DS62.2.V34

- Includes bibliographical references and index - Includes black-and-white illustrations, maps, charts, listings and text-boxes

Parti CityStates 17 The Early Dynastic Period 39 King List 42 Political Centralization in the Late Third Millennium 59 The Near East in the Early Second Millennium 80 a trial 90 The Growth of Territorial States in the Early 99 Territorial States 119 The Collapse of the Regional System and its Aftermath 179 Empires 195 The Rise of Assyria 216 Assyrias World Domination 232 The Medes and Babylonians 253 The Persian Empire 267 King Lists 281 Guide to Further Reading 297 The Western States of the Late Second Millennium 141 Syrian god Baal 159 Kassites Assyrians and Elamites 161 Index

This book presents a clear, concise history of the extraordinarily multicultural civilizations of the ancient Near East. Beginning with the emergence of writing around 3000 bc, the narrative ranges from the origins of the first cities in Mesopotamia, through the growth of the Babylonian and Hittite kingdoms, to the Assyrian and Persian empires. It ends with the transformation of the ancient Near East by the conquests of Alexander the Great. Incorporating the most recent discoveries and scholarship, the book provides both an account of political and military events and a survey of the cultures and societies of the ancient Near East. The straightforward, accessible text is accompanied by plentiful maps and illustrations, and contains a selection of Near Eastern texts in translation. Each chapter includes a key research question or text, such as the use of the Bible as a historical source, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Assyrian royal annals. It is essential reading for anyone interested in this crucial period in world history.