Course info

Between the 3^rd and the 1^st millennium BC, different forms of social and political organization emerged in the Near East, from the Sumerian city-states to the great Assyrian empire of the first centuries of the 1^st millennium BC. Taking the notion of ‘empire’ as pivotal point, the course is intended to provide the students with an overview on some aspects of the history and culture of such political entities. To do so, first the geographical and chronological boundaries of the analysis will be set; then, an examination of some aspects of the history and culture of the peoples and kingdoms of the ancient Near East will be presented. During the course special attention will be devoted to some aspects of the archaeology and visual culture of the Assyrian Empire. At the end of course, students will possess the fundamental notions and tools to understand the main historical issues pertaining to the ancient near eastern cultures and societies.