How far back does history go? What did the inventers of writing say about where people come from? How could anyone believe in the pagan gods? Why do so many cultures have a seven-day week? Does history repeat itself? What could we read to find this stuff out? And what about those gods of Greece? Who thought of them, and what made their beliefs strong enough to spend vast sums to honor them, even across language barriers? What about Noah and his flood? What about Babel? How do they all fit together? In From Noah to Hercules, Brian Forbes answers these questions by investigating various accounts of the origins of mankind. Forbes draws on Scripture, history, and science to argue that many gods and mythical figures from civilizations past were actually historic figures. Forbes goes on to conclude that many mythological stories are historically accurate if you remove some of the more fantastic elements. Forbes offers a fascinating account of early man based on ancient history and mythology. He will change the way you think about our history and our ancestors.

Reveals the manner in which Newton strove for nearly half a century to rectify universal history by reading ancient texts through the lens of astronomy, and to create a tight theoretical system for interpreting the evolution of civilization on the basis of population dynamics

Queen Isabel of Castile is perhaps best known for her patronage of Christopher Columbus and for the religious zeal that led to the Spanish Inquisition, the waging of holy war, and the expulsion of Jews and Muslims across the Iberian peninsula. In this sweeping biography, newly revised and annotated to coincide with the five-hundredth anniversary of Isabel's death, Peggy K. Liss draws upon a rich array of sources to untangle the facts, legends, and fiercely held opinions about this influential queen and her decisive role in the tumultuous politics of early modern Spain. Isabel the Queen reveals a monarch who was a woman of ruthless determination and strong religious beliefs, a devoted wife and mother, and a formidable leader. As Liss shows, Isabel's piety and political ambition motivated her throughout her life, from her earliest struggles to claim her crown to her secret marriage to King Fernando of Aragn, a union that brought success in civil war, consolidated Christian hegemony over the Iberian peninsula, and set the stage for Spain to become a world empire.