The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean by David Abulafia — review | Books | The Observer

The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean by David Abulafia — review | Books | The Observer



his magnificent and quite stunningly compendious history of the Mediterranean, with a key to unlocking its rich and turbulent past. Wide enough to support radically distinctive civilisations, and yet narrow enough to ensure ready contact between them, the Mediterranean became, in Abulafia's opinion, "probably the most vigorous place of interaction between different societies on the face of this planet". A sweeping claim – but one more than backed up by a sensationally sweeping book. From the hominids who, as early as 130,000 BC, made their way from Africa to Crete bearing quartz hand axes, to the recent debt crisis in Greece, all of Mediterranean history is here.