Lifecycle of Empires: Book Recommendations Needed

[AcesandEights]

Any history, poly sci or sociology buffs want to give me some book recommendations on the topic of the lifecycle of empires? I'm filling out a reading matrix for the new year and wanted to read more in this area. I've read only a few classics that relate to this and some of the more recent stuff about American empire etc. but wanted to get into broader theories.

I know a few of the people on this site are academics and several more are just laypeople like myself with some good reading habits and broad interests so I was hoping someone could help me out.

[Mike70]

Any history, poly sci or sociology buffs want to give me some book recommendations on the topic of the lifecycle of empires? I'm filling out a reading matrix for the new year and wanted to read more in this area. I've read only a few classics that relate to this and some of the more recent stuff about American empire etc. but wanted to get into broader theories.

I know a few of the people on this site are academics and several more are just laypeople like myself with some good reading habits and broad interests so I was hoping someone could help me out.

have you read "collapse: how societies choose to fail or succeed" by jared diamond? that is one of the better books out there on societal collapse.

there is also "the collapse of complex societies" by joseph tainter.

"a study of history" by arnold toynbee. he examines the birth, growth and collapse of major empires/civilizations including but not limited to, the incas, sumerians, hittites, minoans, mycenae, mayans, along with about 20 others. he also examines "arrested" cultures like sparta.

you should also read up on the sea peoples. that was the name given to a huge group of folks who ravaged the eastern medi world around the time that the hittites and mycenaeans were destroyed. they were only stopped by ramses II in one of the greatest stands ever at the battle of the nile delta in 1175 BC. this battle is one of the most epic things that's ever happened that hardly anyone knows anything about. it was an all or nothing affair. if ramses II and the egyptians had been defeated there, ancient eygpt would've been destroyed right along with the rest. eygpt was the only major civilization left standing in the wake of the sea peoples.

[Skippy911sc]

There was a book called Salt... I think... It is about the commodity known as salt and its effect on society.