Roots of the Western Tradition is a brief chronological survey that covers the Ancient world in three parts: Prehistoric Europe and Ancient Near East; Ancient Greece; and Ancient Rome. Succinct enough to be used with supplements, the coverage is carefully balanced between narrative and interpretation, highlighting historians' varying viewpoints on certain issues. The scholarship has been updated throughout and there is increased coverage of both social and women's history. The edition includes four new biographies (for a total of 10).