History of the Ancient Near East

Catalog description

History of the Ancient Near East from the end of the Neolithic to the Hellenistic period. CAMS 105 History of the Ancient Near East (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. The objective of this course is to introduce the student to the history of Ancient Near Eastern societies. The geographic areas to be covered include Mesopotamia, Iran, Anatolia, Syro-Palestine, and Egypt. This course will stress the variegated nature of civilizations in those geographic areas and focus on the written texts and material culture through which we can reconstruct the history of the Ancient Near East. This course complements similar introductory courses in ancient Mediterranean history and civilizations. This course satisfies major and minor requirements for programs of study in the Dept. of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies. A special emphasis will be placed on those aspects that permit us to relate to the seemingly arcane mechanisms lying behind the social, religious, and political interactions which characterize the history of these civilizations, especially ideology, economy, and propaganda. Major figures and events will be presented as being as symptomatic of cultural or political trends.