O'Connell & Dursteler's Mediterranean World is a judicious blend of narrative and thematic discussion. The themes and the period covered are well-chosen. The Middle Ages and early modernity fully show the ways in which Mediterranean history has combined political fragmentation with the blurring of cultural boundaries. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the best of recent scholarship. -- Peregrine Horden, Royal Holloway, University of London, co-editor of A Companion to Mediterranean History A magisterial book. The breadth of the narrative, its ability to digest and make sensible a vast interdisciplinary literature, and its original structure will make this book the standard introduction to the history of the Mediterranean for years to come. -- Scott K. Taylor, University of Kentucky Finally, a Mediterranean history that both students and faculty will savor. O'Connell and Dursteler's ability to weave historiographical depth and engaging vignettes into a lucid chronological narrative makes this textbook an excellent introduction to a world region and a phase of our entangled global past that are still deeply misrepresented. -- E. Natalie Rothman, University of Toronto, author of Brokering Empire: Trans-Imperial Subjects between Venice and Istanbul A refreshing new examination of the Mediterranean world from the 'fall' of the Roman Empire to the Napoleonic adventure in Egypt and the Levant. -- Brian Sandberg, Northern Illinois University

Located at the intersection of Asia, Africa, and Europe, the Mediterranean has connected societies for millennia, creating a shared space of intense economic, cultural, and political interaction. Greek temples in Sicily, Roman ruins in North Africa, and Ottoman fortifications in Greece serve as reminders that the Mediterranean has no fixed national boundaries or stable ethnic and religious identities. In The Mediterranean World, Monique O'Connell and Eric R Dursteler examine the history of this contested region from the medieval to the early modern era, beginning with the fall of Rome around 500 CE and closing with Napoleon's attempted conquest of Egypt in 1798. Arguing convincingly that the Mediterranean should be studied as a singular unit, the authors explore the centuries when no lone power dominated the Mediterranean Sea and invaders brought their own unique languages and cultures to the region. Structured around four interlocking themes-mobility, state development, commerce, and frontiers-this beautifully illustrated book brings new dimensions to the concepts of Mediterranean nationality and identity.