Chapter I: Front Matter

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HISTORY OF

ANCIENT CIVILIZATION

BY

CHARLES SEIGNOBOS

DOCTOR OF LETTERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS

LONDON T. FISHER UNWIN ADELPHI TERRACE MCMVII

(_All rights reserved_)

EDITOR'S NOTE

In preparing this volume, the Editor has used both the three-volume edition and the two-volume edition of the "Histoire de la Civilisation." He has usually preferred the order of topics of the two-volume edition, but has supplemented the material therein with other matter drawn from the three-volume edition.

A few corrections to the text have been given in foot-notes. These notes are always clearly distinguished from the elucidations of the author.

A.H.W.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PREHISTORIC TIMES. Prehistoric archaeology--Prehistoric remains; their
antiquity--Prehistoric science--The four ages.

THE ROUGH STONE AGE. Remains found in the gravels--The cave-men.

THE POLISHED STONE AGE. Lake-villages--Megalithic monuments.

THE BRONZE AGE. Bronze--Bronze objects.

THE IRON AGE. Iron--Iron weapons--Epochs of the Iron Age.

Conclusions: How the four ages are to be conceived; uncertainties;
solved questions.

CHAPTER II

HISTORY AND THE DOCUMENTS. History--Legends--History in general--Great
divisions of history--Ancient history--Modern history--The Middle
Ages.

SOURCES FOR THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS.
Books--Monuments--Inscriptions--Languages--Lacunae.

RACES AND PEOPLES. Anthropology--The races--Civilized peoples--Aryans
and Semites.

CHAPTER III

THE EGYPTIANS. Egypt--The country--The Nile--Fertility of the soil--The
accounts of Herodotus--Champollion--Egyptologists--Discoveries.

THE EGYPTIAN EMPIRE. Antiquity of the Egyptian people--Memphis and the
pyramids--Egyptian civilization--Thebes--The Pharaoh--The
subjects--Despotism--Isolation of the Egyptians.

RELIGION OF THE EGYPTIANS. The gods--Osiris--Ammon-ra--Gods with animal
heads--Sacred animals--The bull Apis--Worship of the dead--Judgment
of the soul--Mummies--Book of the Dead--The arts--Industry--
Architecture--Tombs--Temples--Sculpture--Painting--Literature--
Destinies of the Egyptian civilization.

CHAPTER IV

THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS. Chaldea--The land--The people--The
cities.

THE ASSYRIANS--Assyria--Origins--Ancient accounts--Modern discoveries--
Inscriptions on bricks--Cuneiform writing--The Assyrian people--The
king--Fall of the Assyrian Empire.

THE BABYLONIANS. The second Chaldean empire--Babylon--The Tower of
Babylon.

CUSTOMS AND RELIGION. Customs--Religion--The gods--Astrology--
Sorcery--The sciences.

THE ARTS. Architecture--Palaces--Sculpture.

CHAPTER V

THE ARYANS OF INDIA. The Aryans--Aryan languages--The Aryan people.

PRIMITIVE RELIGION OF THE HINDOOS. The Aryans on the Indus--The
Vedas--The gods--Indra--Agni--The cult--Worship of ancestors.

BRAHMANIC SOCIETY. The Hindoos on the Ganges--Castes--The Impure--The
Brahmans--The new religion of Brahma--Transmigration of souls--
Character of this religion--The rites--Purity--Penances--The monks.

BUDDHISM. Buddha--Nirvana--Charity--Fraternity--Tolerance--Later
history of Buddhism--Changes in Buddhism--Buddha transformed into a
god--Mechanical prayer--Amelioration of manners.

CHAPTER VI

THE PERSIANS. The religion of Zoroaster--Iran--The Iranians--
Zoroaster--The Zend-Avesta--Ormuzd and Ahriman--Angels and demons--
Creatures of Ormuzd and Ahriman--The cult--Morality--Funerals--
Destiny of the soul--Character of Mazdeism.

THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. The Medes--The Persians--Cyrus--The inscription of
Behistun--The Persian empire--The satrapies--Revenues of the
empire--The Great King--Services rendered by the Persians--Susa and
Persepolis--Persian architecture.

CHAPTER VII

THE PHOENICIANS. The Phoenician people--The land--The cities--Phoenician
ruins--Organization of the Phoenician--Tyre--Carthage--Carthaginian
army--The Carthaginians--The Phoenician religion.

PHOENICIAN COMMERCE. Occupations of the Phoenicians--Caravans--Marine
commerce--Commodities--Secret kept by the Phoenicians--Colonies--
Influence of the Phoenicians--The alphabet.

CHAPTER VIII

THE HEBREWS. Origin of the Hebrew people--The Bible--The Hebrews--The
patriarchs--The Israelites--The call of Moses--Israel in the
desert--The Promised Land.

THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL. One God--The people of God--The covenant--The
Ten Commandments--The Law--Religion constituted the Jewish people.

THE EMPIRE OF ISRAEL. The Judges--The Hangs--Jerusalem--The
tabernacle--The temple.

THE PROPHETS. Disasters of Israel--Sentiments of the Israelites--The
prophets--The new teaching--The Messiah.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE. Return to Jerusalem--The Jews--The synagogues--
Destruction of the temple--The Jews after the dispersion.

CHAPTER IX

GREECE AND THE GREEKS. The country--The sea--The climate--Simplicity of
Greek life--The people--Origin of the Greeks--Legends--The Trojan
War--The Homeric Poems--The Greeks at the time of Homer--The
Dorians--The Ionians--The Hellenes--The cities.

THE HELLENES BEYOND THE SEA. Colonization--Character of the colonies--
Traditions touching the colonies--Importance of the Greek colonies.

CHAPTER X

GREEK RELIGION. The
gods--Polytheism--Anthropomorphism--Mythology--Local gods--The
great gods--Attributes of the gods--Olympus and Zeus--Morality of
the Greek mythology.

THE HEROES. Various sorts of heroes--Presence of the heroes--
Intervention of the heroes.

WORSHIP. Principle of the cult of the gods--The great Feasts--the sacred
games--Omens--Oracles--Amphictyonies.

CHAPTER XI

SPARTA. The People--Laconia--The Helots--The Perioeci--Condition of the
Spartiates.

EDUCATION. The children--The girls--The discipline--Laconism--Music--
The dance--Heroism of the women.

INSTITUTIONS. The kings and the council--The ephors--The army--The
hoplites--The phalanx--Gymnastics--Athletes--Role of the Spartiates.

CHAPTER XII

ATHENS. Origins of the Athenian people--Attica--Athens--The revolutions
in Athens--Reforms of Cleisthenes.

THE ATHENIAN PEOPLE. The slaves--The foreigners--The citizens.

THE GOVERNMENT. The assembly--The courts--The magistrates--Character of
the government--The demagogues.

PRIVATE LIFE. Children--Marriage--Women.

CHAPTER XIII

WARS. The Persian wars--Origin of these wars--Comparison of the two
adversaries--First Persian war--Second Persian war--Reasons for the
victory of the Greeks--Results of the wars.

WARS OF THE GREEKS AMONG THEMSELVES. The Peloponnesian war--War with
Sparta--Savage character of the wars--Effects of these wars.

CHAPTER XIV

THE ARTS IN GREECE. Athens in the time of Pericles--Pericles--Athens
and her monuments--Importance of Athens.

LETTERS. Orators--Sages--Sophists--Socrates and the philosophers--The
chorus--Tragedy and comedy--Theatre.

ARTS. The Grecian temples--Characteristics of Grecian
architecture--Sculpture--Pottery--Painting.

CHAPTER XV

THE GREEKS IN THE ORIENT. Asia before Alexander--Decadence of the
Persian empire--Expedition of the Ten Thousand--Agesilaus.

CONQUEST OF ASIA BY ALEXANDER. Macedon--Philip--Demosthenes--The
Macedonian supremacy--Alexander--The phalanx--Departure of
Alexander--Victories of Granicus, Issus, and Arbela--Death of
Alexander--Projects of Alexander.

THE HELLENES IN THE ORIENT. Dismemberment of the empire of Alexander--
The Hellenistic kingdoms--Alexandria--Museum--Pergamum.

CHAPTER XVI

LATER PERIOD OF GREEK HISTORY. Decadence of the cities--Rich and
poor--Strife between rich and poor--Democracy and oligarchy--The
tyrants--Exhaustion of Greece.

THE ROMAN CONQUEST. The leagues--The allies of the Romans--The last
struggles.

THE HELLENES IN THE OCCIDENT. Influence of Greece on Rome--
Architecture--Sculpture--Literature--Epicureans and Stoics.

CHAPTER XVII

ANCIENT PEOPLES OF ITALY. The Etruscans--Etruria--The Etruscan people--
The Etruscan tombs--Industry and commerce--Religion--The augurs--
Influence of the Etruscans.

THE ITALIAN PEOPLE. Umbrians and Oscans--The Sacred Spring--The
Samnites--The Greeks of Italy.

LATINS AND ROMANS. The Latins--Rome--Roma Quadrata and the Capitol.

CHAPTER XVIII

RELIGION AND THE FAMILY. Religion--The Roman gods--Form of the
gods--Principle of the Roman religion--Worship--Formalism--
Prayer--Omens--The priests.

WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS. The dead--Worship of the dead--Cult of the hearth.

THE FAMILY. Religion of the family--Marriage--Women--Children--Father of
the family.

CHAPTER XIX

THE ROMAN CITY. Formation of the Roman people--The kings--The Roman
people--The plebeians--Strife between patricians and plebeians--
The tribunes of the plebs--Triumph of the plebs.

THE ROMAN PEOPLE. Right of citizenship--The nobles--The knights--The
plebs--Freedmen.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC. The comitia--Magistrates--Censors--
Senate--The course of offices.

CHAPTER XX

ROMAN CONQUEST. The Roman army--Military service--The levy--Legions and
allies--Military exercises--Camp--Order of battle--Discipline--
Colonies &ad military roads.

CHARACTER OF THE CONQUESTS. War--Conquest of Italy--Punic
wars--Hannibal--Conquest of the Orient--Conquest of barbarian
lands--The triumph--Booty--Allies of Rome--Motives of conquest.

RESULTS OF THE CONQUESTS. Empire of the Roman people--The public
domain--Agrarian laws.

CHAPTER XXI

THE CONQUERED PEOPLES. The provincials--Provinces--The proconsuls--
Tyranny and oppression of the proconsuls--The publicans--Bankers--
Defencelessness of the provincials.

SLAVERY. Sale of slaves--Condition of slaves--Number of slaves--Urban
slaves--Rural slaves--Treatment of slaves--Ergastulum and mill--
Character of the slaves--Revolts--Admission to citizenship.

CHAPTER XXII

TRANSFORMATION OF LIFE IN ROME. Influence of Greece and the Orient.

CHANGES IN RELIGION. Greek gods--The Bacchanals--Superstitions of the
Orient--Sceptics.

CHANGES IN MANNERS. The old customs--Cato the Elder--The new manners--
Oriental luxury--Greek humanity--Lucullus--The new education--New
status of women--Divorce.

CHAPTER XXIII

FALL OF THE REPUBLIC. Causes of the decadence--Destruction of the
peasant class--The city plebs--Electoral corruption--Corruption of
the Senate--Corruption of the army.

THE REVOLUTION. Necessity of the revolution--Civil wars--The Gracchi--
Marius and Sulla--Pompey and Caesar--End of the Republic--Need of
peace--Power of the individual.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE EMPIRE AT ITS HEIGHT. The twelve Caesars--The emperor--Apotheosis--
Senate and people--The praetorians--Freedmen of the emperors--
Despotism and disorder.

THE CENTURY OF THE ANTONINES. Marcus Aurelius--Conquests of the
Antonines.

IMPERIAL INSTITUTIONS. Extent of the empire in the second century--
Permanent army--Deputies and agents of the emperor--Municipal
life--Imperial regime.

SOCIAL LIFE UNDER THE EMPIRE. The continued decadence at Rome--The
shows--Theatre--Circus--Amphitheatre--Gladiators--The Roman
peace--Fusion of the peoples--Superstitions.

CHAPTER XXV

ARTS AND SCIENCES IN ROME. Letters--Imitation of the Greeks--The
Augustan Age--Orators and rhetoricians--Importance of the Latin
literature and language--Arts--Sculpture and painting--
Architecture--Characteristics of Roman architecture--Rome and its
monuments.

ROMAN LAW. The Twelve Tables--Symbolic process--Formalism--
Jurisprudence--The praetor's edict--Civil law and the law of
nations--Written reason.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Origin of Christianity--Christ--Charity--
Equality--Poverty and humility--The kingdom of God.

FIRST CENTURIES OF THE CHURCH. Disciples and apostles--The church--
Sacred books--Persecutions--Martyrs--Catacombs.

THE MONKS OF THE THIRD CENTURY. Solitaries--Asceticism--Cenobites.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE LATER EMPIRE. The revolutions of the third century--Military
anarchy--Worship of Mithra--Taurobolia--Confusion of religions.

REGIME OF THE LATER EMPIRE. Reforms of Diocletian and Constantine--
Constantinople--The palace--The officials--Society of the later
empire.

CHURCH AND STATE. Triumph of Christianity--Organization of the
church--Councils--Heretics--Paganism--Theodosius.