Rowan elliot (52 Ergebnisse)

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Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Amorites: Kings of Early Mesopotamia, Elliot Rowan explores the remarkable story of a people who entered Mesopotamian history as outsiders and rose to rule some of the greatest kingdoms of the ancient Near East. Emerging from the lands west of the Euphrates, Amorite tribes gradually settled among the cities of Mesopotamia and Syria, establishing dynasties at Babylon, Mari, Larsa, Aleppo, and beyond. Within generations, leaders once associated with the pastoral frontier had become kings, administrators, diplomats, and patrons of one of the world's oldest urban civilizations. Drawing on cuneiform archives, royal inscriptions, legal documents, and archaeological discoveries, Rowan reconstructs the Amorite world at the height of the early second millennium BC. He examines the magnificent palace and archives of Mari, the rival kingdoms that struggled for control of Mesopotamia, the sophisticated networks of diplomacy and royal marriage that connected distant courts, and the rise of Babylon under Hammurabi. Along the way, the book explores everyday life, religion, trade, scribal culture, government, and the famous laws associated with Hammurabi, placing them within the broader traditions from which they emerged. More than the history of a collection of ancient dynasties, this book reveals how migration and cultural exchange transformed Mesopotamian civilization. The Amorites adopted the institutions of the cities they came to rule while reshaping kingship, diplomacy, law, and political organization for generations to come. Their distinct identity eventually faded, but the kingdoms they built and the traditions they carried forward helped define the civilization of the ancient Near East long after the last Amorite kings had disappeared.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Sarmatians: Riders of the Steppe Frontier, Elliot Rowan explores the history of one of the ancient world's most formidable yet often overlooked peoples. From the grasslands beyond the Don and Volga Rivers to the Black Sea, the Caucasus, and the Roman frontier along the Danube, the Sarmatians dominated vast stretches of the Eurasian Steppe for centuries, building a society shaped by mobility, horsemanship, warfare, and far-reaching connections with the civilizations around them. Drawing on Greek and Roman accounts alongside archaeological discoveries from burial mounds across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Rowan reconstructs a people who left few written records of their own. He examines the Sarmatians' origins and relationship with the Scythians, their powerful cavalry traditions, tribal confederations, trade with the Greek cities of the Black Sea, conflicts with Rome, richly furnished burials, religious practices, and the remarkable evidence for women who rode and sometimes fought alongside men. More than the story of a vanished steppe people, this book reveals the Sarmatians as important participants in the history of ancient Eurasia. Their warriors influenced the development of mounted warfare, their migrations reshaped the frontiers of Europe, and their Alan descendants carried elements of the Sarmatian inheritance into the medieval world and the Caucasus. Though their tribal confederations eventually disappeared, the Sarmatians left an enduring legacy across the lands they once crossed on horseback.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Teotihuacanos: Masters of the City of the Gods, Elliot Rowan explores the civilization that created one of the greatest cities of the ancient Americas. Rising in the Basin of Mexico nearly two thousand years ago, Teotihuacan grew into a vast metropolis of pyramids, temples, apartment compounds, workshops, and ceremonial avenues, becoming a center of political power, religion, commerce, and cultural influence whose reach extended across much of Mesoamerica. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, murals, burials, monumental architecture, material evidence, and inscriptions preserved by neighboring civilizations, Rowan reconstructs the world of a people who left no deciphered historical chronicles of their own. He examines the construction of the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, the mystery surrounding Teotihuacan's government, its multicultural neighborhoods and specialized craftsmen, its religious traditions and ritual sacrifices, and the extensive networks that carried its obsidian, symbols, and influence as far as the Maya cities of Guatemala. More than the story of an extraordinary ancient metropolis, this book reveals how Teotihuacan transformed the political and cultural landscape of Mesoamerica. Although the city declined and its original builders disappeared from historical memory, later civilizations continued to regard its immense ruins with reverence. Its pyramids still dominate the Valley of Mexico today, preserving the legacy of a civilization whose achievements remain monumental even as many of its deepest mysteries endure.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Sabines: People of Early Rome, Elliot Rowan explores the history of one of ancient Italy's most influential yet elusive peoples. From their communities in the central Apennines and the Tiber Valley to their encounters with the growing settlement of Rome, the Sabines occupied a crucial position in the world of early Italy. Farmers, pastoralists, warriors, and traders, they developed distinctive traditions while maintaining close connections with the Latins, Etruscans, and other neighboring peoples. Drawing on archaeology and the surviving accounts of Livy, Varro, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Plutarch, and other ancient sources, Rowan reconstructs a people whose own written records have largely disappeared. He examines Sabine society and religion, the famous tradition of the Sabine women, the shared kingship of Titus Tatius and Romulus, the legacy of Numa Pompilius, and the gradual incorporation of independent Sabine communities into the expanding Roman Republic, separating later legend from what can be recovered through historical and archaeological evidence. More than the story of one of Rome's early neighbors, this book reveals how deeply the Sabines contributed to the civilization that eventually absorbed them. Their religious customs, political traditions, prominent families, and cultural influence became woven into Roman life so completely that the boundaries between Sabine and Roman gradually disappeared. The Sabines ultimately lost their separate political identity, but their legacy endured within the institutions, beliefs, and traditions of a civilization they had helped create. …

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Carthaginians: Masters of the Western Mediterranean, Elliot Rowan brings into focus the powerful maritime civilization that rivaled Rome and dominated trade across the ancient sea. From their great harbor city in North Africa to their far-reaching settlements in Iberia and Sicily, the Carthaginians built an empire grounded in commerce, navigation, and strategic ambition. Their ships crossed vast distances, their armies fought on foreign soil, and their influence shaped the Mediterranean for centuries. Drawing on archaeological discoveries from Carthage and its wider world, Rowan reconstructs a society known largely through fragments. The remains of harbors, fortifications, and urban districts reveal a city of remarkable scale and organization. Coins, inscriptions, and religious sites offer insight into a culture rooted in Phoenician tradition yet adapted to new lands. From sacred spaces to bustling markets and shipyards, Carthage emerges as both a center of ritual and a hub of enterprise. Rowan explores Carthage's political system, its expansion into North Africa and Iberia, and its long struggle with Rome, culminating in the campaigns of Hannibal. More than a story of war, this book reveals a civilization that helped shape a connected Mediterranean world. Though its city was destroyed and its voice largely lost, its legacy endures in trade, culture, and memory.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Akkadians: The First Empire of Mesopotamia, Elliot Rowan brings to life the civilization that created the world's first true empire. Across the fertile plains between the Tigris and Euphrates, where ancient cities once competed for dominance, the Akkadians forged a unified realm under a single ruler. From the rise of Sargon of Akkad to the height of power under Naram-Sin, this was a world shaped by conquest, administration, and a new vision of kingship. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, royal inscriptions, and cuneiform tablets, Rowan reconstructs a society known through stone and clay. Monuments such as the Stele of Naram-Sin reveal how rulers projected power, while administrative records show the complex systems that sustained an empire spanning vast distances. These sources bring into focus a civilization that mastered both warfare and governance. Rowan explores the structure of Akkadian rule, the expansion of trade networks across the ancient Near East, and the transformation of kingship into a form of authority that would influence generations to come. More than a story of rise and fall, this book reveals how the Akkadians established patterns of empire that would echo long after their capital disappeared from the map.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Illyrians: Raiders of the Adriatic Coast, Elliot Rowan brings into focus one of the most elusive and formidable peoples of the ancient Mediterranean. Along the rugged eastern shores of the Adriatic, where mountains descend into a maze of islands and narrow channels, the Illyrians built a world shaped by mobility, seafaring skill, and conflict. Their swift vessels crossed the sea in raids that unsettled Greek colonies and drew the growing attention of Rome. Drawing on archaeological evidence from burial mounds, hillforts, and coastal settlements, Rowan reconstructs a society known largely through fragments. Weapons, metalwork, and imported goods reveal a people deeply connected to wider networks of exchange, even as they maintained strong local traditions. Through sources such as Ab Urbe Condita and Geography, the Illyrians emerge as both rivals and participants in the broader Mediterranean world. Rowan traces their encounters with Greek settlements, their raids across the Adriatic, and the Roman campaigns that would bring their independence to an end. He also explores how Illyrian lands were transformed under Roman rule, where new systems of trade, military service, and governance reshaped the region. More than a study of a forgotten people, this book reveals a culture that endured beyond its political fall, leaving its mark on the landscape, in surviving names, and in the enduring memory of the Adriatic world.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Nok: Sculptors of Ancient West Africa, Elliot Rowan brings to light one of the earliest known civilizations of sub Saharan Africa, a culture that flourished long before the rise of later West African kingdoms. Across the savannas and uplands of central Nigeria, the Nok developed a society marked by artistic innovation, early iron technology, and a deep connection to the land. Their terracotta sculptures, among the oldest large scale figurative works in Africa, reveal a people of remarkable skill and creativity. Drawing on archaeological discoveries from sites such as Taruga, Samun Dukiya, and Katsina Ala, Rowan reconstructs a civilization known almost entirely through material remains. Sculpted clay figures with stylized faces, remnants of iron furnaces, and traces of settlements buried beneath the soil offer a glimpse into a world without written records. Through these fragments, a shared visual language and a complex society begin to emerge. Rowan explores Nok daily life, craftsmanship, and exchange networks, while also examining the possible meanings behind their striking sculptures. More than a study of a lost culture, this book reveals how the Nok reshaped our understanding of Africa's deep past, leaving behind enduring forms that continue to speak through the earth in which they were preserved.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Mixtecs: Lords of Oaxaca, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of Mesoamerica's most refined and enduring civilizations. Across the rugged highlands and valleys of southern Mexico, the Mixtecs built powerful city states, forged alliances through strategy and marriage, and created a culture shaped by artistry, ritual, and memory. Known as the People of the Rain, they developed a world where land, lineage, and belief were deeply connected. Drawing on archaeological discoveries from sites such as Monte Alban, Mitla, and Tilantongo, Rowan reconstructs a society preserved not through continuous written history but through painted codices, burial treasures, and the remains of mountain settlements. Manuscripts such as Codex Zouche Nuttall and Codex Bodley reveal dynasties, wars, and sacred traditions through vivid imagery. Goldwork, turquoise mosaics, and everyday objects reflect both exceptional craftsmanship and the rhythms of daily life. Rowan explores the structure of Mixtec political life, tracing the rise of rulers like Eight Deer Jaguar Claw and the role of warfare, diplomacy, and ritual in shaping power. He also examines the impact of Aztec expansion and Spanish conquest, showing how Mixtec communities adapted while preserving their identity. More than a study of the past, this book reveals a civilization whose legacy still lives in the landscapes of Oaxaca and in the traditions of the people who carry it forward.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Sogdians: Merchants of the Silk Road, Elliot Rowan brings into focus the people who connected the ancient world without ruling it. Across the valleys between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya and along routes stretching from Central Asia to China, the Sogdians built vast networks of trade. They were not empire builders, but merchants and intermediaries whose reach extended across deserts, mountains, and imperial frontiers, carrying goods, ideas, and cultures between East and West. Drawing on archaeological discoveries from sites such as Panjakent, Afrasiab, and the Silk Road cities, Rowan reconstructs a society known through murals, inscriptions, and scattered documents. Wall paintings depict feasting, diplomacy, and myth. Letters found near Dunhuang reveal the realities of distance, risk, and trade. Tomb carvings in China reflect lives lived between cultures, where identity endured even in foreign lands. Rowan explores Sogdian society through its merchant networks, independent cities, and far reaching connections. He traces their role in Tang China, their ties to steppe powers, and their adaptation to the changing world shaped by the rise of Islam. More than the story of a lost people, this book reveals how the Sogdians helped create the foundations of long distance trade and cultural exchange. Their cities faded and their language disappeared, but the networks they built continued to shape the ancient world.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kingdom of Mali: Empire of the Niger River, Elliot Rowan explores the rise and remarkable achievements of one of medieval Africa's greatest civilizations. From its heartland along the upper Niger River, Mali grew into a vast empire whose influence stretched across the western Sudan, commanding rich goldfields, vital caravan routes, and thriving commercial cities that connected West Africa with North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the wider Islamic world. Drawing on Arabic chronicles and travel accounts, oral traditions, archaeological discoveries, and the surviving manuscript heritage of West Africa, Rowan reconstructs the world of the Mali Empire from the rise of Sundiata Keita to the celebrated reign of Mansa Musa and the centuries that followed. He examines the empire's political organization, cavalry armies, gold and salt trade, religious traditions, everyday life, and centers of scholarship such as Timbuktu and Djenne, while exploring how Mali governed a diverse population across an immense and challenging landscape. More than the story of legendary rulers and extraordinary wealth, this book reveals a sophisticated civilization whose achievements challenge outdated assumptions about medieval Africa. Mali fostered scholarship, protected international commerce, developed enduring systems of government, and connected the Niger basin to distant centers of trade and learning. Its imperial power eventually faded as Songhai and other rivals rose around it, but the traditions Mali created survived in oral history, manuscripts, regional institutions, and the cultural memory of West Africa, preserving the legacy of an empire whose influence reached far beyond the banks of the Niger River.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Mississippians: Builders of Cahokia, Elliot Rowan uncovers the story of one of North America's most remarkable pre-Columbian civilizations. Rising from the fertile floodplains of the Mississippi Valley, the Mississippian world reached its greatest expression at Cahokia, an immense city of monumental earthworks, broad plazas, thriving neighborhoods, and ceremonial centers. At its height, Cahokia stood as the largest urban settlement north of Mexico, commanding a network of communities connected by rivers, agriculture, trade, religion, and political power. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, environmental evidence, Indigenous traditions, and early European accounts of later Mississippian societies, Rowan reconstructs a civilization that left no written histories of its own but transformed the cultural landscape of eastern North America. He explores the astonishing rise of Cahokia around AD 1050, the construction of Monks Mound and the city's great plazas, the organization of political and religious authority, the lives of farmers and craftsmen, and the exchange networks that carried copper, marine shell, stone, and ideas across enormous distances. He also examines Mississippian cosmology, warfare and diplomacy, regional centers such as Moundville, Etowah, and Spiro, and the environmental and social pressures that contributed to Cahokia's eventual decline. More than the story of a vanished city, this book reveals a sophisticated Indigenous civilization whose achievements challenge enduring assumptions about North America's ancient past. The Mississippians created monumental cities, organized large populations, reshaped landscapes, and established cultural traditions that endured for centuries after Cahokia itself was abandoned. Their earthworks still rise above the Mississippi Valley today, preserving the legacy of one of the great urban civilizations of the premodern world.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kingdom of Benin: Artists of West Africa, Elliot Rowan reveals the remarkable history of one of Africa's most sophisticated and artistically accomplished civilizations. Centered on the great royal capital of Benin City in present-day Nigeria, the kingdom developed a powerful monarchy, extensive trade networks, monumental earthworks, and a court culture that produced some of the most celebrated works of African art. For centuries, the Obas of Benin ruled a prosperous state whose influence reached across the forests of West Africa and toward the Atlantic coast. Drawing on archaeology, Edo oral traditions, early Portuguese and Dutch accounts, surviving royal traditions, and the extraordinary artistic record of the kingdom itself, Rowan explores the rise of the monarchy, the expansion of Benin, its political institutions, religious traditions, military power, commercial networks, and renowned hereditary guilds. At the heart of the story are the master bronze casters and ivory carvers whose commemorative heads, palace plaques, ceremonial objects, and intricate carvings preserved the memory and authority of generations of rulers. The book also follows Benin through centuries of contact with the wider Atlantic world, from its first encounters with Portuguese merchants to growing British imperial pressure and the devastating invasion of 1897. The destruction of Benin City and removal of thousands of artworks scattered the kingdom's masterpieces across museums and private collections around the world, creating a legacy that continues to shape debates over cultural heritage and restitution. More than the story of the famous Benin Bronzes, this book presents the civilization that created them. Benin's political independence was destroyed, but Edo identity, royal traditions, and artistic knowledge endured. Its surviving works stand today not simply as masterpieces of African art, but as evidence of a civilization whose creativity, organization, and cultural resilience earned Benin an enduring place in world history.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Tarascans: Rivals of the Aztecs, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of ancient Mexico's most formidable yet overlooked civilizations. Centered in the volcanic highlands and lake country of Michoacan, the Tarascan Empire emerged as a powerful rival to the Aztecs, creating a centralized state that controlled rich agricultural lands, valuable mineral resources, and strategic trade routes while successfully defending its independence against repeated pressure from the east. Drawing on the Relacion de Michoacan, early colonial records, archaeology, and surviving material culture, Rowan reconstructs the world of the Purepecha people from their early origins and the rise of Tariacuri to the imperial capital of Tzintzuntzan. He explores the distinctive yacata pyramids, sophisticated political administration, religious traditions, commercial networks, and extraordinary mastery of copper and bronze metallurgy. At the heart of the story stands the long confrontation with the Aztec Empire, including the fortified frontier and the devastating defeat of an Aztec invasion that demonstrated the strength of Tarascan military organization. More than the history of an empire that resisted the Aztecs only to confront the arrival of Spain, this book reveals the remarkable diversity of pre-Columbian Mexico. Although Tarascan political independence ended in the sixteenth century, the Purepecha people endured, preserving their language, communities, crafts, and cultural identity into the modern era. Their story offers a compelling portrait of a civilization whose achievements deserve a place alongside the most celebrated societies of the ancient Americas.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Marrucini: Peoples of the Adriatic Hills, Elliot Rowan brings to light one of the lesser-known peoples of ancient Italy. From their homeland in the hills and valleys of modern Abruzzo, between the central Apennines and the Adriatic Sea, the Marrucini developed a distinct community shaped by agriculture, pastoral life, regional trade, religious traditions, and close connections with the other Italic peoples who inhabited the peninsula before the rise of Rome. Drawing on ancient sources, inscriptions, and archaeological discoveries, Rowan reconstructs a society that left few written records of its own. He explores Marrucinian settlements and sanctuaries, language and belief, relations with the Samnites and neighboring peoples, participation in Roman military campaigns, and the growing pressures that culminated in the Social War. Particular attention is given to the remarkable evidence preserved in the landscape of Abruzzo, from ancient Teate Marrucinorum to the artifacts and inscriptions that provide rare glimpses into Marrucinian identity. More than the history of a single Italic people, this book reveals the extraordinary diversity of Italy before Roman domination and the complicated process through which independent communities became allies, citizens, and eventually participants in the Roman world. The Marrucini never built a great empire, yet their experience illuminates how Rome transformed the peninsula without completely extinguishing the older identities beneath it, preserving traces of a forgotten people whose homeland still carries the imprint of their ancient past.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Khitans: Founders of the Liao Empire, Elliot Rowan uncovers the story of one of medieval Asia's most remarkable yet overlooked civilizations. Rising from the grasslands of Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, the Khitans transformed from a federation of steppe tribes into the founders of the Liao dynasty, an empire that ruled across northern China, controlled vital frontier regions, and reshaped the balance of power between the nomadic world and the great civilizations of East Asia. Drawing on Chinese chronicles, archaeological discoveries, Khitan inscriptions, and surviving monuments, Rowan reconstructs the rise of a people who built a sophisticated imperial system without abandoning their steppe heritage. He explores the leadership of Yelü Abaoji, the creation of the Liao state, the conquest of Bohai, the empire's unique approach to governing nomadic and settled populations, its diplomatic struggles with the Song dynasty, and the cultural achievements that defined Khitan civilization. More than the story of a forgotten dynasty, this book reveals how the Khitans pioneered new forms of government, diplomacy, and cultural adaptation across medieval Eurasia. Through their cities, writing systems, trade networks, religious traditions, and artistic achievements, the Khitans created an empire that connected China, Mongolia, Korea, and Central Asia. Their dynasty eventually fell, but the institutions they developed and the influence they left behind continued to shape the history of East Asia and the wider medieval world.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Adena: Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley, Elliot Rowan explores one of the earliest monumental cultures of ancient North America. Flourishing across the Ohio Valley and neighboring regions for centuries, the Adena transformed forests and river terraces with great burial mounds and ceremonial earthworks, creating sacred landscapes that endured long after the communities that built them had changed. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, burial evidence, artifacts, settlement remains, and modern scientific research, Rowan reconstructs a society that left no written records yet preserved remarkable traces of its world in the earth. He examines Adena villages and seasonal life, hunting and early cultivation, craftsmanship and long-distance exchange, social organization and religious belief, and the enormous communal effort required to raise monuments such as the great conical mounds that still survive in Ohio and West Virginia. More than the story of an ancient mound-building tradition, this book reveals the Adena as part of the deep Indigenous history of eastern North America. Their customs evolved gradually into the wider ceremonial world associated with Hopewell, while their surviving monuments challenge conventional ideas about cities, states, and civilization. Across more than two thousand years, the mounds of the Ohio Valley have endured as powerful reminders of a people who shaped the landscape to honor ancestors, community, and memory.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Aramaeans: Traders of the Levant, Elliot Rowan explores the remarkable history of a people whose political kingdoms vanished while their language and cultural influence spread across much of the ancient Near East. Emerging from the landscapes of Syria and the Euphrates frontier, the Aramaeans established powerful states such as Damascus, Hamath, Samal, and Bit Adini, occupying a strategic world of caravan roads and contested frontiers between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. Drawing on Assyrian records, biblical accounts, Aramaic inscriptions, Persian administrative documents, and archaeological discoveries from sites including Tell Halaf, Zincirli, and Tell Fekheriye, Rowan reconstructs a civilization shaped by commerce, diplomacy, warfare, religion, and cultural exchange. He examines the rise of the Aramaean kingdoms, their cities and rulers, their merchants and craftsmen, their encounters with Israel and Judah, and their long struggle against the expanding Neo-Assyrian Empire. Yet the Aramaeans achieved their greatest influence after their kingdoms had fallen. Their language became a common medium of trade and administration, eventually serving empires stretching from Egypt to Central Asia and developing into one of the most important languages of the ancient world. The Aramaeans: Traders of the Levant reveals how a civilization without a lasting empire created an enduring legacy through language, commerce, and cultural adaptability, leaving an imprint on the Near East that survived long after the kings of Aram had disappeared.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kingdom of Kongo: Power of Central Africa, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of pre-colonial Africa's most sophisticated and influential civilizations. Rising in west central Africa centuries before European colonial rule, Kongo developed a powerful monarchy centered at Mbanza Kongo, governed extensive provinces, supported thriving networks of agriculture and trade, and created political and religious traditions that endured through generations of profound change. Drawing on royal correspondence, Portuguese records, missionary accounts, archaeology, and surviving material culture, Rowan explores the kingdom from its early formation through its encounters with the Atlantic world. He examines Kongo's royal court and provincial government, its economy and spiritual traditions, the arrival of Portuguese explorers, the adoption and transformation of Christianity, and the extraordinary diplomacy of rulers such as Afonso I. The story also confronts the devastating expansion of the Atlantic slave trade, the Battle of Mbwila, dynastic civil wars, the prophetic movement of Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita, and the gradual erosion of royal authority. More than the history of a vanished African kingdom, this book reveals a civilization that participated actively in the making of the early modern Atlantic world. Kongo sent ambassadors across continents, exchanged letters with European monarchs and the Vatican, adapted Christianity to African traditions, and maintained a distinctive political identity for centuries. Although colonial expansion eventually dismantled the kingdom, its legacy survives across Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and throughout the African diaspora, preserving the memory of one of Africa's great historic civilizations.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kingdom of Kanem: Empire of Lake Chad, Elliot Rowan uncovers the story of one of medieval Africa's most enduring yet overlooked civilizations. Rising around the shores of Lake Chad, the Kingdom of Kanem became a major power of the central Sahel, controlling vital trade routes, building a sophisticated political system, embracing Islam, and connecting the interior of Africa with North Africa and the wider Islamic world. For centuries, the Sayfawa dynasty ruled a vast realm whose influence stretched across the deserts, grasslands, and waterways of the Lake Chad Basin. Drawing on Arabic chronicles, the Diwan of Kanem-Bornu, archaeological discoveries, and traditions preserved across generations, Rowan reconstructs the history of a kingdom whose achievements have often been overshadowed by better-known African empires. He explores the rise of Kanem, the power of its cavalry armies, its trans-Saharan commerce, the growth of Islamic scholarship, the life of its farmers and merchants, and the political transformation that carried the dynasty from Kanem into the enduring Kanem-Bornu Empire. More than the story of a forgotten Sahelian kingdom, this book reveals how Kanem shaped the history of Africa through its diplomacy, commerce, religion, and cultural exchange. Its rulers forged connections between the Sahara, the Mediterranean world, and the societies of central Africa long before European colonial expansion. Though its capitals changed and its borders shifted, the legacy of Kanem endured, preserving the memory of a civilization that stood at the crossroads of Africa and the wider world. …

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Hurrians: Lords of Northern Mesopotamia, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of the ancient Near East's most influential yet often overlooked civilizations. From the mountains of eastern Anatolia to the fertile plains of northern Mesopotamia and Syria, Hurrian communities established kingdoms, cities, and cultural traditions that flourished at the crossroads of the Bronze Age world. Their greatest political achievement, the kingdom of Mitanni, emerged as a major power that competed with the Hittites and Assyrians while maintaining a celebrated diplomatic alliance with the pharaohs of Egypt. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, cuneiform archives, diplomatic correspondence, legal records, and surviving religious texts, Rowan reconstructs a civilization whose history must be recovered from evidence scattered across the ancient Near East. He explores the rise of Hurrian communities, the power of Mitanni, chariot warfare and the warrior aristocracy, international diplomacy, trade, urban life, law, religion, mythology, and the remarkable literary and musical traditions that survived long after Hurrian political power disappeared. More than the history of a forgotten Bronze Age people, this book reveals how the Hurrians helped shape the interconnected world of the ancient Near East. Their gods and myths transformed Hittite religion, their rulers participated in an international system stretching from Anatolia to Egypt, and their cultural traditions endured among successor societies even after their kingdoms vanished. Through the ruins of Urkesh and Nuzi, the archives of Hattusa and Amarna, and the surviving traces of a once widespread language, the Hurrians emerge again as a civilization whose influence reached far beyond the borders of their lost kingdoms.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Alans: Warriors of the Eurasian Plains, Elliot Rowan tells the story of one of the ancient world's most formidable yet frequently overlooked peoples. Emerging from the Iranian-speaking cultures of the Eurasian Steppe, the Alans ranged from the lands north of the Black and Caspian Seas to the Caucasus, where their mastery of mounted warfare made them powerful allies, dangerous enemies, and influential participants in the struggles that shaped Europe and western Asia. Drawing on Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Armenian, Georgian, Persian, and Arabic sources alongside archaeological discoveries, Rowan reconstructs the history of a people who left few written records of their own. He explores Alan society and religion, cavalry warfare and long-distance trade, conflicts with Rome and Persia, the devastating arrival of the Huns, and the migrations that carried Alan warriors across the Rhine into Gaul and Hispania and eventually to Vandal North Africa. The story then returns to the Caucasus, where a surviving branch of the Alans built the medieval Kingdom of Alania, embraced Christianity, and maintained connections with Byzantium and neighboring powers until the Mongol invasions shattered their political independence. More than the history of a vanished steppe people, this book reveals the extraordinary adaptability that allowed Alan identity to survive repeated migrations, conquests, and political transformations. From the cavalry armies of antiquity to the mountain communities of the Caucasus, the Alans connected distant regions and civilizations while preserving traditions that endured long after their kingdoms disappeared. Their legacy survives most clearly among the modern Ossetians, whose language and cultural traditions preserve a living connection to the warriors who once rode across the Eurasian plains.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Lusitanians: Warriors of Ancient Iberia, Elliot Rowan tells the story of one of the ancient world's most formidable and elusive peoples. Inhabiting the rugged mountains, river valleys, and highlands of western Iberia, the Lusitanians developed a fiercely independent society whose warriors would challenge the expansion of Rome for generations. Their resistance reached its height under Viriathus, the brilliant commander who transformed scattered tribal forces into an enemy capable of defeating Roman armies and frustrating some of the Republic's most experienced generals. Drawing on Greek and Roman sources alongside archaeology, inscriptions, linguistic evidence, and discoveries from across Portugal and western Spain, Rowan reconstructs a civilization that left few written records of its own. He explores Lusitanian society and religion, hillfort settlements and warrior traditions, the long struggle against Roman conquest, the betrayal and assassination of Viriathus, and the gradual transformation of Lusitania into one of Rome's western provinces. Beyond the battlefield, the book examines the deeper world of the Lusitanians, from their mysterious Indo-European language and indigenous gods to their agricultural communities, trade networks, and eventual integration into Roman society. Even after conquest, elements of their culture survived in personal names, religious practices, inscriptions, and the ancient landscapes of western Iberia. More than the story of resistance to Rome, this book reveals how a people who never created a centralized kingdom or conquered a great empire nevertheless secured a lasting place in European history. The Lusitanians ultimately became part of the Roman world, but the memory of their independence, their homeland, and the extraordinary struggle led by Viriathus endured long after the legions had claimed victory.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kingdom of Songhai: Empire of the Niger Bend, Elliot Rowan uncovers the story of one of Africa's greatest and most influential empires. Rising along the Niger River around the ancient city of Gao, Songhai expanded across the western Sahel to command Timbuktu, Jenne, and the great commercial routes of the Sahara, creating a vast empire sustained by agriculture, river traffic, long distance trade, and military power. Drawing on Tarikh al-Sudan, Tarikh al-Fattash, archaeological discoveries, travel accounts, and surviving manuscript traditions, Rowan reconstructs the civilization that flourished along the Niger Bend. He follows the conquests of Sunni Ali, the rise of Askia Muhammad, the development of imperial government, and the extraordinary commercial and intellectual world of cities such as Gao and Timbuktu. From cavalry armies and river fleets to trans Saharan caravans carrying gold, salt, and books, the story reveals a society deeply connected to North Africa and the wider Islamic world. Rowan also explores the scholars, merchants, farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen whose lives sustained the empire beyond its royal courts and battlefields. Particular attention is given to Timbuktu's celebrated tradition of scholarship and manuscript culture, as well as the political rivalries that gradually weakened imperial authority before the Moroccan invasion and the decisive Battle of Tondibi in 1591. More than the story of a vanished African empire, this book reveals Songhai as an essential part of global history. Its cities became centers of commerce and learning, its rulers governed an immense and culturally diverse territory, and its influence survived the destruction of the empire itself. Centuries after Songhai disappeared from the political map, its legacy remains embedded in the cities, manuscripts, traditions, and landscapes of the Niger Bend.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Tanguts: Kings of Western Xia, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of medieval Asia's most remarkable yet nearly forgotten civilizations. From their homeland along the Yellow River and the deserts of northwestern China, the Tanguts created the powerful Western Xia kingdom, a state that endured for nearly two centuries while confronting the Song, Liao, Jin, and eventually the expanding Mongol Empire. At the crossroads of China, Tibet, the steppe, and the Silk Road, they forged an empire with its own political traditions, religious institutions, and distinctive cultural identity. Drawing on Chinese dynastic histories, surviving Tangut texts, Buddhist manuscripts, inscriptions, and archaeological discoveries, Rowan reconstructs a society whose achievements were nearly erased by conquest. He explores the rise of the Tangut ruling house, the reign of Li Yuanhao, the creation of the extraordinary Tangut writing system, the kingdom's fortified cities and desert trade routes, its armies and imperial government, and the flourishing of Buddhism, translation, printing, scholarship, and art. The manuscripts discovered at Khara-Khoto offer a rare glimpse into a lost literary world that remained largely unreadable for centuries. More than the history of a vanished dynasty, this book reveals Western Xia as a vital link between the civilizations of East and Central Asia. The Tanguts transformed a contested frontier into an original and sophisticated empire, surviving generations of rivalry before facing the armies of Genghis Khan. Their kingdom ultimately disappeared, but the rediscovery of their tombs, ruins, manuscripts, and forgotten language has restored a civilization whose story challenges how easily even a powerful empire can fade from historical memory.…

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Basques: People of the Western Pyrenees, Elliot Rowan explores the remarkable history of one of Europe's most ancient and enduring peoples. Rooted between the rugged western Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay, the Basques preserved a distinctive language, culture, and sense of community through the rise and fall of empires, medieval kingdoms, religious transformation, industrialization, dictatorship, and the creation of the modern European state system. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, classical accounts, medieval chronicles, legal records, and surviving cultural traditions, Rowan traces the Basque story from prehistoric settlement and the mystery of Euskara to encounters with Rome, the Kingdom of Navarre, the famous ambush at Roncesvalles, and the development of the fueros that protected local rights and self-government. He follows Basque shepherds, ironworkers, merchants, sailors, and whalers across centuries of change, from Atlantic expeditions to Newfoundland and Labrador to the industrial transformation of Bilbao and the emergence of modern Basque nationalism. More than a history of a people living between Spain and France, this book examines the extraordinary persistence of identity across more than two millennia. Through war, political centralization, the bombing of Guernica, the Franco dictatorship, and the eventual restoration of regional autonomy, the Basques repeatedly adapted without abandoning the traditions that distinguished them. Their story reveals that the measure of a civilization lies not only in the empires it creates or the territories it conquers, but also in its ability to preserve language, memory, and belonging across the immense passage of time. …

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In The Kassites: Kings of Babylon, Elliot Rowan brings to life one of the ancient Near East's longest-ruling yet least remembered dynasties. Emerging from the lands east of Mesopotamia, the Kassites seized control of Babylonia after the collapse of its first great royal dynasty and went on to rule for more than four centuries. Rather than sweeping away the civilization they conquered, they embraced its traditions, restored its temples, supported its priesthood, and transformed themselves from foreign warriors into legitimate kings of Babylon. Drawing on royal inscriptions, diplomatic correspondence, administrative tablets, kudurru stones, archaeological discoveries, and the records of neighboring kingdoms, Rowan reconstructs the political and cultural world of Kassite Babylonia. He explores the building of Dur-Kurigalzu, the administration of the kingdom, agriculture and landholding, religion and scholarship, military traditions, international trade, and the elaborate diplomacy that connected Babylon with Egypt, Assyria, Elam, the Hittites, and other powers of the Late Bronze Age. He also traces the growing pressures that eventually brought the dynasty into conflict with increasingly powerful neighbors and culminated in the Elamite conquest of Babylon. More than the history of a forgotten royal house, this book examines how conquest can evolve into cultural preservation. The Kassites inherited one of the world's oldest civilizations and helped carry its institutions, literature, religion, and intellectual traditions across centuries of political change. Their dynasty eventually disappeared, and much of their distinct identity faded with it, but the Babylon they preserved endured. In that survival lies the Kassites' most remarkable legacy and their enduring place in the history of the ancient world.…