My narrative embraces those independent civilisations of the ancient East which came to exercise a mutual influence on each other. First we follow the realm on the Nile and the kingdoms of Hither Asia as far as the point where the nations of Iran began to influence their destinies. Then I attempt to set forth the peculiar development of the Aryan tribes in the valleys of the Indus and the Ganges, down to the times of Tshandragupta and Asoka. Then follows the history of the Bactrians, the Medes, and the Persians, until the period when the nations of the table-land of Iran were united by Cyrus and Darius with the countries of Western Asia, when Aryan life and Aryan civilisation gained the supremacy over the whole region from Ceylon to the Nile and the Hellespont. The forms of life at which the great empires of Asia had arrived are finally brought face to face with the more youthful civilisation attained by the Hellenes in their mountain cantons. This new development we follow down to the first great shock when East and West met in conflict, and the Achæmenids sought to crush the Hellenes under the weight of Asia. With the failure of this attempt my history of the ancient world concludes.

Max Duncker.

Berlin, March, 1877.

CONTENTS.

[BOOK I.]
EGYPT.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE[1]
CHAPTER II.
THE ANTIQUITY OF THE CIVILISATION IN THE VALLEY OF THE NILE[15]
CHAPTER III.
THE RELIGION OF THE EGYPTIANS[42]
CHAPTER IV.
THE KINGDOM OF MEMPHIS[84]
CHAPTER V.
THE HYKSOS AND THE RESTORATION OF THE EGYPTIAN KINGDOM[122]
CHAPTER VI.
THE HOUSE OF RAMSES[142]
CHAPTER VII.
THE MONUMENTS OF THE HOUSE OF RAMSES[167]
CHAPTER VIII.
LIFE AND MANNERS OF THE EGYPTIANS[183]

[BOOK II.]
THE SEMITIC NATIONS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF BABYLON[233]
CHAPTER II.
THE RELIGION AND SCIENCE OF THE CHALDÆANS[264]
CHAPTER III.
THE ART AND TRADE OF BABYLONIA[287]
CHAPTER IV.
THE ARABS[307]
CHAPTER V.
THE CANAANITES[337]
CHAPTER VI.
THE RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE CANAANITES[351]
CHAPTER VII.
THE ORIGIN AND DESCENT OF THE HEBREWS[383]
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HEBREWS IN EGYPT[420]
CHAPTER IX.
THE LIBERATION OF THE HEBREWS[441]
CHAPTER X.
THE HEBREWS IN THE DESERT[467]
CHAPTER XI.
THE HEBREW INVASION OF CANAAN[490]
CHAPTER XII.
THE NATIONS OF ASIA MINOR[510]

ERRATA.

Page14,line3from bottom, for "chalk rock" read "lime-stone."
"51,"3"for "sun-globe" read "sun-mountain."
"81,"2"for "horologe" read "sun-mountain."
"140,"10"for "savans" read "savants."