account of the story of the people of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine
and Transjordan and meantime serves as a general background
for the understanding of the many complicated problems that
beset the rising nationalities in those localities, the effort would not
have been in vain. Two extensive trips undertaken by the author
in the summers of 1946 and 1947 to these and neighbouring
lands served to refresh his memory on ancient sites and historic
scenes and give him first-hand contact with current thoughts
and modern trends. If it is true that no present can be under-
stood without a study of the past, it is equally true that no past
can be fully comprehended without adequate acquaintance
with the present.

Experts in their fields cast critical eyes over portions of the
manuscript submitted to them. Professor Glenn L. Jepsen of
Princeton read the introductory anthropological material.
Professor William T. Thom and Dr. John C. Maxwell, also
of Princeton, scrutinized the geological section. Professor
Cyrus H. Gordon of the Dropsie College examined the chapters
dealing with the Canaanites and Aramaeans and my colleague
Henry S. Gehman criticized the data on the Hebrews. Another
colleague, T. Cuyler Young, reviewed the material on the
Persian period. The chapters dealing with Alexander and the
Seleucids were submitted to Professor Alfred R. Bellinger,
those on the Roman period and Christianity to Professor Carl
H. Kraeling, both of Yale. Dr. Glanville Downey of Dumbarton
Oaks Research Library, Harvard University, went over the
chapters on the Byzantine era. Professor Harald Inghold of
Yale reviewed the sections dealing with the Nabataeans,
Palmyrenes and Ghassānids. The last two chapters, which
treat of the Ottoman age, were read by my colleague Dr. Lewis
V. Thomas. To all these scholars, as well as to the host of
others here and abroad whose aid I sought and received, my
heartfelt thanks are due. Needless to add for any errors or
shortcomings that remain the responsibility is entirely mine.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. George C. Miles of the
American Numismatic Society, who provided me with most
of the coin illustrations, and to several students in my seminar
-- chief among whom were Harry W. Hazard, Wilfred C.
Smith, R. Bayly Winder and C. Ernest Dawn -- who read
almost the entire manuscript and gave me the benefit of their

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