Abstract

Castles, churches, companies, bridges, roads, tombs... 352 works of "architecture" from ancient times to the present day will help you understand history, economy, and humanity! Mysterious cities, symbols of wealth and knowledge, amazing stories, palaces that destroyed countries, real myths, exposed conspiracies... World history will stick in your head when you see the pictures! ◎The pyramids were the world's first public works. They also caused the world's first strike. ◎The construction costs of the Parthenon caused chaos in the Greek world. ◎The only black stone enshrined in the holiest place in Islam!? ◎The Jeronimos Monastery, where the profits of Portugal's spice trade were poured into ◎The London coffee house where the world's first insurance system was born ◎The Taj Mahal, built with the help of 20,000 craftsmen and 1,000 elephants ◎Neuschwanstein Castle, built in exchange for German unification ◎The Empire State Building was full of vacant houses due to the depression right after its completion!? ......etc. Visual impressions are strong, so things are often remembered by their appearance or shape. When we look back at history, it is things with physical form that leave the most overwhelming afterimages. (Omitted) If we look at the footprints of humanity through architecture, the clues left behind are especially vivid, as they are etched into our visual senses, and a new picture of world history emerges. From the Introduction

Author’s Information

Ryoji Motomura
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1947. Graduated from the Faculty of Sociology at Hitotsubashi University, and left the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Humanities at the University of Tokyo after earning all the necessary credits. Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo. Ph.D. (Literature). Specializes in ancient Roman history.
He received the Suntory Academic Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities for "The Twilight Roman World: Infant Abandonment and Slavery," the JRA Equestrian Culture Award for "The World History of Horses," and the Mediterranean Studies Association Award for his series of achievements.
His books include "The Rise and Fall of a World History: The Mediterranean World and the Roman Empire", "A Roman History of Love and Desire: The Undercurrents of a Changing Society" (both published by Kodansha Academic Library), "Polytheism and Monotheism: The Religious Drama of the Ancient Mediterranean World" (Iwanami Shinsho), "Biographies of People in the Roman Empire" (Shodensha Shinsho), "The World History of Horse Racing: From the Birth of the Thoroughbred to the 21st Century Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe", "Wisdom of World History: Learning from 51 People of Courage, Tolerance and Foresight" (all published by Chuokoron Shinsho), "The World History of Dictatorship" (NHK Publishing Shinsho), "How to Read World History as a Liberal Arts Education", "How to Read Roman History as a Liberal Arts Education", and "Interpreting World History through 20 Classic Works" (all published by PHP Editors Group), among many others.