The temporal and geographical scope of Great Lives from History: The Ancient World, Prehistory-476 C.E. is broad. Represented are figures as ancient as the Egyptian king Zoser and as late as the Jute chief Hengist. The date of 476 C.E, the fall of Rome, was selected by th editors as the cutoff between the ancient world and the Middle Ages. Coverage is worldwide, including Rome, Greece, China, Japan, India, Northern Europe, Egypt and other parts of Africa, Asia Minor and the Middle East.

Salem Press's five-volume set Magill's Guide to Military History presents a survey of wars, battles, people, and groups and civilizations that played an important role in worldwide military history, from ancient times to the twenty-first century. The 1518 entries range from 150-word definitions of terms to 3000-word survey essays on important military topics.