Ancient History (Myers)
Plate 1.—Babylon and its Three Towers. (From a photograph
of the original picture by William Simpson, Esq., R.I.)
This restoration is based on the data afforded by recent excavations and research
ANCIENT HISTORY
BY
PHILIP VAN NESS MYERS
Author of "A History of Greece", "Rome: Its Rise and Fall" and "A General History"
REVISED EDITION
Boston, U.S.A., and London
GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
The Athenæum Press
Entered at Stationers' Hall
Copyright, 1904, by
PHILIP VAN NESS MYERS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
510.8
The Athenæum Press
GINN & COMPANY·PROPRIETORS·BOSTON·U.S.A.
PREFACE
I cannot perhaps better introduce what I have to say here than by quoting the following paragraph from the preface to the 1888 edition of this work. "The following pages are a revision and expansion of ... my Outlines of Ancient History, which was published as a library book in 1882 by Messrs. Harper & Brothers. It is through the generous action of these publishers that I have had the advantage of making this earlier work the basis of the present text-book."
After the lapse of sixteen more years I now give out the present revised edition. The Oriental portion of the work has been almost wholly rewritten; the Greek part is based on my History of Greece (1895); the Roman portion on my Rome: Its Rise and Fall (1901).
Besides this brief statement of fact there are various other things relating to the scope and aim of the work that might properly enough be said in this place; but the book must speak for itself. I write these prefatory words solely to express my gratitude to those who have helped me, and in doing this to disclaim title to that which does not belong to me. It would not be right should I withhold the fact that during the years I have labored on the volume I have from time to time been assisted by several eminent historical scholars, and that, while the faults of the book are all my own, to these scholars should be ascribed in part whatever merits it may possess. To Professor Nathaniel Schmidt of Cornell University I am deeply indebted for aiding me in the revision of the proof sheets of the chapters of the Oriental part of the volume; to Dr. Rufus B. Richardson, for many years head of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, I owe special thanks for reading the proofs of the Greek portion; to Dr. Eduard Meyer of the University of Halle and Professor Henry F. Pelham of the University of Oxford I am indebted for reading all the chapters, but in their more extended form as they appear in my Rome: Its Rise and Fall, of the Roman part; while to Professor George L. Burr of Cornell University I am under like deep obligation for giving me his scholarly aid in the revision of the sheets of those chapters of my Middle Ages on which the continuation of the present work from the extinction of the Roman Empire in the West to its restoration by Charlemagne is based.
I wish further to make grateful acknowledgment of the assistance given me by Mrs. Mabel E. Hodder, graduate student of Radcliffe College, Cambridge, in the revision and extension of the bibliographies of the Greek and Roman chapters; and of the aid I have received from my former pupil, Miss Lucy M. Blanchard, who has kindly given me the benefit of long class-room use of the earlier work by making various suggestions which I have found very helpful.
I would also tender my thanks to the officers of the Architectural Library of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, of the Fogg Museum of Harvard University, of the Public Library of Boston, and of the Public Library of Cincinnati, for the use and loan of books, photographs, and other illustrative material. To the courtesy of the editors of the magazine Records of the Past I am indebted for a photograph of the original picture entitled "The Three Towers of Babylon." In this connection it is fitting that mention should be made of the fact that the many fine pen drawings which embellish the book are by the artist Mr. Homer W. Colby of Boston.
Lastly, to my publishers I feel prompted to express my appreciation of the generosity they have shown, exceeding even what I have dared to suggest, in enriching the volume with maps, cuts, and plates; and to make acknowledgment of the courtesies and efficient aid I have received from the heads and members of the various departments of their house.
- College Hill, Ohio,
- May 12, 1904.
CONTENTS
PAGE - List of Illustrations
ix - List of Plates
xiv - Lists of Maps
xv - CHAPTER
I. General Introduction: Prehistoric Times1 II. Races and Groups of Peoples at the Dawn of History14 PART I—THE EASTERN NATIONS III. Ancient Egypt (from about 5000 to 30 B.C.)20 I. The Land and the People20 II. Political History23 III. Religion, Arts, and General Culture32 IV. The Early City-States of Babylonia and the Old Babylonian Empire (from about 5000 to 1100 B.C.)46 I. Political History46 II. Arts and General Culture51 V. The Assyrian Empire (from an unknown date to 606 B.C.)62 I. Political History62 II. The Civilization66 VI. The Chaldean Empire (625–538 B.C.)72 VII. The Hebrews75 VIII. The Phoenicians83 IX. The Persian Empire (558–330 B.C.)88 I. Political History88 II. Government, Religion, and Arts94 X. India and China98 I. India98 II. China102 PART II—GREECE XI. The Land and the People107 XII. Prehistoric Times according to Greek Accounts115 XIII. The Inheritance of the Historic Greeks127 I. Political Institutions127 II. Religious Ideas and Institutions129 III. Language, Mythology, Literature, and Art138 XIV. The Growth of Sparta141 XV. The Age of Greek Colonization (about 750–600 B.C.)152 XVI. The Age of the Tyrants (about 650–500 B.C.)162 XVII. The History of Athens up to the Persian Wars168 XVIII. Hellas Overshadowed by the Rise of Persia: Prelude to the Persian Wars178 XIX. The Persian Wars (500–479 B.C.)183 XX. The Making of the Athenian Empire (479–445 B.C.)200 XXI. The Age of Pericles (445–431 B.C.)210 XXII. The Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.)220 I. The War to the Peace of Nicias (431–421 B.C.)220 II. From the Peace of Nicias to the Defeat of the Sicilian Expedition (421–413 B.C.)229 III. From the Sicilian Disaster to the Fall of Athens: the Decelean War (413–404 B.C.)237 XXIII. The Spartan and the Theban Supremacy (404–362 B.C.)244 I. The Spartan Supremacy (404–371 B.C.)244 II. The Ascendancy of Thebes (371–362 B.C.)254 XXIV. The Greeks of Western Hellas (413-336 B.c )259 XXV. The Rise of Macedonia: Reign of Philip II (359–336 B.C.)266 XXVI. .Alexander the Great (336–323 B.C.)273 XXVII. The Greco-Oriental World from the Death of Alexander to the Conquest of Greece by the Romans (323–146 B.C.)286 XXVIII. Greek Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting294 I. Architecture295 II. Sculpture300 III. Painting308 XXIX. Greek Literature312 I. Introductory312 II. The Period before 475 B.C.313 III. The Attic or Golden Age (475–300 B.C.)315 IV. The Alexandrian Age (300–146 B.C.)324 XXX. Greek Philosophy and Science327 XXXI. Social Life of the Greeks340 PART III—ROME First Period—Rome as a Kingdom
(753?-509 B.C.)XXXII. Italy and its Early Inhabitants350 XXXIII. The Society and Government of Early Rome355 XXXIV. The Roman Religion362 XXXV. Rome under the Kings367 Second Period—Rome as a Republic
(509–31 B.C.)XXXVI. The Early Republic; Plebeians acquire the Full Rights of Citizens (509–367 B.C.)377 XXXVII. The Conquest of Italy (367–264 B.C.)394 XXXVIII. The First Punic War (264–241 B.C.)405 XXXIX. Rome and Carthage between the First and the Second Punic War (241–218 B.C.)414 I. Rome414 II. Carthage416 XL. The Second Punic War (218–201 B.C.)419 XLI. Events between the Second and the Third Punic War: Conquest of the East by Rome (201–146 B.C.)429 XLII. The Third Punic and Numantine Wars436 I. The Third Punic War (149–146 B.C.)436 II. The Numantine War (143–133 B.C.)439 XLIII. The Last Century of the Republic; First Period (133–78 B.C.)441 XLIV. The Last Century of the Republic; Second Period (78–31 B.C.)460 Third Period—Rome as an Empire
(31 B.C.–A.D. 476)XLV. The Establishment of the Empire and the Reign of Augustus Caesar (31 B.C.–A.D. 14)484 XLVI. From Tiberius to Marcus AureUus (A.D. 14–180)494 XLVII. The Empire under Commodus and "The Barrack Emperors" (A.D. 180–284)514 XLVIII. The Reigns of Diocletian and Constantine the Great520 I. The Reign of Diocletian (A.D. 284–305)520 II. Reign of Constantine the Great (A.D. 306–337)524 XLIX. The Last Century of the Empire in the West (A.D. 376–476)532 L. Architecture, Literature, Law, and Social Life among the Romans549 I. Architecture549 II. Literature and Law555 III. Social Life562 PART IV—THE ROMANO-GERMAN OR TRANSITION AGE
(A.D. 476–800)LI. The Barbarian Kingdoms571 LII. The Church and its Institutions576 I. The Conversion of the Barbarians576 II. The Rise of Monasticism579 LII. The Rise of the Papacy582 LIII. The Fusion of Latin and Teuton587 LIV. The Roman Empire in the East592 LV. The Rise of Islam595 LVI. Charlemagne and the Restoration of the Empire in the West603 - Index and Pronouncing Vocabulary
609
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