Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture

Introduction: Studying the Ancient Near EastA Note on Chronological TerminologyWhat Is the \"Near East\"?Near Eastern Geography and EnvironmentAntiquity\'s \"Clues\"Creating a Chronology for the Ancient Near EastChapter 1: Near Eastern PrehistorySouthwest Asia in the Late Paleolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic PeriodsThe Nile Valley in Late PrehistoryMajor Changes in Lifestyle during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic PeriodsChapter 2: The Dawn of Civilization in Western AsiaThe Emergence of Mesopotamian and Iranian Civilization (c. 4000-3000 BCE)The Mesopotamian Early Dynastic Period (c. 2900-2330 BCE)Mesopotamian Culture during the Early Dynastic EraChapter 3: The First Mesopotamian EmpiresThe Akkadian Empire (c. 2334-2193 BCE)The Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2112-2004 BCE)Chapter 4: The Development of Civilization in the Wider Near EastEarly Urbanization in the Levant and AnatoliaPersian Gulf and Central Asian CivilizationsChapter 5: Egypt to the End of the Old KingdomPrelude to CivilizationThe Formation of the Egyptian State (c. 3050-2593 BCE)Some Basic Elements of Egyptian BeliefThe Old Kingdom (Dynasties 3-6, c. 2592-2150 BCE)Society and CultureChapter 6: The Old Babylonian Period and Its AftermathThe \"Interregnum\" After the Fall of Ur (c. 2000-1800 BCE)The Era of Hammurabi and His Dynasty (c. 1800-1595 BCE)Old Babylonian Cultural DevelopmentsThe Hittite Old KingdomThe Emergence of Other New PeoplesChapter 7: The Rise and Fall of the Egyptian Middle KingdomThe First Intermediate Period: Dynasties 8- Early 11 (c. 2180-1980 BCE)The Middle Kingdom: Dynasties Late 11-Early 13 (c. 1980-1725 BCE)The Second Intermediate Period: Dynasties Late 13-17 (c. 1725-1540 BCE)Chapter 8: Egypt\'s Powerful Eighteenth DynastyThe Beginning of the Egyptian New Kingdom (c. 1539-1480 BCE)Hatshepsut and Thutmose III (c. 1479-1425 BCE)The Egyptian Empire at Its Height (c. 1425-1350 BCE)Akhenaton and the Amarna Period (c. 1353-1336)The End of the Eighteenth Dynasty (c. 1335-1292 BCE)Chapter 9: The End of the Bronze AgeThe Zenith of Hittite Power (c. 1344-1180 BCE)Hittite CultureThe Twilight of the Egyptian Empire (c. 1292-1150 BCE)The Collapse of Bronze Age Societies in the Eastern MediterraneanChapter 10: Recovery and Transformation (c. 1100-745 BCE)Mesopotamia and EgyptAnatoliaSyriaSmall States of the Southern LevantChapter 11: Mesopotamian SupremacyAssyrian DominationNeo-Assyrian Society and CultureThe Neo-Babylonian (or Chaldean) Empire (627-560 BCE)Neo-Babylonian CultureChapter 12: The Achaemenid Persian EmpireThe Origins and Growth of the Persian EmpireThe Achaemenid Empire at Its HeightPersian CultureThe Latter Part of the Achaemenid Persian EmpireEpilogue: The Near East after the Achaemenid EmpireChapter 13: Ancient Israel and JudahEarly Israel The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (c. 931-721 BCEThe Emergence of Biblical MonotheismPost-Exilic JudahAfterword: The Legacy of the Ancient Near EastGlossaryIndex