A history of the Ancient World in Italian

Now the thing about reading history books produced in other countries is they can offer a different slant on events you are familiar with.

Much of what I was taught was very Eurocentric and even when there was a nod to the histories of other parts of the world it often just became the story of Europeans abroad.

So that period when Europe began to expand beyond the continent was always presented as the European Voyages of Discovery with men like Columbus, Cabot and Cook credited with the  discovery new lands and people as if these “new peoples” had been lost till that moment in time.

Likewise looking at a map produced by the Soviet Union in the 1950s  which showed the country surrounded by what were perceived hostile countries goes a little way to understand the threat they felt.

All of which is an introduction to LE GRANDI CIVILTÀ DEL MONDO ANTICO, which is just what the title says, an Italian book on The Great Civilizations of the Ancient World.

It will of course make an interesting read given that it is in Italian and aimed at nine year olds.

So I rather think here is a double winner, for my Italian is almost non existent and I will get to discover a little of what our Italian family understand about the past.

Pictures; cover of  LE GRANDI CIVILTÀ DEL MONDO ANTICO, 2009, www.giunti.it