In the late twelfth century, Catholic crusaders, Sunni Turks and Kurds, and the eclectic armies of Fatimid Egypt repeatedly clashed along the Nile. The result of this conflict would fundamentally alter the balance of power in the Middle East.

Regarded by many as the first major historian, Herodotus was a Greek scholar and traveler who set down his impressions of foreign countries and his analysis of wars and other significant events in a relatively straightforward, journalistic manner. This volume contains Herodotus' views on Egypt. For centuries, some of the the author's claims about Egypt were regarded as far-fetched, but evidence has recently come to light that supports some of his long-doubted account.

This collection explores the importance of magic within Early Christianity

This eBook edition of Herodotus' Histories has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The Histories of Herodotus is one of the first accounts of the rise of the Persian Empire, as well as the events and causes of the Greco-Persian Wars between the Achaemenid Empire and the Greek city-states in the 5th century BC. Herodotus portrays the conflict as one between the forces of slavery (the Persians) on the one hand, and freedom (the Athenians and the confederacy of Greek city-states which united against the invaders) on the other. The Histories is now considered the founding work of history in Western literature. Written in 440 BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek, The Histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known in Western Asia, Northern Africa and Greece at that time. Although not a fully impartial record, it remains one of the West's most important sources regarding these affairs.

This book takes a new approach to studying the contemporary Middle East, focusing on popular culture, including film, music, and television. Innovative essays by a group of smart young scholars in anthropology, history, and ethnomusicology.