http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
xiii, 293 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.
Ideas abound as to why certain complex societies collapsed in the past, including environmental change, subsistence failure, fluctuating social structure and lack of adaptability. Why Did Ancient Civilizations Fail? evaluates the current theories in this important topic and discusses why they offer only partial explanations of the failure of past civilizations. This engaging volume offers a new theory of collapse, that of social hubris. Through an examination of Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Roman, Maya, Inca and Aztec societies, Johnson persuasively argues that hubris has blinded many ancient peoples to evidence that would allow them to adapt, and that this has implications for contemporary societies. Comprehensive and well-written, this volume serves as an ideal text for undergraduate courses on ancient complex societies, as well as appealing to the scholar interested in societal collapse.
1. Introduction: Social Hubris -- 2. Why Agriculture? -- 3. The Environment -- 4. Case Study: The Maya -- 5. Agricultural Systems -- 6. Case Study: Mesopotamia -- 7. Trade Systems -- 8. Case Study: Rome -- 9. Social Organization -- 10. Case Study: Egypt -- 11. Unexpected Catastrophes -- 12. Case Study: Aztec and Inca -- 13. Where This Leaves Us.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-289) and index.