Ancient Near East: History

About the course

This course builds on the broad knowledge you have already acquired in the course Ancient Cultures of the Near East: Introduction and takes as its starting point the late prehistory when writing systems developed in the region.

The approach is essentially chronological. We look at changes in population composition, migration patterns and constant shifts in the balance of power between major state formations in the region. The broad outlines of history over the 3,000 years covered by the course are documented using clay tablets, private and official cuneiform inscriptions from public or private archives and key sites. Views to the north, west and east will give you a better understanding of some of the changes that have taken place over the course of history, both in terms of local features and more regionally characterised conditions.

With all this in mind, you will gain a much better understanding of how the ancient cultures of the Near East were linked by mutual exchanges, of a peaceful or less peaceful nature, until the time a few hundred years before the beginning of our era when the area came to be subject to empires originating outside the region.

The course is also included as a module in Assyriology B and cannot be taken together.

Outline for distance course: Teaching and assessment on the distance courses are web based. The course is assessed countinously through written assignments and a final exam. The course is given through the university's teaching platform Studium and through Zoom. To follow the course, students will need a computer with Internet access, a webcam and headset.