A team of internationally renowned scholars surveys the major imperial powers of the ancient world, from 1600 B.C. to A.D. 500, and ranging geographically from the ancient Mediterranean to East Asia. The authors investigate the nature of empires--including Egypt, Rome, Babylonia, Persia, India, and China--and their legacies in the modern age. Highlights include fascinating character profiles of great rulers such as the warrior pharaohs Thutmose and...