The title "The Corrupting Sea" might evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue. The term "corrupting" doesn't imply a negative connotation in this context; rather, it suggests the transformative power of the sea on the societies that interacted with it. The authors argue that the Mediterranean Sea played a pivotal role in shaping the histories of the regions surrounding it, fostering a complex web of cultural, economic, and political exchanges.
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Horden and Purcell take up Braudel's mantle but expand the scope significantly, covering the pre-industrial Mediterranean from antiquity to the early modern era. They argue that the region's unity didn't just appear in the 1500s—it has been a defining feature for over three millennia. Core Concepts: Micro-ecologies and Connectivity
: Exploring how religious practices and "territories of grace" map onto the Mediterranean landscape.