The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome Read online

  The History of the

  ANCIENT WORLD

  ALSO BY SUSAN WISE BAUER

  The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had (W. W. Norton, 2003)

  The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child (Peace Hill Press)

  Volume 1: Ancient Times (rev. ed., 2006)

  Volume 2: The Middle Ages (2003)

  Volume 3: Early Modern Times (2004)

  Volume 4: The Modern Age (2005)

  Though the Darkness Hide Thee (Multnomah, 1998)

  WITH JESSIE WISE

  The Well-Trained Mind:

  A Guide to Classical Education at Home (rev. ed., W. W. Norton, 2004)

  The History of the

  ANCIENT

  WORLD

  From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome

  SUSAN WISE BAUER

  W. W. Norton New York London

  Copyright © 2007 by Susan Wise Bauer

  All rights reserved

  For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

  Maps designed by Susan Wise Bauer and Sarah Park and created by Sarah Park

  Since this page cannot legibly accommodate all the copyright notices, backmatter constitute an extension of the copyright page.

  Page makeup: Carole Desnoes

  Production manager: Julia Druskin

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Bauer, S. Wise

  The history of the ancient world: from the earliest accounts to the fall of Rome/

  Susan Wise Bauer.—1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references

  ISBN: 978-0-393-07089-7

  1. History, Ancient. I. Title.

  D57.B38 2007

  930—dc22

  2006030934

  W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

  500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

  www.wwnorton.com

  W. W. Norton & Company Ltd.

  Castle House, 75/76 Wells Street, London W1T 3QT

  For

  Christopher

  Contents

  List of Maps

  List of Illustrations

  Acknowledgments

  Preface

  Part One

  THE EDGE OF HISTORY

  One The Origin of Kingship Just north of the Persian Gulf, in the very distant past

  Two The Earliest Story Sumer, slightly later

  Three The Rise of Aristocracy Sumer, 3600 BC

  Four The Creation of Empire The Nile river valley, 3200 BC

  Five The Age of Iron The Indus river valley, 3102 BC

  Six The Philosopher King The Yellow river valley, 2852–2205 BC

  Part Two

  FIRSTS

  Seven The First Written Records Sumer and Egypt, 3800–2400 BC

  Eight The First War Chronicles Sumer, 2700 BC

  Nine The First Civil War Egypt, 3100–2686 BC

  Ten The First Epic Hero Sumer, 2600 BC

  Eleven The First Victory over Death Egypt, 2686–2566 BC

  Twelve The First Reformer Sumer, 2350 BC

  Thirteen The First Military Dictator Sumer, 2334–2279 BC

  Fourteen The First Planned Cities The Indus river valley, 2300 BC

  Fifteen The First Collapse of Empire Egypt, 2450–2184 BC

  Sixteen The First Barbarian Invasions Akkadia, Sumer, and Elam, 2278–2154 BC

  Seventeen The First Monotheist Sumer and the Western Semitic lands, 2166–1991 BC

  Eighteen The First Environmental Disaster Sumer, 2037–2004 BC

  Part Three

  STRUGGLE

  Nineteen The Battle for Reunification Egypt, 2181–1782 BC

  Twenty The Mesopotamian Mixing Bowl Mesopotamia, 2004–1750 BC

  Twenty-One The Overthrow of the Xia The Yellow river valley, 1766 BC

  Twenty-Two Hammurabi’s Empire Babylonia, 1781–1712 BC

  Twenty-Three The Hyksos Seize Egypt Egypt, 1782–1630 BC

  Twenty-Four King Minos of Crete Crete, 1720–1628 BC

  Twenty-Five The Harappan Disintegration India, 1750–1575 BC

  Twenty-Six The Rise of the Hittites Asia Minor and Mesopotamia, 1790–1560 BC

  Twenty-Seven Ahmose Expels the Hyksos Egypt, 1570–1546 BC

  Twenty-Eight Usurpation and Revenge Egypt, 1546–1446 BC

  Twenty-Nine The Three-Way Contest Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor, 1525–1400 BC

  Thirty The Shifting Capitals of the Shang China, 1753–1400 BC

  Thirty-One The Mycenaeans of Greece Crete and Greece, 1600–1400 BC

  Thirty-Two Struggle of the Gods Egypt, 1386–1340 BC

  Thirty-Three Wars and Marriages Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor, 1340–1321 BC

  Thirty-Four The Greatest Battle in Very Ancient Times Egypt, Asia Minor, and Assyria, 1321–1212 BC

  Thirty-Five The Battle for Troy Asia Minor and Greece, 1260–1230 BC

  Thirty-Six The First Historical King of China China, 1200 BC

  Thirty-Seven The Rig Veda India, 1200 BC

  Thirty-Eight The Wheel Turns Again Asia Minor, Assyria, Babylonia, and Egypt, 1212–1190 BC

  Thirty-Nine The End of the New Kingdom Egypt, 1185–1070 BC

  Forty The Dark Age of Greece Greece, 1200–1050 BC

  Forty-One The Dark Age of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia, 1119–1032 BC

  Forty-Two The Fall of the Shang China, 1073–1040 BC

  Part Four

  EMPIRES

  Forty-Three The Mandate of Heaven China, 1040–918 BC

  Forty-Four The Bharata War Northern India, 950 BC

  Forty-Five The Son of David Israel, Arabia, and Egypt, 1050–931 BC

  Forty-Six From Western to Eastern Zhou China, 918–771 BC

  Forty-Seven The Assyrian Renaissance Assyria, Israel, Egypt, and Phoenicia, 934–841 BC

  Forty-Eight New Peoples Assyria, Babylonia, and Greece, 850–800 BC

  Forty-Nine Trading Posts and Colonies Italy and Greece, 800–720 BC

  Fifty Old Enemies Assyria, Urartu, Syria, and Babylonia, 783–727 BC

  Fifty-One Kings of Assyria and Babylon Assyria, Israel, and Egypt, 726–705 BC

  Fifty-Two Spectacular Defeat Assyria, Babylonia, Judah, and Egypt, 704–681 BC

  Fifty-Three The Decline of the King China, 771–628 BC

  Fifty-Four The Assyrians in Egypt Assyria, Babylonia, Phrygia, Lydia, and Egypt, 681–653 BC

  Fifty-Five Medes and Persians Assyria, Babylonia, Elam, Media, and Persia, 653–625 BC

  Fifty-Six Conquest and Tyranny Greece, Asia Minor, and North Africa, 687–622 BC

  Fifty-Seven The Beginnings and End of Empire Italy, Assyria, Babylonia, Judah, and Egypt, 650–605 BC

  Fifty-Eight A Brief Empire Babylonia, Egypt, and Media, 605–580 BC

  Fifty-Nine Cyrus the Great Babylonia, Lydia, Arabia, Judah, Media, and Persia, 580–539 BC

  Sixty The Republic of Rome North Africa, Italy, and Asia Minor, 550–501 BC

  Sixty-One Kingdoms and Reformers India, 560–500 BC

  Sixty-Two The Power of Duty and the Art of War China, 551–475 BC

  Sixty-Three The Spreading Persian Empire Persia, Egypt, and India, 539–514 BC

  Sixty-Four The Persian Wars Persia, Egypt, and Greece, 527–479 BC

  Part Five

  IDENTITY

  Sixty-Five The Peloponnesian Wars Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Sicily, 47
8–404 BC

  Sixty-Six The First Sack of Rome Italy, 495–390 BC

  Sixty-Seven The Rise of the Ch’in China, 403–325 BC

  Sixty-Eight The Macedonian Conquerors Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Macedonia, 404–336 BC

  Sixty-Nine Rome Tightens Its Grasp Italy, Sicily, and Carthage, 367–290 BC

  Seventy Alexander and the Wars of the Successors The known world, 336–272 BC

  Seventy-One The Mauryan Epiphany India, 297–231 BC

  Seventy-Two First Emperor, Second Dynasty China, 286–202 BC

  Seventy-Three The Wars of the Sons The known world, 285–202 BC

  Seventy-Four Roman Liberators and Seleucid Conquerors Greece, Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire, and India, 200–168 BC

  Seventy-Five Between East and West China, Bactria, Parthia, and India, 200–110 BC

  Seventy-Six Breaking the System Italy, Sicily, Greece, and North Africa, 157–121 BC

  Seventy-Seven The Problems of Prosperity Italy, North Africa, and China, 118–73 BC

  Seventy-Eight New Men Italy, Britain, Gaul, Egypt, and Parthia, 78–44 BC

  Seventy-Nine Empire The Roman Empire, Parthia, and Egypt, 44 BC–AD 14

  Eighty Eclipse and Restoration China, 33 BC–AD 75

  Eighty-One The Problem of Succession The Roman Empire, Parthia, and India, AD 14–69

  Eighty-Two The Edges of the Roman World The Roman Empire, Parthia, and Britain, AD 70–132

  Eighty-Three Children on the Throne China, AD 88–182

  Eighty-Four The Mistake of Inherited Power The Roman Empire, Parthia, and China, AD 138–222

  Eighty-Five Savior of the Empire The Roman Empire, Parthia, and the Persian Empire, AD 222–312

  Notes

  Works Cited

  Permissions

  Maps

  1.1 Very Ancient Mesopotamia

  2.1 Before the Ryan-Pitman Flood

  3.1 Early Cities of Sumer

  4.1 Upper and Lower Egypt

  5.1 India

  5.2 Indian Trade Routes

  6.1 China’s Early Settlements

  8.1 Meskiaggasher’s Trade

  9.1 Egyptian Expansion

  11.1 Pyramids of the Old Kingdom

  12.1 Battling Cities of Sumer and Elam

  13.1 Sargon’s Empire

  14.1 Harappan Cities

  16.1 The Mesopotamia of Naram-Sin

  17.1 Abram’s World

  18.1 The Disintegration of Sumer

  19.1 The Middle Kingdom

  20.1 Mesopotamian Mixing Bowl

  21.1 Xia and Shang

  22.1 Hammurabi’s Empire

  23.1 Three Simultaneous Dynasties

  24.1 The Minoans

  24.2 Thera Before and After

  25.1 Newcomers to India

  26.1 The Hittite Homeland

  27.1 Ahmose Against the Hyksos

  28.1 Egypt’s Greatest Northern Extent

  29.1 The Mitanni

  30.1 The Shang Capitals

  31.1 The Mycenaeans

  32.1 Nubia

  33.1 Assyria’s Middle Kingdom

  38.1 Tukulti-Ninurta’s Assyria

  39.1 Sea Peoples Invade

  40.1 Dorian Greece

  41.1 End of the Hittites

  42.1 Shang and Zhou

  43.1 The Western Zhou

  44.1 Aryan Clans of India

  45.1 Israelites and Philistines

  45.2 Israel and Surrounding Kingdoms

  45.3 Arabia

  47.1 The New Assyrian Empire

  48.1 Shalmaneser’s Enemies

  48.2 Mycenaeans, Dorians, and Ionians

  49.1 Italian Peoples and Greek Colonies

  50.1 Assyria and Its Challengers

  51.1 Egypt and Assyria

  52.1 Sennacherib’s Campaigns

  53.1 States of the Eastern Zhou (with Alternate Spellings)

  54.1 Esarhaddon’s World

  55.1 The Medes and the Persians

  56.1 The Spreading Greek World

  57.1 Rome and Her Neighbors

  57.2 The City of Rome

  58.1 The Babylonian Empire

  59.1 The Empire of Cyrus the Great

  60.1 Romans, Carthaginians, and Gauls

  61.1 Indian Kingdoms

  62.1 The Five Hegemonies

  63.1 Persia and Central Asia

  63.2 Egypt and Cyrene

  63.3 The Expansion of Magadha

  64.1 Homeland of the Scythians

  64.2 Greece at the Time of the Persian Wars

  65.1 Greece and the Peloponnesian Wars

  65.2 The War on Sicily

  66.1 The Gaulish Invasion

  67.1 The Warring States

  68.1 The March of the Ten Thousand

  69.1 Roman Enemies and Allies

  70.1 Alexander’s Empire

  70.2 The Partition of Babylon

  71.1 Mauryan India

  72.1 Ch’in China

  73.1 The World of the Seleucids

  73.2 The World of the Punic Wars

  74.1 Bactria and India

  74.2 Contested Satrapies

  75.1 Han China

  75.2 The Parthians

  76.1 Slave Revolts

  77.1 Numidia

  77.2 Pontus

  77.3 The Silk Road

  78.1 The Wars of Pompey and Caesar

  78.2 Britain

  79.1 Rome Under the Triumvirate

  79.2 Rome Under Augustus

  81.1 Rome Under Tiberius

  81.2 Kushan

  82.1 The Roman Empire

  82.2 Hadrian’s Wall

  83.1 The Yellow Turbans

  84.1 The Parthian Invasion

  84.2 The Three Kingdoms

  85.1 The Gothic Invasion

  85.2 The New Persian Empire

  85.3 The Roman Empire, Divided

  Illustrations

  4.1 Scorpion King Macehead

  4.2 Narmer Palette

  7.1 Cuneiform Tablet

  7.2 Alphabet Chart

  11.1 Bent Pyramid

  12.1 Stele of Vultures

  14.1 Mohenjo-Daro Man

  15.1 Sphinx

  15.2 Khafre’s Descendents

  16.1 Gudea

  19.1 Senusret III

  24.1 Bull-dancer

  28.1 Kings of Egypt

  34.1 Statue of Rameses II

  34.2 Mummy of Rameses II

  36.1 Shang Bronze

  39.1 Relief at Medinat Habu

  45.1 Philistine Coffin

  47.1 Black Obelisk

  54.1 Midas Monument

  58.1 Ishtar Gate

  59.1 Cyrus’s Family Tree

  63.1 First World Map

  64.1 Pontoon Bridge

  68.1 Philip of Macedonia

  70.1 Alexander the Great

  72.1 First Emperor’s Army

  77.1 Sulla

  78.1 Pompey

  78.2 Julius Caesar

  79.1 Octavian

  81.1 Nero

  82.1 Hadrian’s Wall

  84.1 Commodus

  85.1 Shifts of Power in the Roman Empire

  85.2 Constantine

  Acknowledgments

  FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, I’ve had trouble finding a good answer to the question, “What are you working on these days?” When I say, “I’m working on a history of the world,” people inevitably laugh.

  I really am writing a history of the world. But I wouldn’t have ventured into a project like this unless my editor at Norton, Starling Lawrence, had suggested it first. His advice, encouragement, and editorial judgment have helped shape this first volume; a generous share of the credit (and a heaping helping of any punishment headed my way for the crime of hubris) should go to him. Thanks also to Star and Jenny for their hospitality, which is almost Southern in its kindness.