{"product_id":"the-middle-sea-a-history-of-the-mediterranean","title":"The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis lively  beautifully illustrated history of the civilizations that rose and fell on the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea represents the culmination of a great historians unparalleled art  eye  and scholarship.  John Julius Norwich is renowned for his magisterial histories  including the two-volume A History of Venice and the three-volume Byzantium. The Middle Sea showcases the qualities that have made him one of the most respected and popular historians of our day: witty prose  scrupulous research  and an unerring ability to bring to life the dramatic event  the colorful character  and the telling detail.  Norwich traverses five thousand years of history  tracing the growth of culture  trade  political alliances and enmities  and religious movements from the Phoenician civilization to present-day Mediterranean nations.  In a vivid  fully accessible narrative  he recounts the achievements of the Phoenicians  those great sea traders who carried not just goods but also knowledge to Europe and parts of Asia  the glories of ancient Egypt  the extraordinary contributions of the Greeks  and the rise of the mighty Romans. The twin stories of Byzantium and Islam  the dominant forces after the fall of Rome  crescendo in the incredible saga of the Fourth Crusade and carry readers to the reemergence of a vibrant Europe.  From the far-reaching developments in medieval France to the Renaissance wars in Italy to the triumph of Isabellas Spain  Norwich provides a brilliant portrait of the intermingling of ancient conflicts and modern sensibilities that shape life today on the shores of the Middle Sea.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44945392402485,"sku":"ByrdShop_0385510233","price":56.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780385510233.jpg?v=1769886879","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-middle-sea-a-history-of-the-mediterranean","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}