Polybius' account of Rome's rise to world power and her method of rule is a major source for the history of the years 220-146 BC. This new translation includes Books 1-5 in their entirety and all of the fragmentary Books 6 and 12 on the Roman constitution and historiography. It is accompanied by an illuminating introduction and notes.

From prehistoric times to the origins of astrophysics in the mid nineteenth century, this title offers an introduction to the history of Western astronomy. It focuses on topics as the merging of Babylonian and Greek astronomy in later Antiquity, Kepler's conversion of astronomy into a branch of dynamics, and the explorations of the universe.

This Very Short Introduction maps the historical development of chemistry from man's earliest exploration in the Stone Age to the nanotechnology of today's materials science. In this succinct but comprehensive overview Brock balances the approaches to - and interpretations of - the subject, revealing chemistry's rich and diverse history.

This Very Short Introduction presents a succinct and accessible guide to the key episodes in the story of life on earth - from the very origins of life four million years ago to the extraordinary diversity of species around the globe today.

In this Very Short Introduction, Jacqueline Stedall explores the rich historical and cultural diversity of mathematical endeavour from the distant past to the present day, using illustrative case studies drawn from a range of times and places; including early imperial China, the medieval Islamic world, and nineteenth-century Britain.

This Very Short Introduction explores the history of Western medicine, examining the key turning points, discoveries, and controversies in its rich history from classical times to the present.