A Concise History of Western Civilization: From Prehistoric to Early Modern Times: Third Edition By: Gary Forsythe This volume is designed to serve as the textbook for an undergraduate college course that surveys the history of Western Civilization up to the Early Modern Period. It differs from most Western Civilization books in that it places more emphasis on the ancient world and less on the Middle Ages. It treats the ancient Near Eastern civilizations with a view to understanding the historical context of ancient Judaism and the Hebrew Bible, and it also stresses the political thought and institutions of the ancient Greeks and Romans, which have been so important in shaping the political institutions of many modern nations worldwide. The text is a straightforward textbook of basic historical information and represents the content of the author's class lectures in his course on Western Civilization. About the Author Gary Forsythe is a professor of ancient Greek and Roman History at Texas Tech University.