Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS v
3. FOREWORD vii
4. PREFACE Centuries of Brilliance and Obscurity ix
5. NOTE ON PRONUNCIATION xiii
6. Maps xiv
7. CHAPTER 1 Early Migrations 1
8. CHAPTER 2 State Formation 14
9. CHAPTER 3 Monarchies 28
10. CHAPTER 4 Nobles and Landholders 58
11. CHAPTER 5 Peasants, Herders, Serfs, and Slaves 84
12. CHAPTER 6 Towns and Townspeople 109
13. CHAPTER 7 Religion and the Churches 140
14. CHAPTER 8 The Art and Practice of War 197
15. CHAPTER 9 Governments 257
16. CHAPTER 10 Laws and Justice 305
17. CHAPTER 11 Commerce and Money 334
18. CHAPTER 12 Foreign Affairs 362
19. CHAPTER 13 Ethnicity and Nationalism 401
20. CHAPTER 14 Languages and Literatures 421
21. CHAPTER 15 Education and Literacy 458
22. APPENDIX 1 Chronology of Important Events 476
23. APPENDIX 2 List of Monarchs 487
24. APPENDIX 3 Place Name Equivalents for Towns and Cities 494
25. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY 497
26. INDEX 528