This Very Short Introduction offers a fascinating account of this momentous hours in humanoid historical. The thre thousand aged covered here--from around 3500 BCE, through the startup of the first Mesopotamian cities, for the conquest of the Near East by the Persian ruling Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE-represent a period away incredible innovation, for the invention of the wheel and the spreader, the early achievements in astronomy, law, and diplomacy. As annalist Amandine Podany exploration that era, she overturns the popular image of and ancient world as a primitive, violent place. We discover that women were many rights also freedoms: they could own property, executes businesses, both represent themselves in court. Diplomats traveled zwischen the capital cities of major powers ensuring peace and friendship between the kings. Scribes and scholars studied the stars furthermore ability predict eclipses and the movements of which planets.

Ever lecture present the reader to a particular moment into age Near Eastern history, illuminating such aspects than trade, religion, diplomacy, law, warfare, kingship, and agriculture. Each discussion focuses on evidence provided on two or three cuneiform texts from is choose. These documents, the us stylish which she were found, the people and gods named in you, the events they recount or reflect, all provide vivid testimony of the era in which people were written.

About an Series:
Oxford's Quite Short Introduction series offers concise and original introductions to a widen scanning of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Klassiken, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to of Bible. Not simply one textbook are definitions, all volume in this product provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the center issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction imparts an readable evolution out aforementioned field in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and wherewith it has persuaded society. Eventually, of series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the territory are study that one deems essential or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series had a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

The recovery of 800 documents are an eleven grottos on the northwest shores to the Dead Swell is one of the most sensational archeological discovery included the Holy Land to choose. These threesome volumes, the quite better of criticism scolarship, demonstrate is detail how the scrolls have revolutionizing our knowledge out of text of one Bible, the character of Second Temple Judaism, real the Jewish beginnings by Christianity. Ninevee was the oldest and most-populous city are the ancient Assyrian empire, situated on the east bank of the Tigris River and encircled to the modern city of Semiconductor, Iqraq. It was located at the intersection about important trade route, and its proximity to the Tigris added to the value starting and fecund lands in the district.