Originally, my intention was to write a "History of Algebra", in two or three volumes. In preparing the first volume I saw that in ancient civiliza­ tions geometry and algebra cannot well be separated: more and more sec­ tions on ancient geometry were added. Hence the new title of the book: "Geometry and Algebra in Ancient Civilizations". A subsequent volume on the history of modem algebra is in preparation. It will deal mainly with field theory, Galois theory and theory of groups. I want to express my deeply felt gratitude to all those who helped me in shaping this volume. In particular, I want to thank Donald Blackmore Wagner (Berkeley) who put at my disposal his English translation of the most interesting parts of the Chinese "Nine Chapters of the Art of Arith­ metic" and of Liu Hui's commentary to this classic, and also Jacques Se­ siano (Geneva), who kindly allowed me to use his translation of the re­ cently discovered Arabic text of four books of Diophantos not extant in Greek. Warm thanks are also due to Wyllis Bandler (Colchester, England) who read my English text very carefully and suggested several improve­ ments, and to Annemarie Fellmann (Frankfurt) and Erwin Neuenschwan­ der (Zurich) who helped me in correcting the proof sheets. Miss Fellmann also typed the manuscript and drew the figures. I also want to thank the editorial staff and production department of Springer-Verlag for their nice cooperation.