From Threebranes to Large N Gauge Theories

Abstract

This is a brief introductory review of the AdS/CFT correspondence and of the ideas that led to its formulation. Emphasis is placed on dualities between conformal large $N$ gauge theories in 4 dimensions and string backgrounds of the form $AdS_5\times X_5$. Attempts to generalize this correspondence to asymptotically free theories are also included.