The Great Sea : A Human History of the Mediterranean

For over three thousand years, the Mediterranean Sea has been one of the great centres of world civilisation. From the time of historical Troy until the middle of the nineteenth century, human activity here decisively shaped much of the course of world history. David Abulafia's The Great Sea is the first complete history of the Mediterranean, spanning from the erection of the mysterious temples on Malta around 3500 BC to the recent reinvention of the Mediterranean's shores as a tourist destination.

Key Themes of The Great Sea:

• The Prosperity of Great Port Cities
  Abulafia argues that cities like Alexandria, Trieste, and Salonika flourished due to their unique ability to allow diverse peoples, religions, and identities to co-exist within confined spaces.
• Human Stories at the Forefront
  The book is enriched with the lives of identifiable individuals whose stories vividly illustrate the broader historical developments being described.

A Journey Across Time and Space

The Great Sea spans an extraordinary range of time and geography, covering:

• Gibraltar to Jaffa
• Venice to Alexandria

Rather than presenting a false unity of the Mediterranean and its bustling human activity, Abulafia highlights its diverse ethnic, linguistic, religious, and political landscapes.

Anyone who reads this book will find their understanding of these societies and their histories enormously enriched.