Conclusion ••• 11through the historical narrative, do not be put off by the names of deserts
and mountains, rivers and seas. Think of the challenges they have posed to
humanity and the stratagems by which Middle Eastern peoples have over¬
come them. Once we get into their history, you will have little trouble ab¬
sorbing the geographic data, as nomadic tribes confront farming villages,
as urban centers absorb invading soldiers, or as oil discoveries shower sud¬
den benefits on desert areas. History is not limited to shaykhs and shahs or
to presidents and politicians; it is also the story of traders and teachers, ar¬
tisans and farmers, herders of goats, and warriors on horseback. In the
chapters that follow, you will see how they used the mountains, plains, and
valleys that appear on Map 1.1 and how they filled the Middle East with
cities, dynastic kingdoms, and contending nation-states.