History 265: 
World History from Earliest Times to the Renaissance

Web Reading Assignments

Section I: Creation and Early Humanity.

• Secondary Sources
  • General Introduction: Prehistoric Times
  •  
• Primary Sources
  • A Babylonian Account of Creation
  • The Revolt of Heaven.
  • A Chaldaean Account of the Deluge
  • Genesis
    

Section II. Mesopotamia.

• Secondary Sources
  • Mesopotamia
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
• Primary Sources
  • The Code of Hammurabi
  • Herodotus' Description of Babylon and the Babylonians
  • A Chaldaean Campaign against Judah

Section III. Egypt.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient Egypt
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
• Primary Sources
  • Herodotus' Description of Egypt and the Egyptians
  • The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep
  • Inscription of Queen Hatshepsut
  • Excerpts from an account of the Battle of Kadesh
  • Treaty of Peace Between Rameses II and the Hittites
  • The Invasion of the Sea Peoples

Section IV. India.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient India
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • The Laws of Manu
  • A Greek Description of India
  • Kautilya: From The Arthrashastra
  • A Buddhist Anthology: The Dhammapada
  • The Edicts of King Ashoka

Section V. China.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient China
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • On the Art of War by Sun-Tzu
  • Confucius on the Doctrine of the Mean
  • Confucius on the Great Learning
  • Mencius on Government and Human Nature
  • The Mandate of Heaven

Section VI. Persia.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient Iran
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • Xenophon's Description of young Cyrus and Persian Education
  • Funeral inscription of Darius
  • Inscription of Xerxes at Persepolis
  • Herodotus on Persia and the Persia
  • Xerxes' Plan to Invade Greece, the Bridging of the Hellespont and the Persian Order of Battle
  • A Roman Description of the Parthians

Section VII. Phoenicia.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient Lebanon
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • The Sarcophagus of Phoenician King Eshmunazar
  • Greco-Phoenician relations, according to Herodotus
  • Phoenician and Carthaginian voyages around Africa, according to Herodotus
  • A Carthaginian exploration of the West African Coast.
  • The Phoenicians and the Alphabet, according to Herodotus
  • The Prophet Ezekial on the Phoenician City of Tyre
  • Aristotle on the Carthaginian State

Section VIII. Israel.

• Secondary Sources
  • Early Israel
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • The Israelite Conquest of Canaan
  • The Exploits of Gideon
  • Israel in the Reign of Solomon
  • The Book of Ruth

  • The Book of Ecclesiastes

    The Book of Esther

Section IX. Greece.

• Secondary Sources
  • Ancient Greece
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • Herodotus on the Pelasgians and the Early Greeks
  • Thucydides on Early Greece.
  • Aristotle on the Spartan State
  • Xenophon on the Constitution of the Lacedaimonians
  • Aristotle on the development of Athenian state
  • The Battle of Thermopylae according to Herodotus
  • The Battle of Salamis according to Herodotus
  • Excerpts from Aeschylus'The Persians
  • The Melian Dialogue
  • Excerpts from Aristophanes' Lysistrata
  • Plutarch on Alexander the Great
  • Arrian on Alexander the Great
  • Arrian on Alexander's Campaigns

Section X. Republican Rome.

• Secondary Sources
  • Republican Rome
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
• Primary Sources
  • Polybius on the Roman Government, ca. 150 B.C.
  • Polybius compares Rome and Carthage
  • Polybius on the Roman Army.
  • Livy describes the Early Roman Army
  • Alexander the Great Versus the Romans
  • Phalanx Versus Legion.
  • The Career of Marcus Crassus

Section XI. Imperial Rome.

• Secondary Sources
  • Imperial Rome
  • Roman Population Table
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
• Primary Sources
  • The Deeds of Augustus
  • The Principate of Otho
  • Roman Imperial armies and camps, as described by Josephus 
  • A Roman Imperial Army on the March, as described by Josephus 
  • The Battle of Teutoburg Forest, described by Paterculus 
  • The German Guards' Response to the Death of Caligula, ca. 41 A.D.

Section XII. Barbarians.

• Secondary Sources
  • The Asiatic Background
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--500 B.C.-A.D.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
• Primary Sources
  • Herodotus on the Scythians
  • Herodotus on the Arabs
  • A Description of Germany and the Germans by Tacitus
  • A Fourth-Century Description of the Huns
  • The Battle of Adrianople, 9 August 378, described by Ammianus Marcellinus
  • A Fifth-Century Embassy to the Huns
  • A Christian Priest's View of the Barbarian Migrations

Section XIII. Christianity.

• Secondary Sources
  • Rome, Christianity and the Migrations
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
• Primary Sources
  • The Didache, or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
  • Christian Apologist Comments on the Anti-Christian Decrees
  • A Roman View of Tribunals Against Christians
  • Christian View of a Roman Tribunal
  • The Toleration of Christianity: The Edict of Milan (313 A. D.)
  • Augustine on His Conversion to Christianity. Read Books iv and v.
  • The Life of St. Anthony.

Section XIV. Early Medieval West.

• Secondary Sources
  • Manorialism and Feudalism
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
• Primary Sources
  • The Confession of St. Patrick
  • The Life of St. Columban
  • The Salic Law
  • The Monk of St. Gall on the Wars and Military Exploits of Charlemagne
  • Capitulary of Charlemagne Issued in the Year 803
  • Summons to Charlemagne's Army
  • A Frankish chronicle's account of the Mid-9th Century.
  • Viking and Hungarian Raiders
  • The Early Raids of the Northmen
  • The Siege of Paris
  • The Baptism of Rollo and the Normans in France
  • Excerpts from the Saga of Harald Hardrada
  • Excerpts from the Chronicle of the Cid
  • Truce of God
  • The Battle of Hastings according to Orderic Vitalis

Section XV. Byzantium.

• Secondary Sources
  • Byzantine Empire to 1095
  • A Brief History of Medieval Russia
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
• Primary Sources
  • Constantine the Great according to Socrates Scholasticus
  • An East Roman Embassy to the Court of Attilla the Hun
  • Procopius on the Circus Factions
  • Procopius, The Secret History------Read chapter 7: The Outrages of the Blues
  • The Byzantine Codification of Roman Law.
  • The Institutes of Justinian on the Types of Law and on Slavery
  • The Byzantine Russian Treaty of 911
  • The Conversion of Russia according to Nestor's Chonicle.
  • A Eulogy on St. Vladimir by Metropolitan Hilarion.
  • Vladmir Monomakh's Instructions to his Children
  • An Arab Ambassador in Constantinople: late 10th century
  • The Embassy to Constantinople by Liutprand of Cremona

Section XVI. Islam.

• Secondary Sources
  • Early Arabia
  • Islam and Islamic Civilization
  • Yacov Lev. State and Society in Fatimid Egypt, "The Ruling Circles"
  • J. J. Saunders. A History of Medieval Islam : "The Turkish Irruption"
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
• Primary Sources
  • Excerpts from the Koran.
  • Selections from the Life of Muhammad
  • Hadith on Jihad
  • The Battle Of The Yarmuk (636), described by Al-Baladhuri
  • Accounts of the Arab Conquest of Egypt
  • Ibn Abd-el-Hakem: The Islamic Conquest of Spain
  • Tarik's Address to His Soldiers
  • The Battle of Poitiers, 732, described by an anonymous Arab chronicler
  • Arabs, Franks, and the Battle of Tours: Three Accounts
  • Pact of Umar
  • Book of Golden Meadows (On the Caliphs)
  • Baghdad under the Abbasids
  • Baghdad: Metropolis of the Abbasid Caliphate
  • Sindbad the Seaman and Sindbad the Landman from the 1001 Arabian Nights.
  • Usmah Ibn Munqidh (1095-1188): Autobiography, excerpts on the Franks

Section XVII. Traditional Asia

• Secondary Sources
  • Traditional China
  • Early Japan
  • Early Korea
  • Tradtional India
  • Early Sri Lanka or Ceylon
  • Early Cambodia
  • Traditional Thailand or Siam
  • Early Indonesia
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • Lessons for A Woman: The Views of A Female Confucian
  • Fa-Hsien, A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms, ca. 400
  • On Jimmu, the First Emperor of Japan
  • Ancient Japanese Constitution
  • Taika Reform Edicts
  • The Diary of Lady Murasaki Shikibu
  • Marco Polo: The Glories Of Kinsay [Hangchow] (c. 1300)

Section XVIII. Mongol Asia.

• Secondary Sources
  • Early Mongolia
  • The Turks and the Rise of the Ottomans
  • A Brief History of Medieval Russia
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • The Travels Of Marco Polo in Asia
  • Ibn al-Athir, A Descriptive Record of the Tatar Invasion of Muslim lands
  • Travels of Ibn Batuta in Asia and Africa
  • The Zadonshchina
  • Afanasy Nikitin on Muslim India
  • Vasco Da Gama on the Portugese landing in India
  • Moscow theThird Rome(excerpts) by the monk Filofei

Section XIX. Later Medieval West.

• Secondary Sources
  • Crusades
  • Aspects of the Crisis of the 14th Century
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • Manor and Manorialism
  • The Sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade
  • The Magna Carta
  • The Famine of 1315
  • The Battle of Crécy according to Froissart
  • On the Jacquerie
  • Anonimalle Chronicle: English Peasants' Revolt 1381
  • Wat Tylers Rebellion according to Froissart
  • The Plague in Florence according to Boccaccio.
  • Petrarch on the Ascent of Mount Ventoux
  • Moscow theThird Rome(excerpts) by the monk Filofei

Section XX. Africa.

• Secondary Sources
  • Kanem-Bornu
  • Ethiopia
  • West Sudanic Empires
  • Kush, Meroe and Nubia
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • Herodotus on the Ethiopians
  • Accounts of Meröe, Kush, and Axum
  • An Attempted Muslim Invasion of Nubia
    
  • Accounts of Ancient Mauretania
  • Description of Kanem Bornu
  • Description of Ghana
  • Glimpses of the Kingdom of Ghana
  • Description of Timbuktu
  • The Christianization of Ethiopia
  • The Christianization of Nubia
    
  • Marco Polo on Africa
  • Travels of Ibn Batuta in Asia and Africa
  • Vasco Da Gama on the West-East Circumnavigation of Africa

Section XXI. The Americas.

• Secondary Sources
  • A Preliminary View of the Aztec Civilization
  • A Preliminary View of the Inca Civilization
  • Timeline of Civilizations--3500-1000 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-500 B.C.
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D.-A.D. 500
  • Timeline of Civilizations--A.D. 500-1000
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • Cortez on the Capital of the Aztecs.
  • Cortez on Honduras
  • Hernando Pizarro on the Conquest of the Incas

Section XXII. The World in the 15th Century.

• Secondary Sources
  • The Renaissance
  • European Expansion
  • The Turks and the Rise of the Ottomans
  • A Brief History of Medieval Russia
  • Jacob Burkhardt on the State as a Work of Art
  • Jacob Burkhardt on the Discovery of the World and Man
  • Timeline of Civilizations--1000-1500
• Primary Sources
  • A Venetian Memorandum on the Power and Revenue of European States in the 1420's
  • Mirat ul Memalik (The Mirror of Kings)
  • Priviledges and Prerogatives Granted by Their Catholic Majesties to Christopher Columbus : 1492
  • Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal
  • Columbus' letter to the King and Queen of Spain, 1494
  • Vasco Da Gama on the West-East Circumnavigation of Africa
  • Vasco Da Gama's Description of his landing in India
  • Cortez on the Capital of the Aztecs.
  • Hernando Pizarro on the Conquest of the Incas