Pre-Modern Middle East History provides students with the opportunity to connect directly with pre-modern Middle East history via a selection of carefully curated primary sources. Through these documents, students are privy to the circumstances, challenges, values, thoughts, and worldviews of individuals who lived during this time period. They are encouraged to think critically and read carefully to better understand the underlying reasons for key historical events and ideas of pre-modern Middle East history. 

The anthology progresses chronologically and presents texts from a variety of historical periods, geographical locations, and types of literature. Each selection is supported by a brief introduction to provide context for the source material. The anthology includes modern translations and excerpts of works including The Origins of the Islamic State, The History of the Mohammedan Dynasties in Spain, Judaism: History, Belief and Practice, The Confessions of al-Ghazzali, The Adventures of ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century, and more. 

Pre-Modern Middle East History is a unique anthology that breathes life and understanding into a vibrant and influential historical period. It is an ideal resource for courses in Middle East history or world history.

Stephen Cory earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He holds a joint appointment in the History and Comparative Religion departments at Cleveland State University and also serves on the oversight committee for the university’s Middle Eastern Studies Program. His specialty is the history and religion of the Islamic Middle East and North Africa. Dr. Cory has conducted research in Morocco on multiple occasions and has presented research at a number of scholarly meetings, including the Middle East Studies Association and the World Congress of Middle East Studies.