IT is, perhaps, inevitable, that comparisons will be drawn between this book and Fernand Braudel’s epic volumes.

But taking full advantage of the mass of document and archaeological evidence that has surfaced since Braudel’s work was completed in 1949, Abulafia has successfully challenged many of his ideas and beliefs.

Central to this is Abulafia’s treatment of the individual in shaping the history of the Great Sea and his conclusion that Mediterranean coastal cities thrived because they freely allowed many different types of people, religions and political structures to exist in harmony within their fortified walls. This book is one of the best works on this subject ever to be released.

David McLoughlin