Includes bibliographical references (pages 370-384) and index.

Introductory concerns -- Part I. City-states -- Origins : the Uruk phenomenon -- Competing city-states : the early dynastic period -- Political centralization in the late third millennium -- The Near East in the early second millennium -- The growth of territorial states in the early second millennium -- Part II. Territorial states -- The club of the great powers -- The western states of the late second millennium -- Kassites, Assyrians, and Elamites -- The collapse of the regional system and its aftermath -- Part III. Empires -- The Near East at the start of the first millennium -- The rise of Assyria -- Assyria's world domination -- The Medes and Babylonians -- The creation of a world empire : Persia -- Governing a world empire : Persia -- Epilogue -- King lists -- Guide to further reading -- Comprehensive time line.