The History of Civilization - Reprinted Scholarly Series

In this review of The History of Civilization reprints, the reviewer finds a useful, historically minded compendium for readers seeking a broad, early twentieth century synthesis of human societies. Compiled under C.K. Ogden and reissued from material originally published between 1920 and 1970, this set is best for students, librarians and history enthusiasts who want a curated snapshot of period scholarship rather than a modern textbook; the single biggest reason to consider it is the collection's reflection of formative debates across history, anthropology and archaeology.

Key Features

• Editorial scope: The series gathers work edited by C.K. Ogden to summarize then-current findings and theories across multiple social sciences, which helps readers see how early twentieth century scholars framed civilization.
• Grouped reprints: The material is available as discrete groupings and sets, enabling buyers to select only the areas they need, such as Greek, Roman or Eastern civilisation groupings.
• Coverage breadth: With sets ranging from Prehistory and Historical Ethnography to Judaeo-Christian Civilization, the reprints offer broad chronological and regional coverage for comparative study.
• Collector value: These reprints preserve landmark essays and summaries from a formative publishing era, useful for reference shelves and course reading lists that emphasize historiography.
• Flexible formats: Available as a complete set or in smaller groupings, the reprints let institutions or individuals manage cost and focus on preferred civilisations.

Who It's For

The reprinted History of Civilization series suits university libraries, secondary teachers and independent researchers who want primary-era overviews of disciplinary thinking from 1920 to 1970. It is particularly helpful for readers studying the history of ideas or how anthropology and archaeology were presented to educated publics in the early twentieth century.

Those seeking the latest archaeological discoveries or contemporary theoretical frameworks should look elsewhere, as the value here lies in historical perspective rather than current scholarship. Casual readers wanting a single modern narrative of world history may prefer a recent synthesis instead of these period reprints.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Preserves a formative set of essays and summaries that illuminate how historians and social scientists framed civilisation in the early twentieth century.
• Offered in targeted sets (for example Greek, Roman, Eastern) so buyers can acquire only the thematic volumes they need.
• Useful for courses on historiography and the development of anthropology, providing contemporaneous perspectives.

Cons

• Content reflects the period's perspectives and may be dated for readers seeking modern interpretations or recent discoveries.

Specifications

Editor	C.K. Ogden (general editor)
Original publication span	1920-1970
Reprint grouping examples	Prehistory & Historical Ethnography; Greek; Roman; Eastern; Judaeo-Christian; European
Set sizes	Range from single groupings to full multi-volume sets
Prices listed (group examples)	Examples include 800.00 for Prehistory set, 450.00 Greek, 400.00 Roman
Intended audience	Students, libraries, historians of ideas

Our Verdict

The History of Civilization reprints are a worthwhile purchase for libraries, instructors and researchers who need a historically faithful collection of early twentieth century syntheses across history, anthropology and archaeology. While not a substitute for current textbooks, the series offers strong archival and pedagogical value and sensible pricing when selecting only the thematic sets required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these reprints available as individual groupings?
Yes; the material is offered as a complete set or in clearly defined groupings such as Greek, Roman, Eastern and others so buyers can select specific areas.

Who edited the series originally?
The general editor for the series was C.K. Ogden, who aimed to summarize contemporary findings and theories across related disciplines.

Is the material suitable for modern undergraduate courses?
It can be valuable for historiography or history of social science courses, but instructors seeking up-to-date interpretations should pair it with recent scholarship.