A marvelous, concise and readable, yet extensive history of the Mediterranean, an ideal companion for every visitor or anyone staying at home. The Mediterranean has always been a central stage of world history and attracts millions of tourists every year. Jeremy Black offers a narrative in which the experience of travel takes center stage: travels for tourism, trade, war, migration, and culture. Travelers have always had various goals and conditions, from lords to slaves and pirates, covering a wide range from Phoenicians traveling for trade to the modern tourist.

The book primarily focuses on the sea, coastal areas, and port cities visited by cruises, such as Athens, Barcelona, and Naples, but also examines other waterways, identifying their significance for the fate of the Mediterranean. It concerns the understanding of the conflicts that shaped the borders of Mediterranean states, the remaining architecture, and the culture of the peoples.

Black explores the centrality of the Mediterranean in the western experience of travel, from antiquity with the Phoenicians, Minoans, and Greeks, to the unity offered by the Roman Empire and the subsequent division by Christianity and Islam. He examines the maritime empires of Pisa, Genoa, and Venice, the evolution of naval warfare, and the influence of the Mediterranean on artists such as Shakespeare.

From the Renaissance to the age of tourism, Black analyzes the culture of the Mediterranean, emphasizes the development of British naval power, and the impact of the Suez Canal on Europe. Finally, the book highlights the significance of the Mediterranean in two World Wars and the current conflicts in the Middle East.

Pages: 320, Year of Publication: 0929, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm