Extremism, Ancient and Modern : Insurgency, Terror and Empire in the Middle East

Near Eastern archaeology is generally represented as a succession of empires with little attention paid to the individuals, labelled as terrorists at the time, that brought them down. Their stories, when viewed against the backdrop of current violent extremism in the Middle East, can provide a unique long-term perspective. __Extremism, Ancient and Modern__ brings long-forgotten pasts to bear on the narratives of radical groups today, recognizing the historical bases and specific cultural contexts for their highly charged ideologies. The author, with expertise in Middle Eastern archaeology and counter-terrorism work, provides a unique viewpoint on a relatively under-researched subject. This timely volume will interest a wide readership, from undergraduate and graduate students of archaeology, history and politics, to a general audience with an interest in the deep historical narratives of extremism and their impact on today’s political climate. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Acknowledgment 8 Prologue: The Middle East and me 10 Notes 20 Bibliography 20 Section 1: Narrativity, agency and emplotment 24 Chapter 1 The Passion will play: Narrativity and resistance 26 Bibliography 38 Chapter 2 Gunpowder, treason and emplotment: Narrative and agency 42 Note 55 Bibliography 55 Section 2: Tragic emplotments 60 Chapter 3 “The fanged serpents of the mountain”: Kurdish separatism in the context of the ancient past 62 Bibliography 79 Chapter 4 “A true people like so many others the world has seen”: Bedouin resistance past and present 83 Bibliography 100 Chapter 5 “Their hearts were confident, full of their plans”: Philistines and Palestinians 105 Bibliography 124 Section 3: Romantic emplotments 130 Chapter 6 “There was no king in Israel”: Early Israel in settler movement narratives 132 Bibliography 153 Chapter 7 “Realm like his was never won by mortal king”: Huthis, Himyarites and hard-lines 159 Bibliography 176 Chapter 8 “Our place here is but a deception”: Al-Andalus in modern Islamic ideology 180 Bibliography 200 Epilogue: “Those who do not remember history are condemned to retweet it”1 203 Note 212 Bibliography 212 Index 213