The prehistoric and ancient worlds

The first in a four-volume set, The Cambridge World History of Violence, volume I provides a comprehensive examination of violence in prehistory and the ancient world. Covering the period through to the end of classical antiquity, the chapters take a global perspective spanning sub-Saharan Africa, the Near East, Europe, India, China, Japan and Central America. Unlike many previous works, this book does not focus only on warfare but examines violence as a broader phenomenon. The historical approach complements, and in some cases critiques, previous research on the anthropology and psychology of violence in the human story. Written by a team of contributors who are experts in each of their respective fields, this volume will be of particular interest to anyone fascinated by archaeology and the ancient world.Introduction. The nature of violence in the prehistoric and ancient worlds Linda Fibiger, Garrett G. Fagan and Mark Hudson Part I. The Origins of Conflict and the Emergence of Warfare: Introduction 1. Why we fight: the origins of violence Steven LeBlanc 2. Violence in Archaic and early modern humans: Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Europe and beyond Jörg Orschiedt 3. Settled lives, unsettled times – Neolithic violence Rick Schulting, Martin Smith and Linda Fibiger 4. Violence during the later Stone Age of Sub-Saharan Africa Alan G. Morris 5. Weapons, warriors, and warfare in Bronze Age Europe Barry Molloy 6. Weapons, ritual, and warfare: violence in Iron Age Europe Peter Wells 7. The origins of violence and warfare in the Japanese islands Mark Hudson, Rick Schulting and Linda Gilaizeau Part II. Pre-Historic and Ancient Warfare: Introduction 8. Hunting and warfare: ritualization of violence in Ancient Egypt John Darnell 9. Warfare, militarism, and political dynamics in the precolumbian Maya lowlands Stanley Serafin 10. Violence and warfare in the Ancient Near East Steven Garfinkle 11. Violence and the Roman way of warfare Jonathan P. Roth 12. Roman warfare in late antiquity Doug Lee 13. Violence and warfare in early Imperial China Wicky Tse Part III. Intimate and Collective Violence in the Pre-Historic and Ancient Worlds: Introduction 14. Early massacres: mass violence in Neolithic Europe Christian Meyer 15. A gendered analysis of violence from the Iron Age to the end of the Romano- British period Rebecca Redfern 16. Violence in ancient Egyptian society Donald Redford 17. Violence and the mutilated body in Achaemenid Iran Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones 18. 'Knocking her teeth out with a stone': violence against women in Ancient Greece Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones 19. Gang violence in the late Roman Republic Jeffrey Tatum 20. Violence in early Imperial China Charles Sanft Part IV. Religion, Ritual and Violence in the Pre-Historic and Ancient Worlds: Introduction 21. Ritual violence and headhunting in Iron Age Europe Ian Armit 22. Ritual killing and sacrifice in the Ancient Near East Luis Siddall 23. Animal sacrifice in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds Fred S. Naiden 24. Combat sports in the ancient world Michael J. Carter 25. Religious violence in late antiquity Peter Van Nuffelen Part V. Violence, Crime and the State in the Ancient World: Introduction 26. Violence, law, and community in classical Athens Matthew Trundle 27. Roman violence: state and community Garrett G. Fagan 28. Suicide and martyrdom among Christians and Jews Candida R. Moss Part VI. Representations and Constructions of Violence in the Ancient World: Introduction 29. Kingship and violence in classical India, c. 500 BCE to 500 CE Upinder Singh 30. Violence and the Bible Debra Scoggins Ballentine 31. Representations of violence in ancient Mesopotamia and Syria Davide Nadali 32. Representations of war and violence in Ancient Rome Susann Lusnia 33. Military violence in vedic and epic India Jarrod Whitaker