Examines the rule of Augustus Caesar, including his rise to power, politics, and final days, and describes everyday life in Rome during his reign.

Explains the role of Peter the Great in taking Russia into the modern world; describes the everyday life of the people; and includes poems, plays, and letters written by Russians about themselves.

Describes how Genghis Khan became the ruler of the Mongols and how these nomadic people lived.

Provides an overview of the lives of Charlemagne and his subjects in the Frankish empire of the late eighth and early ninth centuries, and includes excerpts from poems, letters, laws, and diaries of the time.