ABSTRACT
Concluding the book, the global processes of population and settlement, agriculture, nomadism, urbanization and state formation are recapitulated, as are the widespread traits of collective participation in decision making and the historical importance of the large empires. Distinctions between developments that occur independently, but because of similar preconditions, and those that take place as a result of interaction are discussed, as are the nature of the ties that connected the ancient world. The book ends with a reminder of the profound influence that the ancient period had on later developments, and that from a historical perspective, common and similar historical experiences are as prominent as the differences between different regions, cultures and nations.
