Around 700 BCE, the Nubians ruled an empire that stretched from southern Palestine to the tropical regions of Africa. It lasted for nearly 1000 years and was so powerful that even the Emperor Augustus was forced to let it dictate peace terms to him. Meroitic culture is one of the most fascinating in antiquity, set in an intricate balance between ?high culture= and nomadism, between the heart of Africa and the Mediterranean cultures, and between indigenous and external influences. At the same time, it is still largely unknown. Although it has now become possible to decipher the Meroitic script, the texts remain largely incomprehensible even today. Francis Breyer, one of the researchers working to decipher Meroitic and one of the top experts on the ancient cultures of northeast Africa, provides here a comprehensive overview of Napatan&Meroitic culture, ranging from basic living conditions to social structure and religion, material culture and political history.

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