Interdisciplinary in approach and topical in focus, the sixth edition of The Humanistic Tradition continues to bring to life humankind's creative legacy. With more than 800 illustrations and some 150 literary sources in accessible translations, this widely acclaimed humanities survey takes a global perspective that is at once selective and engaging, and helps students better understand the relationship between world cultures.

Available in multiple formats, The Humanistic Tradition examines the political, economic, and social contexts out of which history's most memorable achievements emerged.

Book 1: The First Civilizations and the Classical Legacy

Introduction: Prehistory and the Birth of Civilization

Prehistory

The Birth of Civilization

1 Mesopotamia: Gods, Rulers, and the Social Order

Looking Ahead

The Land between the Two Rivers

The Gods of Mesopotamia

The Rulers of Mesopotamia

The Social Order

The Arts in Mesopotamia

The Iron Age

The Hebrews

Empires of the Iron Age

Looking Back

2 Africa: Gods, Rulers, and the Social Order

Looking Ahead

Africa: Ancient Egypt

The Gods of Ancient Egypt

The Rulers of Ancient Egypt

The Social Order

The Arts in Ancient Egypt

Africa: The Sudan

Looking Back

3 India, China, and the Americas

Looking Ahead

Ancient India

Ancient China

The Americas

Looking Back

4 Greece: Humanism and the Speculative Leap

Looking Ahead

Bronze Age Civilizations of the Aegean

The Heroic Age

The Greek City-State and the Persian Wars

Athens and the Greek Golden Age

The Individual and the Community

Greek Philosophy: The Speculative Leap

Humanist Philosophy

Looking Back

5 The Classical Style

Looking Ahead

The Classical Style

The Evolution of the Classical Style

The Classical Style in Poetry

The Classical Style in Music and Dance

The Diffusion of the Classical Style: The Hellenistic Age

Looking Back

6 Rome: The Rise to Empire

Looking Ahead

The Roman Rise to Empire

The Roman Contribution to Literature

The Arts of the Roman Empire

The Fall of Rome

Looking Back

7 China: The Rise to Empire

Looking Ahead

Confucius and the Classics

The Chinese Rise to Empire

The Literary Contributions of Imperial China

The Visual Arts and Music

Looking Back

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