Chronicles the history of the Mediterranean, discussing the geographical and social landscape that led to the development of Western culture, profiling the rise to power of the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Etruscans, Greeks, and Romans.

"Written from a consciously anti-enthnocentric approach, this fascinating work is a survey of the civilizations of the modern world in terms of the broad sweep and continuities of history, rather than the "event-based" technique of most other texts."--Back cover.

"By 1450, all of Europe and the Mediterranean were influenced by the teachings, the economies and the intellect of Italy. Its predominance had been achieved through a long history of effort, patience and strategic victories. How did Italy, or rather a handful of Italian cities, a few men all told, succeed in acquiring and maintaining a position of dominance vis-à-vis Byzantium, Islam, and western Europe? In this fascinating and insightful study, Fernand Braudel, one of the most distinguished historians of our time, examines the many-sided phenomenon of greatness that characterized Italy during the two centuries spanning the Renaissance, Mannerism, and the Baroque -- dazzling, multicoloured Italy, whose radiance shone all over Europe. Braudel perceptively describes the extent, nature and force of Italian influence abroad, analyses the complex interaction between art, science, politics and commerce, and proposes a paradigm of Italy's extraordinary cultural flowering. This is the first En