This is a comprehensive, one-volume introduction to the three major civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean world: Eygpt, Greece, and Rome. It covers over 4000 years of ancient history - from the earliest Egyptian civilizations to the fall of Rome and rise of the Byzantine Empire. Starting with the emergence of the earliest Eygptian civilization around 3500 BC, the book goes on to span over four millennia - to beyond the fall of the Roman Empire in the west in AD 600 and the rise of the Byzantine Empire in the east. It includes a chapter on the civilization of the Ancient Near East, as well as less well-known cultures such as the Etruscans, Celts, Parthians, and Phoenicians/Carthaginians. The book covers every aspect of the life and times of these peoples - from politics, art, literature, and culture in general to the social, economic, and political background. It explores the many deep links and influences operating between cultures - revealing a picture of how and why Mediterranean culture developed as a whole.