Empires through the Ages

Empires still attract increased attention, both in the scholarly world and from an interested public audience. However, the term ʻempireʼ has remained ambiguous and there is still a vigorous debate on how to use and apply the term in various historical contexts and periods. The 13 contributions of this volume attempt to establish a more precise characterization of the notion of ‘empire’ by focusing on the specific phenomenon of ‘Short-Term Empires’ from different perspectives. They encompass a broad chronological and territorial range that deal with the topic from Central Asia to Great Britain, from the 5th c. BCE to the 19th. c. CE. By employing a cross-cultural and comparative approach, the papers of this volume enrich and stimulate the ongoing debate about empires in world history and their fundamental determinants.