Empires, Battles and Wars: The Middle East from Antiquity to the Rise of the New World
T.C.F. Hopkins offers a fast-paced view of a frequently misunderstood period of Middle Eastern history—the ancient world to the beginnings of Ottoman decline in 1683. This is a field which could easily take up several volumes, but the author aims at only introducing the reader to the critical topics and events. The volume begins with antiquity and quickly moves through Rome, the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, and the rise of the Ottomans. The amount of information is dizzying for such a small book (see page 242 for the origin of the term “crescent roll”), and that may deter some readers. Those who persevere will be rewarded.
