With thirty-five maps and more than three hundred color images, A Bible Reader’s History of the Ancient World provides a stunning introduction to the ancient Near East and the classical world. Telling the story of the lands where the events of the Old and New Testaments took place, this volume introduces its readers to the civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, extending its reach as far east as Persia and as far west as Rome. Its Chronological span is from prehistory to the medieval period, but its main focus is on the second and first millennia BCE and the first century CE.

Based on current archaeology and historical research, this volume makes modern scholarship readable and engaging. Its sixteen authors show how scientific archaeology, examination of material culture, and careful reading of primary texts are the keys to understanding ancient societies. The many images-of artifacts, buildings, landscapes, and locations-are more than illustrations; they are central to the book’s purpose. They combine with the words of the text to bring the ancient world alive.