The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past by Owen Rees explores the ancient world with a new lens – from the “outside” in. It breaks away from traditional views and many of our ancient sources that saw places and peoples away from the centre as lesser, and those outside as separate.
The Far Edges of the Known World
Through exploring different contexts and cultures, Rees shows that far from being places and people ‘in the middle of nowhere’ far away, but they were often fascinating places of integration and mixing of people and cultures. Certainly, people in these places often did not see themselves as out on borders or saw themselves as important in ways that ancient sources often did not allow for.
Rees takes the reader on a journey through the “classical world” from the earliest start of humanity in East Africa through the shifting zone between Egypt and Nubia, the Greek cities of the Black Sea, trading ports in the Mediterranean, Hadrian’s Wall, and North Africa. He moves beyond the Greco-Roman world to look at the Ukrainian steppe, north-west India, Vietnam, and Ethiopia. Through looking at different places and contexts from early human history through to the 6th century CE, Rees illuminates parts of the world that we might not think about when we think of the 'ancient world', or the surprising links and vitality of these places off the beaten track.
Throughout, Rees emphasises what we can learn when we really look at these places and the written and material evidence we have. He does a great job of bringing these places and people to life, showing that far from being backwaters and peripheral, they were vibrant places deserving our attention and study. They can tell us surprising and interesting things if we just care to take a proper look.
Certainly not the scorn that traditional ancient sources and histories have placed on them. Looking at you, Ovid. Tomis wasn’t that bad, you crybaby.
Check out some other titles from our collection with interesting takes on the ancient world:
Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World
Want to read more about the ancient world? Have a gander at the list below from our our World and Travel reading guide:
What was life like under the yoke of a Roman emperor or as a nomad constantly searching for new lands? Find out in this selection that focuses on ancient civilisations through to medieval times. You can delve even further back into the mists of time by going prehistoric.
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