Empires still attract increased attention, both in the scholarly world and from an interested public audience. However, the term ʻempireʼ has remained ambiguous and there is still a vigorous debate on how to use and apply the term in various historical contexts and periods. The 13 contributions of this volume attempt to establish a more precise characterization of the notion of ‘empire’ by focusing on the specific phenomenon of ‘Short-Term Empires’ from different perspectives. They encompass a broad chronological and territorial range that deal with the topic from Central Asia to Great Britain, from the 5th c. BCE to the 19th. c. CE. By employing a cross-cultural and comparative approach, the papers of this volume enrich and stimulate the ongoing debate about empires in world history and their fundamental determinants.