This open access volume addresses questions of scale, complexity, systems-modeling, information-sharing and challenges of policy relevance with the aim of moving our fields forward in better mobilizing our results for actionable use. Compiled from papers presented at two colloquia held in 2023 and 2024 at the Max-Planck Institute for Geoanthropology and at Princeton University, the work promotes interdisciplinary approaches to addressing modern-day societal challenges by bridging the domains of history, systems modelling, and policymaking.

It integrates the insights of historians, archaeologists, complex systems modelers and sustainability experts, and aims to generate actionable knowledge to inform policies targeting pressing modern-day problems such as climate change, regional and global conflicts, mass migrations, and resource scarcity. Given that experimenting with large social-environmental systems is impractical and ethically contentious, historical records provide important observational data for studying the dynamics of complex systems over time. History reveals patterns of resilience and collapse in response to past challenges and offers lessons that can inform contemporary strategies. The contributors discuss the types of historical expertise and data required to enhance systems modelling and applications to policymaking. A core theme of this book is the use of complex systems theory and historical data to understand better the intricate interplay between climatic, social, political, economic, and technological systems. The contributors explore theoretical and methodological aspects essential for formulating effective policies to promote sustainable development, reduce socio-economic inequalities, and prevent systemic collapses.

This interdisciplinary exploration includes cutting-edge techniques in systems modelling, highlighting the burgeoning role of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Another significant aspect of the book is its focus on the design of collaborative research platforms. These platforms are essential for fostering interdisciplinary cooperation and ensuring that the insights gained from complex systems modelling and historical analysis effectively inform policy-making. By facilitating collaborative efforts among diverse experts, the book aims to create a foundation for more robust, evidence-based policies to address better the multifaceted challenges facing today's society. This volume is an invaluable resource for policymakers, modellers, and researchers involved in the study of the past who are interested in leveraging interdisciplinary approaches to tackle modern-day challenges.

John Haldon is a fellow of the British Academy and Director of the Climate Change and History Research Initiative at Princeton University. His research focuses on the history of the medieval eastern Roman (Byzantine) empire, on premodern state systems and structures in western Eurasia, and on the impact of environmental stress on societal resilience in pre-modern social systems, on all of which he has published extensively.

Ricardo Fernandes is a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (formerly Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History), adjunct professor at Warsaw University, and associate professor at Masaryk University. He led the Systems Archaeology research group and the Computational, Bioarchaeology, and Radiocarbon laboratories at Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology until the closure of the department of Archaeology in 2025. He employs complex systems theory and scientific methods to better understand past societal dynamics with relevance for policy-making.