Life in Ancient China

Lisa Arsenault is a high-school English teacher who is involved in
several ministry campaigns to increase literacy.

Each volume in this splendid series includes a table of contents, a
timeline, a glossary, and an index. Beyond that format, the books vary
greatly in content: the authors isolate the salient, defining features
of each culture and highlight them in short chapters.

Life in Ancient Rome follows not only the city’s growth from seven
hill villages into a major metropolis, but also Rome’s transition from
republic to empire, her legendary military might, and the eventual
decline of her power. The catchphrase “when in Rome” heads a section
on class structure, family life, and the mores of the people. Other
common terms, such as “bread and circuses,” are elucidated for the
reader.

Life in Ancient China considers the readily familiar Great Wall, the
dynasties of the “Sons of Heaven,” the economic importance of the
Silk Road, the country’s emphasis on education, the class system,
ancestor worship, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and the philosophy of
Kung Fu, which defines the Chinese way.

The centrality of the Nile River to the development of Egypt and its
culture is addressed in Life in Ancient Egypt. The well-known Queen
Cleopatra makes an appearance. The social pyramid, with the Pharaoh at
the apex, hieroglyphs, life after death and mummies, and the advances in
art and science are all discussed.

“Glorious Greece” is a fitting first chapter in Life in Ancient
Greece. The importance of the Mediterranean Sea to trade, the arts,
travel and discovery, and the development of independent city–states
are all covered, as are the movement toward democracy from tyranny and
the attendant spur to philosophy, drama, medicine, and science. Familiar
touchstones such as the Olympic Games and the wooden horse of Trojan War
fame are included.

Life in Ancient Mesoamerica looks at the area between North America and
South America. The diversity of the lush plant life and its commercial
value helped to create a flourishing trade between city–states, and a
rich Mesoamerican culture. Out of this culture emerged an effective
writing system, advanced mathematics, and a sophisticated calendar, a
system of fortune-telling and astrology, and such rituals as blood
sacrifice and volcano worship.

Historians refer to ancient Mesopotamia (the land between the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers) as “the birthplace of civilization.” Life in
Ancient Mesopotamia follows the region’s progression from a nomadic to
an agrarian lifestyle in settled city–states, as well as the rise of
the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. Readers will probably be
familiar with the Epic of Gilgamesh, the famous Library of Ninevah, and
the water gardens.

The essence of each ancient culture is distilled to its unique elements
and conveyed with clarity. The text is augmented with colour diagrams,
photographs, and maps. All of these books are recommended.