| 1 |
Ch. 2 — The Emergence of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia and Encounters with Indo-European-Speaking Peoples (pp. 22–45) |
The Quest for Order (Mesopotamia); The Formation of Sophisticated Social and Cultural Traditions; The Broader Influence of Mesopotamian Society; Indo-European Migrations |
The Flood Story from the Epic of Gilgamesh (p. 29); Hammurabi’s Laws on Family Relationships (p. 35) |
| 2 |
Ch. 3 — The Emergence of Complex Societies in Africa and the Bantu Migrations (pp. 46–69) |
Early Agrarian Societies in Africa; The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions; Bantu Migrations and Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa |
Harkhuf’s Expeditions to Nubia (p. 54); Hymn to Osiris (p. 63) |
| 3 |
Ch. 4 — The Emergence of Complex Societies in South Asia (pp. 70–85) |
The Indus Civilization; Indo-Aryan Migrations and the Early Vedic Era; Religion in the Vedic Age |
Laws of Manu (excerpt) (p. 78); The Mundaka Upanishad on the Nature of Brahman (p. 81) |
| 4 |
Ch. 5 — The Emergence of Complex Society in Mainland East Asia (pp. 86–103) |
Political Organization in Early China; Society and Family in Ancient China; Early Chinese Writing and Cultural Development; Thought and Literature in Ancient China; Ancient China and the Larger World |
Peasants’ Protest (p. 96); Family Solidarity in Ancient China (p. 98) |
| 5 |
Ch. 7 — The Empires of Persia (pp. 122–139) |
Empires of Persia; Imperial Society and Economy; Religions of the Persian Empires |
Zarathustra on Good and Evil (p. 136) |
| 6 |
Ch. 8 — The Unification of China (pp. 140–161) |
The Search for Political and Social Order in Zhou Dynasty China; The Unification of China; From Economic Prosperity to Social Disorder |
Confucius on Government (p. 143); Laozi on Living in Harmony with Dao (p. 146) |
| 7 |
Ch. 9 — State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in South Asia (pp. 162–181) |
The Fortunes of Empire in Ancient South Asia; Economic and Social Developments in South Asia; The Emergence of Religions of Salvation in South Asia |
Ashoka Adopts and Promotes Buddhism (p. 177); Caste Duties according to the Bhagavad Gita (p. 179) |
| 8 |
Ch. 10 — Civilizations of the Mediterranean Basin: The Greeks (pp. 182–203) |
Before the Greeks; The World of the Polis; Greece and the Larger World; The Hellenistic Empires; Greek Economy and Society; Cultural Life in Ancient Greece |
Arrian on the Character of Alexander of Macedon (p. 193); Socrates’ View of Death (p. 199) |
| 9 |
Ch. 11 — Civilizations of the Mediterranean Basin: The Romans (pp. 204–225) |
From Kingdom to Republic; From Republic to Empire; Economy and Society in the Roman Mediterranean; The Cosmopolitan Mediterranean |
Tacitus on the Abuse of Power in the Early Roman Empire (p. 213); Jesus’ Moral and Ethical Teachings (p. 223) |
| 10 |
Ch. 12 — Cross-Cultural Exchanges on the Silk Roads (pp. 226–245) |
Long-Distance Trade and the Silk Roads Network; Cultural and Biological Exchanges along the Silk Roads; China after the Han Dynasty; The Collapse of the Western Roman Empire |
St. Cyprian on Epidemic Disease in the Roman Empire (p. 237) |
| 11 |
Ch. 13 — The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia (pp. 246–269) |
The Restoration of Centralized Imperial Rule in China; The Economic Development of Tang and Song China; Cultural Change in Tang and Song China; Development of Complex Societies in Korea, Vietnam, and Japan |
The Poet Du Fu on Tang Dynasty Wars (p. 252); The Arab Merchant Suleiman on Business Practices in Tang China (p. 260) |
| 12 |
Ch. 14 — The Expansive Realm of Islam (pp. 270–293) |
A Prophet and His World; The Expansion of Islam; Economy and Society of the Early Islamic World; Islamic Values and Cultural Exchanges |
The Quran on Allah and His Expectations of Humankind (p. 275) |
| 13 |
Ch. 15 — India and the Indian Ocean Basin (pp. 294–315) |
Islamic and Hindu Kingdoms; Production and Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin; Religious Developments in South Asia; Indian Social and Political Influence in Southeast Asia |
Three Sources on Chinese Trade with Ports and Regions of the Indian Ocean Basin (p. 305) |
| 14 |
Ch. 17 — Nomadic Empires and Eurasian Integration (pp. 340–359) |
Turkish Migrations and Imperial Expansion; The Mongol Empires; The Mongols and Eurasian Integration; After the Mongols |
William of Rubruck on Gender Roles among the Mongols (p. 343); Marco Polo on Mongol Military Tactics (p. 349) |
| 15 |
Ch. 18 — States and Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa (pp. 360–377) |
Effects of Early African Migrations; African Societies and Cultural Development; Islamic Kingdoms and Empires |
Ibn Battuta on Muslim Society at Mogadishu (p. 374) |
| 16 |
Ch. 21 — Expanding Horizons of Cross-Cultural Interaction (pp. 422–439) |
Long-Distance Trade and Travel; Crisis and Recovery; Exploration and Colonization |
Ibn Battuta on Customs in the Mali Empire (p. 427); John of Montecorvino on His Mission in China (p. 429) |