Myth and Politics in Ancient Near Eastern Historiography (Studies in Egyptology & the Ancient Near East)

The essays collected in this volume represent a selection of studies, previously published mainly in Italian, that make explicit use of anthropological and semiological tools in order to analyze important texts of historical nature from various regions of the Ancient Near East. They suggest that these historiographical texts were of a ‘true'historical nature, and that the literary forms and mental models employed were very apt at accomplishing the intended results. Two different aspects are especially emphasized: myth and politics. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Editors’ Introduction......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 14 Abbreviations......Page 15 PART ONE: Mesopotamia......Page 18 1. The Narrative Logic......Page 20 2. The Technological and Cultural Setting......Page 26 3. The Foundational Function......Page 34 PART TWO: Hittite Anatolia......Page 42 Introduction......Page 44 1. Telipinu’s Edict as ‘Ready Made’ History, or as History ‘To be Constructed’......Page 45 2. Prosperity, Decay, Restoration......Page 48 3. The System of Succession to the Throne......Page 53 4. The Bloody Deeds......Page 58 5. Lords and Servants......Page 61 6. The External Front......Page 64 7. Solidarity......Page 66 1. Symmetry as the Formal Expression of Reciprocity......Page 70 2. Analysis of the Juridical Section......Page 74 3. Analysis of the Historical Section......Page 85 4. Levels of Discourse and Audiences of the Message......Page 97 PART THREE: Syria......Page 100 Introduction......Page 102 1. Idrimi and the Doomed Prince......Page 103 2. Other Occurrences of the Topos......Page 104 3. The Position of the Motif within the Narrative Sequence......Page 106 4. The Basic Features......Page 107 5. Accessory Features......Page 109 6. The Fairy Tale Pattern and Historical Truth......Page 111 Introduction......Page 114 1. The Present......Page 116 2. The Past......Page 130 3. The Future......Page 132 4. History and Wisdom......Page 138 Introduction......Page 142 1. Epistolary Technique......Page 143 2. The Code of Movement......Page 149 3. Building a Kingdom......Page 155 PART FOUR: Hebrew Bible......Page 162 Introduction......Page 164 2. Joash and Idrimi......Page 165 3. Usurpation and Legitimation......Page 167 4. Hiding and Recognition......Page 169 5. Roles and Characters......Page 172 6. Political Action and Propaganda......Page 174 Introduction......Page 177 1. Non-Verbal Communication in Judges 19–21......Page 178 2. The Woman as Message......Page 188 3. Hospitality......Page 196 4. The Topography of Social Communication......Page 201 Bibliography......Page 210 Personal Names......Page 226 Places and Peoples......Page 228 "The essays included in this volume analyze important historical texts from various regions of the ancient Near East. The distinguished Italian historian Mario Liverani suggests that these historiographical texts were of a "true" historical nature and that their literary forms achieved their intended results. Liverani focuses on two central themes in these texts: myth and politics. There is a close connection, Liverani finds, between the writing of history and the validation of political order and political action. History defines the correct role and behavior of political leaders, especially when they do not possess the validation provided by tradition. Historical texts, he discovers, are more often the tools for supporting change than for supporting stability." "Liverani demonstrates that history writing in the ancient Near East made frequent use of mythical patterns, wisdom motifs, and literary themes in order to fulfill its audience's cultural expectations. The resulting nonhistorical literary forms can mislead interpretation, but an analysis of these forms allows the texts' sociopolitical and communicative frameworks to emerge."--BOOK JACKET. Features essays that represent a selection of studies that make explicit use of anthropological and semiological tools in order to analyze important texts of historical nature from various regions of the Ancient Near East.