The ancient world saw some of the mightiest civilizations ever known, from Rome and Athens in the west through Persia and India to China in the east. From 1600 BC to AD 500 a series of powerful regimes dominated continental politics and their subjects’ daily lives alike.

Here a distinguished team of scholars surveys the key events, rulers and social trends that shaped ten great empires, and how they in turn profoundly influenced imperial ambitions in modern times. The compelling narratives and insights that emerge do not end with their physical demise but continue in the power politics of China and the United States today.