a little history of the world by ernst gombrich

In Chapters 26-28, Gombrich focuses on the big changes of the Late Middle Ages that would prove to change the world. Chapters 23-25 describe Medieval life, including the Age of Chivalry and the emergence of the merchant class. Chapters 21-22 discuss the creation of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the invasion of the Mongols from the East. He goes on in Chapters 18-22 to summarize how the invasion of the Huns led to the fracturing of the Roman Empire and the advent of the so-called “Dark Ages.” He describes the changes that developed during this time period, including the spread of Christianity, and in Chapter 20 he gives an overview of Mohammed and the creation of Islam. Gombrich marks this shift in time by dedicating Chapter 16 to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who lived under the rule of Rome. In between these chapters, in Chapter 14, Gombrich digresses to discuss the first emperor of China, Shih Huang-ti, and his futile attempts to suppress the past.Ĭhapters 16-17 continue to discuss life in the Roman Empire, but moving from B.C.

Chapters 13 and 15 introduce the next great empire after the death of Alexander, the Romans, and describe the political and social landscape that accompanied it. In Chapter 12, Gombrich describes how the Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens descended into conflict that significantly weakened them, thus allowing for the successful invasion of the Macedonians, who would soon be led by Alexander the Great. In doing so, he provides context for how their ideas grew to be influential in their respective cultures. He focuses on the philosophies for living that each person advocated for and compares them. He describes the culture and influence of the Athenians with great admiration.Ĭhapters 10-11 turn to the East, as Gombrich frames the ancient worlds of India and China through the lives of significant people: the Buddha, Confucius, and Lao-tzu.

He introduces his history of the Greeks by telling the story of a 19th-century businessman who believed, when no one else did, that Homer’s stories of Troy were real, emphasizing his intent for the reader to find the same fascination and intrigue in history that they do in stories. In Chapters 7-9, Gombrich delves into the history of Ancient Greece and its conflicts with Persia. While each of these societies had its own unique culture and history, Gombrich emphasizes their shared influence on today’s world by describing what they left behind, including monuments, religion, writing, technology, and more. He then dedicates Chapters 3-6 to some of the earliest and most impactful early civilizations: the Egyptians, the Mesopotamians, the Jews, and the Phoenicians. Gombrich begins A Little History of the World by laying out how the foundations of human society were built by the innovative Prehistoric humans.

A little history of the world by ernst gombrich