This book contains a collection of essays on the ancient world, from Minoan Crete to the decline of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. This book is still a good read and was a relevant and scholarly work when I read it. Now decade’s later new information has come to light. But Finely method of writing makes this publication still worth reading. For his methods would not allow him to speculate without sufficient factual data so you can be assured of his stated historical facts in the small book as they were known at time of original publication. He wrote a book that would lead the reader in a direction to seek answer to those areas that they found interesting. I still find this to be a good introductory book. ( )