Malta is one of the smallest nations in the world, yet has one of the longest histories of any country. The accidents of geology and geography produced an island at the center of the Mediterranean with a large harbor and ample resources for the construction of fortifications. As a result, the Maltese bore witness to many of the great conflicts in world history, from the Punic Wars, to Napoleon's conquests, to the North African and Mediterranean campaigns during World War II.

Covering the entire sweep of the island's history, Castillo argues that not only was Malta's geographic...