A History of the Ancient World

by Chester G. Starr

Reflecting five decades of teaching and research, and drawing on the most recent scholarship, the fourth edition of this widely-read history provides the same broad coverage, chronological framework, and absorbing literary style that distinguished previous editions. For the new edition, the chapters on early humankind, the section on the revolt of Bar Kochba, and the chapter describing the end of the Roman Empire in the west have been rewritten to incorporate the most recent scholarship, and bibliographies have been brought up to date throughout. A classic survey of history from the beginnings of humankind to the fall of the Roman Empire, Starr's A History of the Ancient World makes the latest scholarship available to the general reader in a lively and accessible way.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Nonfiction, Ancient, Reference, World History, Greece

800 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

Reviews

[Nathan Balyeat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good overview of the ancient world focusing on the Mediterranean with less information on ancient Persia and China. It's hard to condense a couple thousand years into a few hundred pages and the book does its best to not be too superficial in its treatment. I honestly don't know how it could be better.

It reflects an older trend of more objective history, one that doesn't try to attribute motivations to peoples that don't necessarily share the same values as the rest of us today do.

It's worth the read and having in a home library as an overview book.

[Mel Bossa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so vast and incredible. I will try to organize my thoughts and maybe review later. But all I can say for now is: we are one race of human beings. We all have beauty, savagery and triumph inside us. No peoples have had the monopoly on war or murder. Throughout history, the torch of ignorance has passed from hand to hand. From tribe to tribe, then from nation to nation. And the most important thing I come away with after reading this, is the idea that humans have exhanged and traded since the start. We have always stolen or imitated what we admired in others. From religion to dress, from philosophies to science, foods and dance, thoughts and tools, spices and alphabets--all of it--was just one continuous flow.
That flow is so appeasing and beautiful and I will let it carry me on in love and respect for who we all are.
If more people read books on the ancient world, this dominant white point of view would be adjusted.
White people were once the barbarians. The backward ones.
Empires rise and fall.
And because we only live about 80 years, we all lack perspective!
Humanity is a story and we have yet to write the final chapters.

[Mél ☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A History of the Ancient World is a classic survey of history from the beginnings of humankind to the fall of the Roman Empire, deftly exploring the broad expanse within Greek and Roman occupied centre stages.

Starr in his book implicitly argues that history beyond the way the Greeks perceived their enemies and the world pokes at the fact that our modern understanding of what good and evil are remains tainted by movies and dramatized shows. (that not everyone then and there believed Persians/ Medians to be barbaric, for example.)

This book carefully taps into the tensions and complexities of ancient history and the achievements of the first civilizations.
It really got me thinking: Imagine the first chariot attacking a city, moving so fast towards individuals who knew nothing about horses... And changing warfare forever.
The first weapons made of steel.. the influence of Sea Power and how decisive it was to wield tools and weapons undiscovered by enemies.

A great account that presents new views while maintaining historical accuracy and soundness of judgment ( especially the revised version which I read) all delivered through lively and captivating prose.

I am very happy I stumbled upon this one.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrow.

Exactly what it is intended to be: a starter book for students of ancient history. Even though I knew this I was hoping I would still enjoy a repeat of some of my favourite periods.

This is, however, too light and fleeting to really get into and I really disliked the way the contents were arranged with little subtopics in italics which completely break up the reader's flow.

[Ankylosaurus]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are not called Greece or Rome he barely covers your history. Persia gets the short end of the historical stick. Yet this is a mighty achievement in historical synthesis.

[Ankitha Kishorchandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty accurate for a book written in the 60s (I think). Starr has a concise way of summarizing the major events, political, religious and social structures, and geographical expansions/losses in a way that leaves you with solid pictures in your head that you can map to timelines. That's a good history book in my opinion. This is the book that turned me atheist and hence shall always have a special place in my heart. Been reading this book since 2020, which is a long time even for me, but I'm glad I finished it. I used it as extra reading for my ancient Greek history course this past term, and realized exactly how much detail that Starr skimps out on after reading my course textbook. It's great as a summarizing tool, though. I think I genuinely scoured only the Greek sections because it was interesting and important to me, but the other sections seemed fine and I learnt enough from them. I like that I own this book :)

[Belle Meade School]

930

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so very amazing

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked about how this book in particular explained things. I really enjoyed each section about the ancient world and I really liked every part of this book. There was nothing I disliked because it was amazing. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the ancient world.

[Lettie Laferriere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for a class at WSU.

[Michael Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takes you from the origin of Civilization to 670 A.D. Gives the big picture of the ancient western world.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted an expansive survey and that is what I got. It dwells a lot on minutiae of governance and things like that, but to get the basics of a huge topic, it does a great job. Can be dry reading.

[Robert Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history from any era. In college I took a few history classes, but none that covered the ancient world. So, I bought this book, which is a college textbook. It was a delightful read.

[Angela Fader · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is full of information, some paragraphs are too dense making it difficult to read in sections. Overall, a great read and one of my (few) favorite non-fiction books.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good intro level coverage. Clear, straight-forward prose.

[Belle Meade School]

930