The ancient Near East is known as the "cradle of civilization" -
and for good reason. Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia were home to
an extraordinarily rich and successful culture. Indeed, it was a
time and place of earth-shaking changes for humankind: the
beginnings of writing and law, kingship and bureaucracy, diplomacy
and state-sponsored warfare, mathematics and literature. This Very
Short Introduction offers a fascinating account of this momentous
time in human history. The three thousand years covered here - from
around 3500 BCE, with the founding of the first Mesopotamian
cities, to the conquest of the Near East by the Persian king Cyrus
the Great in 539 BCE-represent a period of incredible innovation,
from the invention of the wheel and the plow, to early achievements
in astronomy, law, and diplomacy. As historian Amanda Podany
explores this era, she overturns the popular image of the ancient
world as a primitive, violent place. We discover that women had
many rights and freedoms: they could own property, run businesses,
and represent themselves in court. Diplomats traveled between the
capital cities of major powers ensuring peace and friendship
between the kings. Scribes and scholars studied the stars and could
predict eclipses and the movements of the planets. Every chapter
introduces the reader to a particular moment in ancient Near
Eastern history, illuminating such aspects as trade, religion,
diplomacy, law, warfare, kingship, and agriculture. Each discussion
focuses on evidence provided in two or three cuneiform texts from
that time. These documents, the cities in which they were found,
the people and gods named in them, the events they recount or
reflect, all provide vivid testimony of the era in which they were
written. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series
offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of
subjects-from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary
Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a
textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides
trenchant and provocative-yet always balanced and
complete-discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or
field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of
the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has
developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series
will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all
students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the
area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the
topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short
Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will
likely prove indispensable. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short
Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds
of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books
are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our
expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly
readable.
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