Download or read book Ancient Mesopotamia at the Dawn of Civilization written by Guillermo Algaze and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2009-05-15 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The alluvial lowlands of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in southern Mesopotamia are widely known as the “cradle of civilization,” owing to the scale of the processes of urbanization that took place in the area by the second half of the fourth millennium BCE. In Ancient Mesopotamia at the Dawn of Civilization, Guillermo Algaze draws on the work of modern economic geographers to explore how the unique river-based ecology and geography of the Tigris-Euphrates alluvium affected the development of urban civilization in southern Mesopotamia. He argues that these natural conditions granted southern polities significant competitive advantages over their landlocked rivals elsewhere in Southwest Asia, most importantly the ability to easily transport commodities. In due course, this resulted in increased trade and economic activity and higher population densities in the south than were possible elsewhere. As southern polities grew in scale and complexity throughout the fourth millennium, revolutionary new forms of labor organization and record keeping were created, and it is these socially created innovations, Algaze argues, that ultimately account for why fully developed city-states emerged earlier in southern Mesopotamia than elsewhere in Southwest Asia or the world.
Download or read book Babylon written by Paul Kriwaczek and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2012-03-27 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Civilization was born eight thousand years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period and explores the political and social systems, as well as the technical and cultural innovations, which made this land extraordinary. At the heart of this book is the story of Babylon, which rose to prominence under the Amorite king Hammurabi from about 1800 BCE. Even as Babylon's fortunes waxed and waned, it never lost its allure as the ancient world's greatest city. Engaging and compelling, Babylon reveals the splendor of the ancient world that laid the foundation for civilization itself.
Download or read book Ancient Mesopotamia written by A. Leo Oppenheim and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2013-01-31 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This splendid work of scholarship . . . sums up with economy and power all that the written record so far deciphered has to tell about the ancient and complementary civilizations of Babylon and Assyria."—Edward B. Garside, New York Times Book Review Ancient Mesopotamia—the area now called Iraq—has received less attention than ancient Egypt and other long-extinct and more spectacular civilizations. But numerous small clay tablets buried in the desert soil for thousands of years make it possible for us to know more about the people of ancient Mesopotamia than any other land in the early Near East. Professor Oppenheim, who studied these tablets for more than thirty years, used his intimate knowledge of long-dead languages to put together a distinctively personal picture of the Mesopotamians of some three thousand years ago. Following Oppenheim's death, Erica Reiner used the author's outline to complete the revisions he had begun. "To any serious student of Mesopotamian civilization, this is one of the most valuable books ever written."—Leonard Cottrell, Book Week "Leo Oppenheim has made a bold, brave, pioneering attempt to present a synthesis of the vast mass of philological and archaeological data that have accumulated over the past hundred years in the field of Assyriological research."—Samuel Noah Kramer, Archaeology A. Leo Oppenheim, one of the most distinguished Assyriologists of our time, was editor in charge of the Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute and John A. Wilson Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Chicago.
Download or read book Mesopotamia written by Ariane Thomas and published by Getty Publications. This book was released on 2020 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mesopotamia, in modern-day Iraq, was home to the remarkable ancient civilizations of Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, and Assyria. From the rise of the first cities around 3500 BCE, through the mighty empires of Nineveh and Babylon, to the demise of its native culture around 100 CE, Mesopotamia produced some of the most powerful and captivating art of antiquity and led the world in astronomy, mathematics, and other sciences—a legacy that lives on today. Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins presents a rich panorama of ancient Mesopotamia’s history, from its earliest prehistoric cultures to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. This catalogue records the beauty and variety of the objects on display, on loan from the Louvre’s unparalleled collection of ancient Near Eastern antiquities: cylinder seals, monumental sculptures, cuneiform tablets, jewelry, glazed bricks, paintings, figurines, and more. Essays by international experts explore a range of topics, from the earliest French excavations to Mesopotamia’s economy, religion, cities, cuneiform writing, rulers, and history—as well as its enduring presence in the contemporary imagination.
Download or read book First Civilizations written by Robert Chadwick and published by Equinox Publishing Ltd.. This book was released on 2005 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Civilizations is the second edition of a popular student text first published in 1996 in Montreal by Les Editions Champ Fleury. This much updated and expanded edition provides an introductory overview of the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. It was conceived primarily for students who have little or no knowledge of ancient history or archaeology. The book begins with the role of history and archaeology in understanding the past, and continues with the origins of agriculture and the formation of the Sumerian city-states in Mesopotamia. Three subsequent chapters concentrate on Assyrian and Babylonian history and culture. The second half of the book focuses on Egypt, begining with the physical environment of the Nile, the formation of the Egyptian state and the Old Kingdom. Subsequent chapters discuss the Middle Kingdom, the Hyksos period, and the 18th Dynasty, with space devoted to Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, the Ramesside period. The text ends with the Persian conquest of Mesopotamia and Egypt. First Civilizations also contains sections on astronomy, medicine, architecture, eschatology, religion, burial practices and mummification, and discusses the myths of Gilgamesh, Isis and Osiris. Each chapter has a basic bibliography which emphasizes English language encyclopedias, books and journals specializing in the ancient Near East.
Download or read book Early Civilizations of the Old World written by Charles Keith Maisels and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-12-16 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this new paperback edition of Early Civilizations of the Old World, Charles Keith Maisels traces the development of some of the earliest and key civilizations in history. In each case the ecological and economic background to growth, geographical factors, cross-cultural intersection and the rise of urbanism are examined, explaining how particular forms of social structure and cultural interaction developed from before the Neolithic period to the time of the first civilizations in each area. This volume challenges the traditional assumption of a band-tribe-chiefdom-state sequence and instead demonstrates that large complex societies can flourish without social classes and the state, as dramatically shown by the Indus civilization. Such features as the use of Childe's urban revolution theory as a means of comparison for each emerging civilization and the discussion of the emergence of archaeology as a scientific discipline, make Early Civilizations of the Old World a valuable, innovative and stimulating work.
Download or read book The Sumerians written by Samuel Noah Kramer and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2010-09-17 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture” from a world-renowned Sumerian scholar (American Journal of Archaeology). The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. “An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity.” —Library Journal
Download or read book Mesopotamia and the Rise of Civilization written by Jane R. McIntosh and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2017-08-18 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A broad introduction to a major turning point in human development, this book guides the reader through the emergence of civilization in Mesopotamia, when city life began and writing was invented. Covering Mesopotamia from around 3000 BCE to the fall of Babylon in 539 BCE, Mesopotamia and the Rise of Civilization: History, Documents, and Key Questions combines narrative history material and reference entries that enable students to learn about the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia and its enormous influence on western civilization with primary source documents that promote critical thinking skills. The book provides essential background via a historical overview of early development of society in Mesopotamia. This introduction is followed by reference entries on key topics; 4,000-year-old primary sources that explore Mesopotamian civilization through voices of the time and bring to light the events of a schoolboy's day, the boasts of kings, and personal letters about family concerns, for example; and a section of argumentative essays that presents thought-provoking perspectives on key issues. While the intended readership is high school students, the book's authoritative coverage of intriguing subject matter will also appeal to the wider public, especially in these times of heightened focus on the Middle East.
Download or read book Mesopotamia written by Gwendolyn Leick and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2002-08-29 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Situated in an area roughly corresponding to present-day Iraq, Mesopotamia is one of the great, ancient civilizations, though it is still relatively unknown. Yet, over 7,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, the very first cities were created. This is the first book to reveal how life was lived in ten Mesopotamian cities: from Eridu, the Mesopotamian Eden, to that potent symbol of decadence, Babylon - the first true metropolis: multicultural, multi-ethnic, the last centre of a dying civilization.
Download or read book Ancient Mesopotamia written by Sara Green and published by Blastoff! Discovery. This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Engaging images accompany information about ancient Mesopotamia. The combination of high-interest subject matter and narrative text is intended for students in grades 3 through 8"--
Download or read book Mesopotamia written by Britannica Educational Publishing and published by Britannica Educational Publishing. This book was released on 2010-04-01 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Celebrated for numerous developments in the areas of law, writing, religion, and mathematics, Mesopotamia has been immortalized as the cradle of civilization. Its fabled cities, including Babylon and Nineveh, spawned new cultures, traditions, and innovations in art and architecture, some of which can still be seen in present-day Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Readers will be captivated by this ancient cultures rich history and breadth of accomplishment, as they marvel at images of the magnificent temples and artifacts left behind.
Download or read book Ancient Mesopotamia written by Don Nardo and published by Greenhaven Publishing LLC. This book was released on 2009-03-17 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the subjects of adoption to Zoroastrianism, this encyclopedia treats readers to numerous entries on the life and times of ancient Mesopotamia. Readers will learn important terms, read biographies of central figures, and analyze brief narratives of pivotal events that transformed Mesopotamia.
Download or read book The Sumerians written by Leonard Woolley and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 1965 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes the civilization of the Sumerians, who inhabited the land which today is Iraq, in the beginning of the fourth millennium B.C.
Download or read book Mesopotamia written by Captivating History and published by . This book was released on 2019-12-14 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ancient Sumerians In a Nutshell The History of the Epic Get a sense of how Ur came to existence, how it grew, reached its zenith, fell, re-rose, and ultimately perished until it The Assyrians Arrive in Mesopotamia: The Early Assyrian Period The Land of the Babylonians Who Are the Persians? The History of Human Population in Iran
Download or read book Ancient Mesopotamia written by Daniel R. Faust and published by Gareth Stevens Publishing LLLP. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern-day Iraq, the region known as Mesopotamia, Greek for "between two rivers," is often called the "cradle of civilization." The region is known for the rise of the first cities, as well as the invention of writing. Readers will discover that the various empires of the region, like Babylon and Sumer, made many important contributions to law, politics, mathematics, and agriculture. Simple text and full-color photographs will engage struggling and reluctant readers alike. Maps and a timeline of key dates provide additional information.
Download or read book Cyropaedia Books I IV written by Xenophon and published by . This book was released on 1914 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mesopotamia written by Charlotte Anker and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On through the centuries, travellers hurried across the deserts of Syria and Iraq little knowing that, only a few yards off the beaten track the cities of Mesopotamia had once loomed over a green, fertile landscape now buried under blank, enigmatic mounds of earth. To the uninformed eye the skeletons of glittering palaces and temples would have been barely detectable in the glare of the punishing sun. French archaeologist Andre Parrot, however, was not such an oblivious passerby. Tramping through these wind-scoured wastes in the 1920s, Parrot heard, as he put it, the 'overtones' of humanity's earliest achievements, 'an orchestration of mighty names: Hammurabi, Nebuchadnezzar,' that evoked for him not only such giants of ancient history but also whole scenes out of the Bible. On a scorching day in January 1934, on a mound called Tell Hariri in Syria, a dozen miles from the Iraqi border, he gazed down at the small white statue he cradled in his hands and saw in it affirmation that all the travail had been worthwhile.