Drawing on the latest research and information from a range of disciplines, The Middle East tells the compelling story of how a group of linguistically disparate, nomadic tribes responded to specific social, economic, and environmental factors to form the world’s first complex societies. • Compiled by an international team of historians, linguists and archaeologists, synthesizing the latest research from a range of disciplines • Discusses the rise and fall of ancient Middle Eastern societies—including Sumeria, Babylonia, Anatolia, the Levant, Assyria and Persia—and the lasting impact that these cultures have had on the modern world • Lavishly illustrated with stunning photographs of artifacts, artworks, buildings and landscapes, and six detailed maps that illustrate the geography and archaeology of the Middle East, as well as the extent of the region’s kingdoms and empires.