Empires of The Sea The Contest For The Center of The World

Almost as big as the USA, the vast Sahara spans Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Despite being the hottest desert on earth, it is home to millions of people whose diverse cultures and traditions create a vivid cultural landscape. This Rough Guide features the region’s best-loved artists as well as exploring beyond the arid sandscapes to reveal hidden Saharan sounds.

During the first and second millennia bc large numbers of nomadic people known as Aryans migrated outwards into the Eurasian periphery from Central Asia. One particular branch of these Aryans made their home south of the Caspian Sea, and become known to history as Persians or Iranians. Their first dwellings were in an unpromisingly arid area, but from there these early settlers would go on to form one of the most powerful empires in history.