From tribal societies to ancient Greece and Rome to the politics of a new European unity, Europe's past is brought to life through word and image in this volume. Europe is the smallest of the world's continents, yet its culture and languages have come to dominate the world we know today. This book explores the sweep of its development, covering: the earliest peoples and settlements, Greek and Phoenician colonization; the rise of Macedonia in the Mediterranean, the growth and collapse of the Roman Empire; the development and influence of Christianity; the Dark Ages; the Vikings, Medieval Empires, the Protestant Reformation; the cultural impact of intercontinental and European trade; the rise of fascism, and communism; the effects of two world wars; the turmoil, changing borders, and the efforts toward European unity.