Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture; Fourth Edition

"Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture offers an historical overview of the civilizations of the ancient Near East spanning ten thousand years of history. This new edition is a comprehensive introduction to the history and culture of the Near East, from prehistory and the beginnings of farming to the fall of Achaemenid Persia. Through text, images, maps, and historical documents, readers discover the material, social, and political world of cultures from Egypt to India, allowing students to see how these intertwined cultures interacted throughout history. Now fully updated and incorporating the latest scholarship on society, religion and the economy, this book highlights the changing fortunes of these great civilizations. A special feature of this book is its many "Debating the Evidence" sections, where the reader becomes familiar with scholarly disputes concerning the interpretation of textual and archaeological evidence on a variety of topics and case studies. The fourth edition of Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture remains a crucial textbook for undergraduates and general readers studying the ancient Near East, particularly the political and social history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as students of archaeology and biblical studies who are working on the region"-- Provided by publisher Cover Half Title Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of figures List of maps List of documents List of tables Introduction: Studying the Ancient Near East Defining the “Near East” Geography and Environment The Ancient Near East’s “Clues” Creating a Chronology for the Ancient Near East Absolute and Relative Chronology Sources for Ancient Near Eastern Chronology Why Study the Ancient Near East? Bibliography 1 Near Eastern Prehistory Southwest Asia in the Late Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic Periods The Origins of Sedentary Life (c. 12,500–10,200 BCE) Early Agricultural Communities in Southwest Asia: “The Neolithic Revolution” (c. 10,200–6000 BCE) Debating the Evidence: Göbekli Tepe—Catalyst for Domestication or Last Stand for Hunter-Gatherers? The Development of Complex Societies in Southwest Asia (c. 6500–4000 BCE) Early Cultures of the Nile Valley (c. 13,000–3500 BCE) Major Changes in Lifestyle During the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods Major Social, Economic, and Political Developments of the Neolithic Age Debating the Evidence: The Emergence of Social Stratification and Male Dominance Summary Bibliography 2 The Dawn of the State in Western Asia The Emergence of Mesopotamian Civilization (c. 4000–3000 BCE) The Urban Revolution The Development of Cuneiform Writing Debating the Evidence: The Origin of the Sumerians Parallel Developments in Iran (c. 4000–3000 BCE) The Mesopotamian Early Dynastic Period (c. 2900–2330 BCE) An Era of Independent City-States Debating the Evidence: The “Royal Tombs” of Ur Mesopotamian Culture During the Early Dynastic Era Religion and Worldview Economy and Society Literature and the Arts Science, Technology, and Warfare Summary Bibliography 3 The First Mesopotamian Empires The Akkadian Empire (c. 2330–2180 BCE) Sargon of Akkad (c. 2324–2285 BCE) Sargon’s Successors Administration of the Empire Debating the Evidence: Explaining the Empire’s Collapse The Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2112–2004 BCE) Ur’s Rise to Power Education Shulgi’s Reforms The Economy of the Ur III Empire Debating the Evidence: The Sacred Marriage Ceremony The Fall of Ur Summary Bibliography 4 Urbanism and Statehood in Wider Western Asia Urbanization in the Levant and Anatolia Early Bronze Age Syria and Palestine (c. 3700–2000 BCE) Early Bronze Age Anatolia Debating the Evidence: Explaining the Widespread Collapse Persian Gulf and Central Asian Civilizations Early Bronze Age Developments in Iran Persian Gulf States and the Indus Valley Civilization Debating the Evidence: The Indus Script and the People(s) of the Indus Civilization The Oxus Civilization Summary Bibliography 5 Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom The Geography of the Nile Valley Prelude to Complexity: The Naqada II Period (c. 3600–3200 BCE) The Formation of the Egyptian State (c. 3200–2734 BCE) Debating the Evidence: The Process of Unification The Development of Egyptian Writing The Early Dynastic Period (Dynasties 1 and 2, c. 3000–2734 BCE) Some Basic Elements of Egyptian Belief Ma‘at Divine Kingship Burial and the Afterlife The Old Kingdom (Dynasties 3–6, c. 2733–2240 BCE) Djoser and the First Pyramid The Zenith of Royal Power: The Fourth Dynasty (c. 2677–2547 BCE) Debating the Evidence: Building the Great Pyramid Debating the Evidence: Dating the Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx The Latter Part of the Old Kingdom: Dynasties 5 and 6 (c. 2546–2240 BCE) Old Kingdom Society and Culture Social Structure Religion and Ritual Art and Science Debating the Evidence: Race and Ethnicity of Ancient Egypt Summary Bibliography 6 The Old Babylonian Period and Its Aftermath The “Interregnum” After the Fall of Ur (c. 2000–1800 BCE) The Amorite Takeover The Ascendancy of Isin and Larsa The Assyrian Merchant Colony at Kanesh The Era of Hammurabi and His Dynasty (c. 1800–1595 BCE) The Creation of Shamshi-Adad’s Empire (the Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia) Hammurabi and His Successors Old Babylonian Cultural Developments Literature Religion Debating the Evidence: The “Code” of Hammurabi Babylonian Society and Customs in the Code The Hittite Old Kingdom Debating the Evidence: Indo-European Origins The Emergence of a Hittite State The Emergence of Other New Peoples The Hurrians and the Kingdom of Mitanni Kassite Rule in Babylonia Summary Bibliography 7 The Rise and Fall of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom The First Intermediate Period: Dynasties 8–Early 11 (c. 2240–2025 BCE) Where Is Ma‘at? The Intermediate Period’s Effects The Middle Kingdom: Dynasties Late 11–Early 13 (c. 2025–1760 BCE) The Establishment of the Middle Kingdom The Impressive Twelfth Dynasty (c. 1991–1802 BCE) Cultural Developments During the Middle Kingdom The Second Intermediate Period: Dynasties Late 13–17 (c. 1760–1570 BCE) The Onset of the Second Intermediate Period The Kingdom of Kush (Upper Nubia) Hyksos Rule and the Dynasty at Thebes: Dynasties 15 and 17 (c. 1670?–1560 BCE) Debating the Evidence: The Nature of Hyksos Relations With the Levant Egyptian and Levantine Contacts With the Minoan Culture of Crete Debating the Evidence: Dating the Eruption of Thera and the End of LM I A Summary Bibliography 8 The Era of Egypt’s Pre-Eminence Mitanni: The Beginning of the Egyptian New Kingdom The Early Eighteenth Dynasty (c. 1570–1480 BCE) Debating the Evidence: Incestuous Marriage and the “Royal Heiress” Theory Hatshepsut and Thutmose III The Reign of Hatshepsut (c. 1479–1458 bce) Debating the Evidence: Hatshepsut Becomes King The Sole Rule of Thutmose III (c. 1458–1426 BCE) The Egyptian Empire at Its Height (c. 1426–1350 BCE) The Reigns of Amenhotep II and Thutmose IV The New Egyptian Army Amenhotep III, “The Magnificent” Amarna Age Diplomacy: The Brotherhood of Kings Late Bronze Age Canaan (Palestine and Coastal Syria) The Introduction of the Alphabet Relations With the Aegean Kingdoms Akhenaten and the Amarna Revolution (c. 1353–1336 BCE) Controversies of the Amarna Age Debating the Evidence: Did Akhenaten Have a Coregency With His Father? The Beginning of Amenhotep IV’s Reign Akhenaten’s Religious Reformation Debating the Evidence: From Akhenaten to Tutankhamun The End of the Eighteenth Dynasty (c. 1334–1292 BCE) Tutankhamun and the Restoration of Amun Debating the Evidence: The Death of Tutankhamun The Reigns of Ay and Horemheb (c. 1326–1292 BCE) Summary Bibliography 9 The End of the Bronze Age The Zenith of Hittite Power (c. 1344–1180 BCE) Revival and Extension of the Hittite Empire Debating the Evidence: The Zannanza Affair Hatti’s Showdown With Egypt Hittite Culture Economy, Society, and Government Religion Languages and Literature The Twilight of the Egyptian Empire (c. 1292–1150 BCE) The Empire’s Final Flash of Greatness Invasions of the Sea Peoples Debating the Evidence: Who Were the Sea Peoples? The Collapse of Bronze Age Societies in the Eastern Mediterranean The Mycenaean Kingdoms Debating the Evidence: The Historicity of the Trojan War The Demise of the Hittite Empire The End of Egyptian Power Late Bronze Age Assyria and Babylonia Debating the Evidence: What Caused the Collapse? Summary Bibliography 10 The Early Iron Age—Recovery and Transformation Egypt and Mesopotamia The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt Assyria and Babylonia Anatolia The Kingdom of Urartu The Phrygian and Neo-Hittite Kingdoms Debating the Evidence: The Cimmerian Problem The Neo-Hittite States Syria The Arameans The Phoenicians Debating the Evidence: Infant Sacrifice Small States of the Southern Levant Israel and Judah The Philistines Ammon, Moab, and Edom Small Kingdoms and Confederations in Arabia Summary Bibliography 11 Mesopotamian Supremacy Assyrian Domination (744–627 BCE) Reestablishment and Expansion of Assyrian Power (744–681 BCE) The Empire at Its Zenith (680–631 bce) Neo-Assyrian Society and Culture The King, Crown Prince, and Queen Debating the Evidence: Women in the Neo-Assyrian Palace Nonroyal Social Classes The Army Administration of the Empire Art, Literature, and Science The End of Assyrian Power Destruction of Assyria (631–605 BCE) Debating the Evidence: The Fall of the Assyrian Empire The Neo-Babylonian (Chaldean) Empire (625–560 BCE) Formation of the Neo-Babylonian Empire The Collapse of the Neo-Babylonian Empire Neo-Babylonian Culture Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon Debating the Evidence: The “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” The Akitu Festival and the Foundations of Kingship Commerce and Finance Scholarly Activity Summary Bibliography 12 The Achaemenid Persian Empire The Origins and Growth of the Persian Empire The Florescence of the Lydian Kingdom (c. 685–546 BCE) The Creation of the Persian Empire The Achaemenid Empire at Its Height Crisis and Restoration Reorganization of the Empire Wars With the Greeks Debating the Evidence: Herodotus, “Father of History” or “Father of Lies”? Persian Culture Persian Society The Persian Army Debating the Evidence: Were the Achaemenid Persians Zoroastrians? Persian Art and Architecture The Latter Part of the Achaemenid Empire The Continuation of Royal Power (424–330 BCE) Conquest by Alexander the Great Epilogue: The Near East After the Achaemenid Empire Summary Bibliography 13 Ancient Israel and Judah Early Israel Historical-Critical Analysis of the Bible Debating the Evidence: Israel’s Origins—The Exodus and Settlement in Canaan Debating the Evidence: The Formation of the Israelite State—The United Monarchy The United Monarchy (c. 1027–931 BCE) The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah The Early Divided Monarchy (c. 931–885 BCE) The Era of Israelite Ascendancy (c. 885–841 BCE) Israel and Judah Become Vassals of Damascus and Assyria (c. 841–721 BCE) Israelite Religion and the Emergence of Biblical Monotheism Canaanite Elements in Early Israelite Religion Debating the Evidence: Did Israel’s God Have a Wife? Religious Reform in Judah (c. 721–609 BCE) The Babylonian Exile and Its Effects Post-Exilic Judah The Restoration of Judah The Careers of Ezra and Nehemiah Other Post-Exilic Religious Developments in Judah Summary Bibliography Afterword: The Legacy of the Ancient Near East Food, Drink, and Animals Mathematics and Science Language and Literature Music, Art, and Architecture Religion and Speculative Thought The Ancient Near East in Modern Times The Future for the Near East’s Past Bibliography Index Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture offers an historical overview of the civilizations of the ancient Near East spanning ten thousand years of history., This new edition is a comprehensive introduction to the history and culture of the Near East, from prehistory and the beginnings of farming to the fall of Achaemenid Persia. Through text, images, maps, and historical documents, readers discover the material, social, and political world of cultures from Egypt to India, allowing students to see how these intertwined cultures interacted throughout history. Now fully updated and incorporating the latest scholarship on society, religion, and the economy, this book highlights the changing fortunes of these great civilizations. A special feature of this book is its many “Debating the Evidence” sections, where the reader becomes familiar with scholarly disputes concerning the interpretation of textual and archaeological evidence on a variety of topics and case studies. The fourth edition of Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture remains a crucial textbook for undergraduates and general readers studying the ancient Near East, particularly the political and social history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as students of archaeology and biblical studies who are working on the region. Ancient,Near,East;,Ancient,Near,Eastern,history;,Egyptology;,Assyriology;,William,H.,Stiebing;,century;,Susan,N.,Helft;,Ancient,Near,Eastern,culture;,Ancient,societies;,Ancient,Egypt;,Ancient,Mesopotamia;,Near,Eastern,society;,Ancient,Near,Eastern,archaeology Ancient Near East,Ancient Near Eastern history,Egyptology,Assyriology,William H. Stiebing,century,Susan N. Helft,Ancient Near Eastern culture,Ancient societies,Ancient Egypt,Ancient Mesopotamia,Near Eastern society,Ancient Near Eastern archaeology