Let's assume I have almost no background knowledge on the history of the 'old world' - Europe, the Near East, etc. Where should I start to learn about it? Are there any good books to check out, and in any specific order?
P.S.: Not really certain this question fits with others in this subreddit, but I felt that it was a good one to ask a historian.
We have a big list of books over to the left --->
Check out the Europe section, especially the Greek and Roman parts.
I'm having my western civ class read Cline and Graham, Ancient Empires this fall. It's a textbook, but it has an organizing argument that makes it much more interesting (and rewarding to the reader) than your typical pile of facts affair. I'd recommend it as a good thematic overview of the Neo-Assyrians up through the rise of Islam.