present. The majesty of the pyramids at Giza, the mysteries of Mesopotamian writing and the gracefulness of the Acropolis are an endless source of fascination and our languages, architecture, religions, art and science are all rooted in the past. This book surveys the great cultures of Mesopotamia and the Near East, Egypt, prehistoric Europe, Greece and the Aegean, the Roman world, India, China and the Americas, which have shaped the modern world. There are also accounts of the rise and fall of empires and the rulers who have governed them and features on topics including religion, drama, pottery, writing and warfare are included. Margaret Oliphant is the author of The Egyptian World and The Earliest Civilisations.