Introduction: Working with Historical Sources
1. Early Western Civilization, 4000–1000 B.C.E.
*Defining Humanity: Epic of Gilgamesh
Establishing Law and Justice: King Hammurabi, The Code of Hammurabi
Exploring New Lands: The Story of Sinuhe
Writing Experiences: Egyptian Scribal Exercise Book
*Allying for Peace: The “Eternal Treaty” between the Egyptians and Hittites
2. The Near East and the Emergence of Greece, 1000–500 B.C.E.
Empires and Divine Right: Inscription Honoring Cyrus, King of Persia
Monotheism and Mosaic Law: The Book of Exodus, Chapters 19–20
Two Visions of the City-State: Tyrtaeus of Sparta and Solon of Athens, Poems
Greek Colonization: The Foundation of Cyrene
A Woman’s Voice: The Poems of Sappho of Lesbos
3. The Greek Golden Age of the Fifth Century B.C.E.
The Golden Age of Athens: Thucydides, The Funeral Oration of Pericles
The Emergence of Philosophy: Plato, The Apology of Socrates
*The Advance of Science: Hippocrates of Cos, On the Sacred Disease
In Defense of Manly Honor: Euphiletus, A Husband Speaks in His Own Defense
*The Geography of Daily Life: Overhead View of a House in Olynthos
Protesting War, Performing Satire: Aristophanes, Lysistrata
4. From the Classical to the Hellenistic World, 400–30 B.C.E.
The Conquest of New Lands: The Campaigns of Alexander the Great
*Imperial Bureaucracy: Zeno, Egyptian Official, Records
Everyday Life: Funerary Inscriptions and Epitaphs
In Pursuit of Happiness: Epicurus, Letter to a Friend
*Exacting Science: Eratosthenes, Measurement of the Earth and Modern Diagram of Eratosthenes’ Measurement
5. The Rise of Rome, 753–44 B.C.E.
Formalizing Roman Law: The Twelve Tables
*Artistic Influences: Etruscan Statuette of a Rider and Roman Bust of Lucius Junius Brutus
Status and Discrimination: Roman Women Demonstrate against the Oppian Law “Cultivating Justice and Piety”: Cicero, On the Commonwealth
Failure and Factionalism: The Gracchan Reforms
*Toward Empire: Julius Caesar, The Gallic War
6. The Roman Empire, 44 B.C.E.–284 C.E.
*In Defense of Roman Authority and Order: Imperial Edicts for the Government of Cyrene
An Urban Empire: Notices and Graffiti Describe Life in Pompeii
*New Influences to the North: Tacitus, Germania
Persecuting A New Religion: Interrogation of Christians
Revolt in the Colonies: Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War
7. The Transformation of the Roman Empire, 284–600 C.E.
*The Establishment of Roman Christian Doctrine: Arius, Letter to Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria and The Nicene Creed
Polytheism versus Christianity: Quintas Aurelius Symmachus and St. Ambrose, The Altar of Victory Sparks a Religious Debate
The Development of Monasticism: St. Jerome, Letter 107
Germanic Law in the Roman Empire: The Burgundian Code
*Emergence of Byzantium: Procopius, Secret History
8. Islam, Byzantium, and the West, 600–750
*The Foundations of Islam: Qur’an, Suras 1, 53, 98
Jihad and Jizya: Islamic Terms of Peace (633–643)
*Byzantine Life: The Life of St. Theodore of Sykeon
A Noblewoman’s Life: The Life of Lady Balthild, Queen of the Franks
Roman Christian Missions: Pope Gregory the Great, Letters
9. Emperors, Caliphs, and Local Lords, 750–1050
The Rule of Charlemagne: General Capitulary for the Missi
Resistance from Constantinople: Liutprand of Cremona, Report to Otto I
*The Macedonian Renaissance: Veroli Casket
A New Islamic Dynasty: Ahmad al-Ya‘qu¯bi¯, Kita¯b al-bulda¯n
*Advances in Medicine: Abu¯ Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakari¯yu¯ Al-ra¯zi¯, A Treatise on the Small-Pox and Measles
*The Faithful Vassal: Fulbert of Chartres, Letter to William of Aquitaine
10. Merchants and Kings, Popes and Crusaders, 1050–1150
Medieval Cities: Urban Charters of Jaca, Spain and Lorris, France
Sources of the Investiture Conflict: Emperor Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII,
Letter and Excommunication
*Calling the First Crusade: Fulcher of Chartres, Pope Urban II’s Speech at Clermont
*Arab Response to the First Crusade: Ibn al-Athi¯r, A Muslim Perspective
The Power of William I: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
11. The Flowering of the Middle Ages, 1150–1215
Scholarly Pursuits and Youthful Frolics: Medieval University Life
Gothic Architecture: Abbot Suger, The Abbey Church of Saint-Denis
Courtly Love: Chrétien de Troyes, Erec and Enide
Franciscan Piety: St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, Selected Writings
*The Sack of Constantinople: Annals of Niketas Choniates
12. The Medieval Search for Order, 1215–1340
A Female Mystic: Hadewijch of Brabant, Letters and Poems
The Rise of Anti-Semitism: Thomas of Monmouth, The Life and Martyrdom of St. William of Norwich
*Imagining Hell: Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy
*Bureaucratic Institutions: Summons of Representatives of Shires and Towns to Parliament and Rolls of Parliament, Petitions and Answers
*A Mongol’s View: Guyuk Khan, Letter to Pope Innocent IV
13. Crisis and Renaissance, 1340–1492
Demographic Catastrophe: The Black Death
Crisis and Change: Thomas Walsingham, Peasant Rebels in London
The Great Schism: Catherine of Siena, Letters and Councils of Pisa and Constance, Decrees
Satirizing the Church: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Pardoner’s Prologue
Extolling Humanism: Giovanni Rucellai and Leonardo Bruni, Florence in the Quattrocento
Women’s Place in Renaissance Italy: Alessandra, Letters from a Widow and Matriarch of a Great Family
14. Religious Reforms and Global Encounters, 1492–1560
*Worlds Collide: Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The True History of the Conquest of New Spain
*Illustrating a Native Perspective: Lienzo de Tlaxcala
*Defending Native Humanity: Bartolomé de Las Casas, In Defense of the Indians
*Scripture and Salvation: Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian
Reforming Christianity: John Calvin, Articles Concerning Predestination and
The Necessity of Reforming the Church
Responding to Reformation: Saint Ignatius of Loyola, A New Kind of Catholicism
15. Wars of Religion and Clash of Worldviews, 1560–1648
Legislating Tolerance: Henry IV, Edict of Nantes
*Barbarians All: Michel de Montaigne, Of Cannibals
The Scientific Challenge: Galileo, Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina
The Persecution of Witches: The Trial of Suzanne Gaudry
Commercial Endeavors: David Pieterzen DeVries, Voyages from Holland to America
16. State Building and the Search for Order, 1648–1690
*Civil War and Social Contract: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
*The Consent of the Governed: John Locke, The Second Treatise of Government
Opposing Serfdom: Ludwig Fabritius, The Revolt of Stenka Razin
Fighting for Empire: A True and Exact Relation of the Raising of the Siege of Vienna
*In Search of the Northwest Passage: Jacques Marquette, Exploring the Mississippi
17. The Atlantic System and Its Consequences, 1690–1740
Captivity and Enslavement: Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Written by Himself
*A “Sober and Wholesome Drink”: A Brief Description of the Excellent Vertues of that Sober and Wholesome Drink, Called Coffee
In Defense of Military Action: Tsar Peter I, Letter to His Son, Alexei and Alexei’s Response
Challenging Absolutism: Montesquieu, Persian Letters: Letter 37
Questioning Women’s Submission: Mary Astell, Reflections upon Marriage
* New to this edition