From ancient times to our modern age western empires have shaped societies around the world. From trade patterns and migration to sexuality, race and the environment, empire has touched upon all aspects of human experience as well as the natural world.

A Cultural History of Western Empires presents historians, and scholars and students of imperial history with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary overview of the cultural history of empire through six highly-illustrated volumes. Contributed to by 52 experts, each offering their overview of a theme applied to a period in history, each volume includes chapters on war, trade, natural worlds, labor, mobility, sexuality, resistance and race.

The six volumes cover: 1-- Antiquity (500BCE-800CE); 2-- The Middle Ages (800-1450); 3-- The Renaissance (1450-1650); 4-- The Age of Enlightenment (1650-1800); 5-- The Age of Empire (1800-1920); 6-- the Modern Age (1920-2000+)

Each volume opens with a series preface and introduction, then adopts the same thematic structure, enabling readers to trace one theme throughout history, as well as gaining a thorough overview of each individual period.