Five distinguished international scholars have collaborated with the author on the project. Detailed accounts are provided of the Near/Middle Eastern peoples and places known to us from historical records. Each of these entries includes specific references to translated passages from the relevant ancient texts. Numerous entries on archaeological sites contain accounts of their history of excavation, as well as more detailed descriptions of their chief features and their significance within the commercial, cultural, and political contexts of the regions to which they belonged.
The book contains a range of illustrations, including twenty maps. It serves as a major, indeed a unique, reference source for students as well as established scholars, both of the ancient Near Eastern as well as the Classical civilizations. It also appeals to more general readers wishing to pursue in depth their interests in these civilizations. There is nothing comparable to it on the market today.
Trevor Bryce is an Honorary Research Consultant at the University of Queensland and Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. He has held positions as Reader in Classics and Ancient History, University of Queensland, Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of New England (Australia), and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln University, New Zealand. He is the author of numerous works on the ancient Near East. His most recent publications are The Kingdom of the Hittites (2005), and The Trojans and their Neighbours (Routledge, 2006).