A Companion to the Ancient Near East (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World)

A Companion to the Ancient Near East offers students and general readers a comprehensive overview of Near Eastern civilization from the Bronze Age to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Covers the civilizations of the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Israelites and Persians Places particular emphasis on social and cultural history Covers the legacy of the Ancient Near East in the medieval and modern worlds Provides a useful bibliographical guide to this field of study A Companion To The Ancient Near East Offers Students And General Readers A Comprehensive Overview Of Near Eastern Civilization From The Bronze Age To The Conquests Of Alexander The Great. Written By Leading Experts, The Book Examines All The Major Civilizations Of The Region, Including The Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Israelites, And Persians. The Companion Provides A Survey Of Both The History Of The Ancient Near East And The Sources For Studying The Period. It Places Special Emphasis On Social And Cultural History And Also Covers The Legacy Of The Ancient Near East In The Med. Part I, The Shape Of The Ancient Near East. Historical Overview / Mario Liverani -- From Sedentism To States, 10,000 To 3000 Bce / Augusta Mcmahon -- The Age Of Empires, 3100-900 Bce / Mark Chavalas -- World Hegemony, 900-300 Bce / Paul-alain Beaulieu -- Part Ii, Discourses On Methods. Archaeology And The Ancient Near East : Methods And Limits / Marie-henriette Gates -- The Languages Of The Ancient Near East / Gonzalo Rubio -- The Historian's Task / Daniel C. Snell -- Part Iii, Economy And Society. The Degradation Of The Ancient Near Eastern Environment / Carlos E. Cordova -- Nomadism Through The Ages / Jorge Silva Castillo -- Mesopotamian Cities And Countryside / Elizabeth C. Stone -- Money And Trade / Christopher M. Monroe -- Working / David A. Warburton -- Law And Practice / Bruce Wells -- Social Tensions In The Ancient Near East / John F. Robertson -- Gender Roles In Ancient Egypt / Ann Macy Roth -- Royal Women And The Exercise Of Power / Sarah C. Melville -- Warfare In Ancient Egypt / Anthony J. Spalinger -- Part Iv, Culture. The Transmission Of Knowledge / Benjamin R. Foster -- Literature / Tawny L. Holm -- Ancient Near Eastern Architecture / Sally Dunham -- Mesopotamian Art / Marian H. Feldman -- Mesopotamian Medicine / Joann Scurlock -- Mesopotamian Cosmology / Francesca Rochberg -- Divine And Non-divine Kingship / Philip Jones -- How Religion Was Done / Gary Beckman -- Part V, Heritage Of The Ancient Near East. The Invention Of The Individual / Daniel C. Snell -- Ethnicity / Henri Limet -- Public Versus Private In The Ancient Near East / Steven Garfinkle -- Democracy And Freedom / Matthew Martin Iii And Daniel C. Snell -- Monotheism And Ancient Israelite Religion / S. David Sperling -- The Decipherment Of The Ancient Near East / Peter T. Daniels -- Legacies Of The Ancient Near East / Daniel C. Snell. Edited By Daniel C. Snell. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [434]-492) And Index. Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 19 Part I: The Shape of the Ancient Near East......Page 22 1. Historical Overview......Page 24 2. From Sedentism to States, 10,000–3000 BCE......Page 41 3. The Age of Empires, 3100–900 BCE......Page 55 4. World Hegemony, 900–300 BCE......Page 69 Part II: Discourses on Methods......Page 84 5. Archaeology and the Ancient Near East: Methods and Limits......Page 86 6. The Languages of the Ancient Near East......Page 100 7. The Historian’s Task......Page 116 Part III: Economy and Society......Page 128 8. The Degradation of the Ancient Near Eastern Environment......Page 130 9. Nomadism Through the Ages......Page 147 10. Mesopotamian Cities and Countryside......Page 162 11. Money and Trade......Page 176 12. Working......Page 190 13. Law and Practice......Page 204 14. Social Tensions in the Ancient Near East......Page 217 15. Gender Roles in Ancient Egypt......Page 232 16. Royal Women and the Exercise of Power in the Ancient Near East......Page 240 17. Warfare in Ancient Egypt......Page 250 Part IV: Culture......Page 264 18. Transmission of Knowledge......Page 266 19. Literature......Page 274 20. Ancient Near Eastern Architecture......Page 287 21. Mesopotamian Art......Page 302 22. Ancient Mesopotamian Medicine......Page 323 23. Mesopotamian Cosmology......Page 337 24. Divine and Non-Divine Kingship......Page 351 25. How Religion Was Done......Page 364 Part V: Heritage of the Ancient Near East......Page 376 26. The Invention of the Individual......Page 378 27. Ethnicity......Page 391 28. Public versus Private in the Ancient Near East......Page 405 29. Democracy and Freedom......Page 418 30 Monotheism and Ancient Israelite Religion......Page 429 31. The Decipherment of the Ancient Near East......Page 442 32. Legacies of the Ancient Near East......Page 451 References......Page 455 Index......Page 514