A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD pdf download

A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD by Translated by Caroline Mustill

A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

Book Description

“A Little History of the World” by Ernst Gombrich is a timeless masterpiece that takes readers on a remarkable journey through the tapestry of human history, from its earliest beginnings to the brink of the Renaissance. Written with a deep love for knowledge and a passion for storytelling, Gombrich’s narrative transcends the boundaries of time and place, making history come alive for readers of all ages.

In this captivating narrative, Gombrich brilliantly paints the canvas of the past, allowing us to revisit the dawn of time when our planet was devoid of human existence. What was the world like before humanity’s arrival? What mysterious creatures roamed the Earth, and how did life evolve into the wondrous diversity we see today? With poetic prose, Gombrich explores these questions, helping us appreciate the significance of memory and the stories that have shaped our world.

As we journey through the ages, we encounter the greatest inventors of all time, including the intriguing Heidelberg jaw and the enigmatic Neanderthal man. Gombrich guides us through the discovery of fire, the development of tools, the emergence of language, and the origins of cave paintings, as our ancestors left their mark on history. We venture into the Ice Age and the Early Stone Age, exploring the mysteries of pile dwellings and the splendors of the Bronze Age, bringing us closer to understanding the lives of early humans, who were not so different from us.

The narrative then takes a leap to the land by the Nile, where readers are introduced to the grandeur of ancient Egypt. Journey through time with King Menes, the unification of Egypt, and the majestic pharaohs who left an indelible mark on human civilization. Unveil the secrets of the sacred Nile, the construction of pyramids, and the intricate religion of the ancient Egyptians. Gombrich transports you to a world of hieroglyphs, papyrus, and the intriguing reforms of Akhenaton, offering a deep appreciation for the cultural richness of this ancient civilization.

Next, we set sail to Mesopotamia, where we witness the clay tablets and the intricate cuneiform script, as well as the establishment of Hammurabi’s laws. The narrative unfolds the significance of star worship, the myth of the Tower of Babel, and the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. It’s a mesmerizing journey through the cradle of civilization and a testament to human ingenuity.

From the deserts of Mesopotamia, we journey to the land of Palestine, where we trace the historical and spiritual roots of the region. Meet Abraham of Ur, delve into the stories of the Biblical flood, and explore the epic narratives of Moses, Saul, David, and Solomon. Witness the division of the kingdom, the destruction of Israel, and the prophetic voices that have guided the people of this ancient land. The Babylonian Captivity and the return of the exiled paint a vivid picture of a people’s unwavering faith in the promise of a Messiah.

The journey continues as we explore the revolutionary development of writing with the alphabet. Delve into the world of the Phoenicians and their ingenious trading posts, where the creation of the alphabet set the stage for a profound transformation in the way humans communicated. This brilliant innovation marked a turning point in the course of human history.

Embark on an exploration of the heroes and their weapons, as the songs of Homer come to life through Gombrich’s narrative. Schliemann’s pioneering excavations reveal the mysteries of the past, and we unravel the legends of sea-raider kings, the labyrinth of Crete, and the Dorian migration. Gombrich immerses us in the world of the Greek tribes and their legendary colonies, shedding light on the tales of heroes who continue to captivate our imagination.

Our journey then takes a detour to the land of Persia, where the Persians and their faith come into focus. We step into the shoes of Cyrus, the conqueror of Babylon, and traverse the epic story of Cambyses in Egypt, Darius’s mighty empire, and the Ionian revolt. We experience the tense moments of the first and second Punitive Expeditions and the legendary Battle of Marathon. As Gombrich masterfully recounts the events, we find ourselves at Thermopylae and the breathtaking Battle of Salamis.

Further into the narrative, we encounter two small cities in one small land—Athens and Sparta—each with its unique character and contributions. The Olympic Games, the enigmatic Delphic Oracle, Spartan education, and the transformative leadership of figures like Pericles all come to life. Gombrich leads us through the flourishing of philosophy, sculpture, painting, architecture, and theatre, allowing us to fully appreciate the cultural richness of ancient Greece.

The narrative then shifts to India, where we explore the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro, a remnant of the time of Ur. The Indian migrations, the Indo-European languages, and the complex caste system come into focus, shedding light on the intricate social fabric of this ancient land. Journey through the profound teachings of Brahma, the concept of transmigration of souls, and the enlightenment of Prince Gautama. Gombrich’s narrative takes us on a path to release from suffering and the realization of Nirvana, as we follow the followers of the Buddha on their spiritual journey.

Moving eastward, we find ourselves in ancient China, where we gain insights into the emperor and his court, the origins of Chinese writing, and the profound importance of practices and customs in shaping society. Delve into the teachings of Confucius and the wisdom of Lao-tzu, who introduced the concept of the Tao—a guiding principle that continues to influence Eastern thought.

As we journey forward in time, the narrative unfolds one of history’s most remarkable adventures—the Peloponnesian War. This conflict, fraught with drama and grandeur, captures our imagination as we delve into the Delphic War, the rise of Philip of Macedon, and the famous Battle of Chaeronea. The narrative leads us through the decline of the Persian Empire, setting the stage for the conquests of Alexander the Great. We delve into the audacious campaigns of Alexander, his legendary conquest of Asia, and the brilliance of Aristotle, whose knowledge has left an indelible mark on human thought. Explore the story of Diogenes and the remarkable conquest of Asia Minor, as well as the legendary Battle of Issus, the conquest of Tyre, and the audacious conquest of Egypt, culminating in the establishment of the city of Alexandria.

Book Contents

– Preface

– Once Upon A Time

– The Greatest Inventors of All Time

– The Land by the Nile

– Sunday, Monday

– The One and Only God

– I C-A-N R-E-A-D

– Heroes and their Weapons

– An Unusual Struggle

– Two Small Cities in One Small Land

– The Enlightened One and his Land

– The Greatest Teacher of A Great People

– The Greatest Adventure of All

– New War and New Warriors

– An Enemy of History

– Rulers of the Western World

– The Good News

– Life in the Empire at its Frontiers

– The Storm

– The Starry Night Begins

– There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his Prophet

– A Conqueror who Knows How to Rule

– A Struggle to Become Lord of Christendom

– Chivalrous Knights

– Emperors in the Age of Chivalry

– Cities and Citizens

– A New Age

– A New World

– A New Faith

– The Church at War

– Terrible Times

– An Unlucky King and a Lucky King

– Meanwhile, Looking Eastwards…

– A Truly New Age

– A Very Violent Revolution

– The Last Conqueror

– Men and Machines

– Across the Seas

– Two New States in Europe

– Dividing up the New World

– The Small Part of the History of the World Which I have Lived Through Myself: Looking Back

Extended book contents

ONCE UPON A TIME 

The past and memory – Before there were any people – Dragon-like creatures – Earth without life – Sun without earth – What is history? 

THE GREATEST INVENTORS OF ALL TIME 

The Heidelberg jaw – Neanderthal man- Prehistory – Fire-Tools – Cavemen – Language – Painting – Making magic – The Ice Age and the Early Stone Age – Pile dwellings – The Bronze Age – People like you and me 

THE LAND BY THE NILE 

King Menes – Egypt – A hymn to the Nile – Pharaohs – Pyramids – The religion of the ancient Egyptians – The Sphinx – Hieroglyphs- Papyrus – Revolution in the old kingdom – Akhenaton’s reforms 

SUNDAY, MONDAY 

Mesopotamia today – The burial sites at Ur Clay tablets and cuneiform script – Hamurabi’s laws – Star worship – The origin of the days of the week – The Tower of Babel – Nebuchadnezzar 

THE ONE AND ONLY GOD 

Palestine – Abraham of Ur – The Flood – Moses’ bondage in Egypt and the year of the departure from Egypt – Saul, David, Solomon- The division of the kingdom – The destruction of Israel – The prophets speak – The Babylonian Captivity-The Return – The Old Testament and faith in the Messiah 

IC-A-NR-E-A-D 

Writing with the alphabet – The Phoenicians and their trading posts 

HEROES AND THEIR WEAPONS 

The songs of Homer-Schliemann’s excavations – Sea-raider kings- Crete and the labyrinth – The Dorian migration – The songs of the heroes – Greek tribes and their colonies 

AN UNEQUAL STRUGGLE 

The Persians and their faith – Cyrus conquers Babylon-Cambyses in Egypt Darius’s empire- The Ionian revolt – The first Punitive Expedition – The second Punitive Expedition and the Battle of Marathon – Xerxes’ campaign Thermopylae – The Battle of Salamis 

TWO SMALL CITIES IN ONE SMALL LAND 

The Olympic Games – The Delphic Oracle – Sparta and Spartan education – Athens Draco and Solon – The People’s Assembly and tyrants – The time of Pericles – Philosophy – Sculpture and painting – Architecture – Theatre 

THE ENLIGHTENED ONE AND HIS LAND 

India Mohenjo-Daro, a city from the time of Ur- The Indian migrations-Indo-European languages – Castes – Brahma and the transmigration of souls – “This is you’ – Prince Gautama – The Enlightenment – Release from suffering – Nirvana – The followers of the Buddha 

A GREAT TEACHER OF A GREAT PEOPLE 

China in the time before Christ – The emperor of China and the princes – The meaning of Chinese writing – Confucius – The importance of practices and customs – The family – Ruler and subject – Lao-tzu- The Tao 

THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL 

The Peloponnesian War – The Delphic War – Philip of Macedon – The Battle of Chaeronea – The decline of the Persian empire – Alexander the Great – The destruction of Thebes – Aristotle and his knowledge – Diogenes – The conquest of Asia Minor – The Gordion Knot – The Battle of Issus – The conquest of Tyre and the conquest of Egypt – Alexandria – The Battle of Gaugamela – The Indian expedition – Porus Alexander, ruler of the Orient – Alexander’s death and his successors – Hellenism – The library of Alexandria 

NEW WARS AND NEW WARRIORS 

Italy Rome and the myth of Rome’s foundation – Class warfare – The twelve tablets of the law – The Roman character – Rome’s capture by the Gauls – The conquest of Italy – Pyrrhus-Carthage – The First Punic War – Hannibal – Crossing the Alps – Quintus Fabius Maximus Cannae – The last call to arms – Scipio’s victory over Hannibal – The conquest of Greece – Cato – The destruction of Carthage 

AN ENEMY OF HISTORY 

The Emperor Shih Huang-ti of Ch’in – The burning of the books – The princes of Ch’in and the naming of China – The Great Wall of China – The Han ruling family – Learned officials 

RULERS OF THE WESTERN WORLD 

The two Roman provinces – Roads and aqueducts – Legions Gracchi Bread and circuses – Marius – The Cimbri and the Teutones – Sulla – Gladiators – Julius Caesar – The Gallic Wars – Victory in the civil war – Cleopatra – The reform of the calendar- Caesar’s murder – Augustus and the empire – The arts 

THE GOOD NEWS 

Jesus Christ – The teachings of the Apostle Paul – The Cross – Paul preaching to the Corinthians – The cult of the emperor – Nero – Rome burns – The first Christian persecutions – The catacombs – Titus destroys Jerusalem – The dispersal of the Jews 

LIFE IN THE EMPIRE AND AT ITS FRONTIERS 

Tenements and villas – Therms – The Colosseum – The Germans – Arminius and the battle in Teutoburg forest – The Limes – Soldiers and their gods – Trajan’s expeditions in Dacia – Marcus Aurelius’s battles near Vienna Warrior-emperors – The decline of Italy – The spread of Christianity – Diocletian’s reforms – The last Christian persecution – Constantine – The founding of Constantinople – The division of the empire – Christianity becomes the religion of the state 

THE STORM 

The Huns – The Visigoths – The Migrations-Attila – Leo the Great – Romulus Augustulus – Odoacer and the end of antiquity – The Ostrogoths and Theodoric – Ravenna – Justinian – The Pandects of Justinian and the Agia Sophia – The end of the Goths – The Lombards 

THE STARRY NIGHT BEGINS 

“The Dark Ages”? – Belief and superstition – Stylites – Benedictines – Preserving the inheritance of antiquity – The importance of the northern monasteries – Clovis’s baptism – The role of the clergy in the Merovingian kingdom – Boniface 

THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH, AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS PROPHET 

The Arabian desert – Mecca and the Kaaba – Muhammad’s background and life – Persecution and flight – Medina – The battle with Mecca – The last sermon – The conquests of Palestine, Persia and Egypt – The burning of the Alexandrian library – The siege of Constantinople – The conquests of North Africa and Spain – The battles of Tours and Poitiers – Arab culture – Arabic numerals 

A CONQUEROR WHO KNOWS HOW TO RULE 

The Merovingians and their stewards – The kingdom of the Franks – Charlemagne’s battles in Gaul, Italy and Spain – The Avars – Battles with the Saxons – Sulla – Gladiators – Julius Caesar – The Gallic Wars – Victory in the civil war – Cleopatra – The reform of the calendar- Caesar’s murder – Augustus and the empire – The arts 

CHIVALROUS KNIGHTS 

Horsemen and knights – Castles – Bondsmen – From noble youth to knight: page, squire, dubbing – A knight’s duties – Minstrelsy- Tournaments – Chivalrous poetry – The Song of the Nibelungen – The First Crusade Godfrey of Bouillon and the conquest of Jerusalem – The significance of the crusades 

EMPERORS IN THE AGE OF CHIVALRY 

Frederick Barbarossa Barter and the money-based economy – Italian towns – The empire – The resistance and defeat of Milan- The dubbing feast at Mainz – The Third Crusade – Frederick II – Guelphs and Ghibellines – Innocent III – The Magna Carta – Sicily’s rulers – The end of the Hohenstaufens – Ghengis Khan and the Mongol invasion The lack of an emperor and ‘fist-law’ – The Kyffhäuser legend – Rudolf of Habsburg – Victory over Otakar – The power of the House of Habsburg is established 

CITIES AND CITIZENS 

Markets and towns – Merchants and knights – Guilds – Building cathedrals – Mendicant friars and penitential priests – The persecution of Jews and heretics – The Babylonian Captivity of the popes- The Hundred Years War with England – Joan of Arc-Life at court- Universities – Charles IV and Rudolf the Founder 

A NEW AGE 

The burghers of Florence – Humanism – The rebirth of antiquity- The flowering of art Leonardo da Vinci The Medici – Renaissance popes – New ideas in Germany – The art of printing- Gunpowder – The downfall of Charles the Bold – Maximilian, the Last Knight – Mercenaries – Fighting in Italy – Maximilian and Dürer 

A NEW WORLD 

The compass – Spain and the conquest of Granada – Columbus and Isabella – The discovery of America – The modern era – Columbus’s fate – The conquistadores – Hernando Cortez – Mexico – The fall of Montezuma – The Portuguese in India 

A NEW FAITH 

The building of the Church of St Peter – Luther’s theses – Luther’s forerunner, Hus – The burning of the papal bull – Charles V and his empire- The sack of Rome – The Diet of Worms – Luther at the Wartburg – The translation of the Bible – Zwingli – Calvin – Henry VIII – Turkish conquests – The division of the empire 

THE CHURCH AT WAR Ignatius of Loyola The Council of Trent 

The Counter-Philip of Reformation – The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre