The Babylonians:

by H.W.F Saggs

The Writing of Ancient History * Forewords * Note on the Transliteration of Cuneiform * Abbreviations * Prehistoric Background * South Mesopotamia in the Third Millennium * The Coming of Babylon * The Rise of Imperial Assyria * Assyrian Supremacy * The Neo-Babylonian Empire * The Foundations of the Babylonian Way of Life * Law and Statecraft * Administration and Government * Trade and Commerce * Magic and Religion * The Religious Role of the King * Literature * Mathematics, Astronomy and Medicine * Legacy and Survival * Appendices * Index.

Genres: History

444 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Samuel.J.Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good textbooks on the history of the Babylonians, in my experience, are hard to come by.
Many resort to papering over the voids in comprehension by stating vague inferences as facts.
Others also simply fail to present a coherent image of the life and times, as well as the progression towards advanced civilisation, that Babylon - and it's surrounding city-states - underwent.

However, Saggs has captured the progression of mesopotamian cultures in an almost narrative sensation, that is a great joy to read. Not only that but, in addition to his immense expertise on the subject of mesopotamia, Saggs has allowed no speculation to overrun the honest picture; where inference has been used, it has been identified as such very clearly, and the motives as to why it has been inferred are also, equally clearly, presented to the reader.

To those searching for a textbook on Babylonians, or indeed just mesopotamia in general, I would highly recommend this to you.

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview for ancient Mesopotamia. Loved it all and wasn’t read. Characters are in action throughout the history and gave me a new appreciation for this side of the literature. The maps are very helpful. I wish there were more pictures to see things referenced but otherwise a great read.