A comprehensive study of the history of South Russia. Writer Michael Rostovtzeff draws reference from a variety of subjects, including art, archeology, mythology, politics, and economics. He begins with the prehistoric civilizations and ends at the origin of the Russian state.

Michael Rostovtzeff was a Russian-born historian known for his expertise in Greek and Roman history. In a time when politics and war were the focus of ancient history, Rostovtzeff emphasized economic development. He believed that the bourgeoisie played a vital role in the state of the Ancient Greek economy. 'The Social and Economic History of the Hellenistic World' is his most comprehensive work on this topic.

After the Russian Revolution, Rostovtzeff fled and eventually settled in the United States of America. He first found a post at the University of Wisconsin and later moved to Yale University as Sterling Professor of Ancient History and Classical Archaeology. While in the USA, Rostovtzeff published some of his most notable work.