◊ The history of the Mediterranean region and of the cultures and people of the Mediterranean Basin is important for understanding the origin and development of the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Canaanite, Phoenician, Hebrew, Carthaginian, Minoan, Greek, Persian, Illyrian, Thracian, Etruscan, Iberian, Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Arab, Berber, Ottoman, Christian, and Islamic cultures. The Mediterranean Sea was the central superhighway of transport, trade, and cultural exchange between diverse peoples encompassing three continents: Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe.
