"Sommer works out that, despite all their differences, the people between the Mediterranean and the Tigris lived in a stable, historically evolved cultural landscape for over 1,000 years, in which tribes and large empires determined everyday life and cities functioned as important places of remembrance - with repercussions to this day."
Rolf Brockschmidt, Tagesspiegel, 14 September 2016

"...in just over 200 pages, the historian provides a concise insight into the ancient history of the Syrian region and ultimately links it to the country's current situation."
Michael Creuel, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, 7 October 2016