Terrorism is not a new phenomenon but has been present for over two thousand years. It has been used to advance ethnic, religious, and ideological goals; it has been used by dissidents and states to maintain control; it has been used at times as a means for attaining or maintaining power for its own sake. This book places terrorism in a historical and analytical context, comparing terrorist groups over time and contributing to discussions of terrorism's underlying causes. This framing of recent terrorist events shows readers what history has to offer for dealing with this type of political violence.