Includes index.

"First published in Great Britain in 2004 by Usborne Publishing Ltd."--Colophon.

When? Where? How? -- The first farmers -- The first towns -- The first civilization -- Crafts and trade -- Kings and war -- Farmers of the Nile Valley -- Mummies and pyramids -- Cities of the Indus Valley -- Europe's first villages -- The momument builders -- Palaces and legends -- Life on Crete -- Palaces and tombs -- Warriors and traders -- The Empire of Hammurabi -- The Hittite Empire -- The Egyptian Empire -- Temples and gods -- Life at home -- The people of canaan -- Raiders of the Mediterranean -- The Hebrew kingdoms -- Traders from Phoenicia -- The Assyrians at war -- The Assyrians at home -- The city of Babylon -- The Power of Persia -- The Greeks at war -- Life in Ancient Greece -- The city of Athens -- Alexander the Great -- Riders of the plains -- The people of early China -- China's first emperor -- The Han Dynasty -- The people of ancient Japan -- The riches of Arabia -- Life in ancient Africa -- The ideas of India -- The first North Americans -- The people of ancient Peru -- The Olmecs -- Ancient cities of the Americas -- The Celtic tribes -- The rise of Rome -- The Roman Army -- Life in a Roman town -- Fun and games -- The spread of Christianity -- The fall of Rome -- World Time Chart -- Word List -- Index.

Paperback