Book overview
Travel back over 12,000 years to Mesopotamia--the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers--where farming replaced hunting and gathering, and the first cities emerged. This book traces the rise of great kingdoms and empires, cultural changes, and the development of writing, law, and architecture. Discover why Mesopotamia is called the "cradle of civilization" and how its ideas influenced Greece, Rome, and beyond. Packed with maps, charts, and archaeological discoveries, this guide for middle school readers and up brings to life the people, places, and innovations that shaped the ancient Near East and changed the course of history.