The Birth of Classical Europe: A History from Troy to Augustine

Europe as a geographical construct is a rather easy concept to digest: it's that stretch of land from the Straights of Gibraltar to the Ural Mountains. Europe as a historical and cultural construct is a little more difficult to pin down. What really defines Europe? The Roman Empire enjoined Europe to Asia and Africa; indeed, there was a time when the residents of North Africa might have been considered more a part of Western Civilization than their contemporaries in what is now Great Britain. The question is no longer just an academic exercise; the possible growth of the European Union beyond the aforementioned geographic definition of Europe is a pressing political debate. The Birth of Classical Europe may offer some insights as to how Europe defined itself in ages past...

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