• 13-volume major reference in A-Z format, with entries ranging from 250-5000 words
• Provides clear, concise, definitions and explanations of the key people, places, and events
• Spans the late Bronze Age through the seventh century CE
• Covers the entire Mediterranean world including the Near East and Egypt
• Internationally diverse editorial board and contributors
• Highly illustrated with hundreds of photographs, figures, and maps

In addition, the online version provides:

• Regular revisions and new entries – updated at least three times a year
• Many additional illustrations, including archaeological sites, maps, and photographs not found in the print version
• Links to comprehensive collection of Companions to the Ancient World through Blackwell Reference online
• Links to other resources available on the web
• Powerful searching, browsing, and cross-referencing capabilities, including Open URL linking.