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Very Short Introductions #480
Babylonia: A Very Short Introduction
The history of Ancient Babylonia in ancient Mesopotamia is epic. After playing host to three great empires, the Hammurabic and Kassite empires, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire ruled by Nebuchadnezzar, it was conquered by the Persians. Entered triumphantly by Alexander the Great, it later provided the setting for the Conquerer's deathbed. Squabbled over by his heirs, Babylonia was subsequently dominated by the Parthian and Roman empires.
In this Very Short Introduction, Trevor Bryce takes us on a journey of more than 2,000 years across the history and civilization of ancient Babylonia, from the emergence of its chief city, Babylon, as a modest village on the Euphrates in the 3rd millennium BC through successive phases of triumph, decline, and resurgence until its royal capital faded into obscurity in the Roman imperial era. Exploring key historical events as well as the day-to-day life of an ancient Babylonian, Bryce provides a comprehensive guide to one of history's most profound civilizations.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
In this Very Short Introduction, Trevor Bryce takes us on a journey of more than 2,000 years across the history and civilization of ancient Babylonia, from the emergence of its chief city, Babylon, as a modest village on the Euphrates in the 3rd millennium BC through successive phases of triumph, decline, and resurgence until its royal capital faded into obscurity in the Roman imperial era. Exploring key historical events as well as the day-to-day life of an ancient Babylonian, Bryce provides a comprehensive guide to one of history's most profound civilizations.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
31 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 12, 2018
This is the second A Very Short Introduction book that I’ve read this year and rated fairly highly, and it may seem odd coming from a trained historian. It’s true that the book is a quick and easy read, that it is more narrative than analysis, and it is far from comprehensive. But the reason I rate it highly is because the book executes the job it set out to do excellently. The publishers of A Very Short Introduction series, at least as far as I can tell from the books I’ve read, consistently ask experts in their field to write each entry. Trevor Bryce is well-known among the academic community as a long-standing researcher and professional in the ancient near east (particularly Anatolia and Syria). Amanda H. Podany and Karen Radner (authors of Ancient Near East: A Very Short Introduction and Ancient Assyria: A Very Short Introduction) likewise. So there’s no doubt they know what they’re talking about, and the material is trustworthy. The text itself is clear, easy to understand, and won’t take huge amounts of time to read. It is the perfect first stop for newcomers to the subject, or as a refresher for those who’ve let a prior interest lapse, or even those with experience who are perhaps shifting gears or need to quickly take a step back and put things in context. So whilst by no means are these books the be all or end all on their subjects, they are genuinely useful, knowledgeable, and well-written. That, from me, earns a solid rating.
9 out of 10
February 12, 2023
a good introduction that served me fairly well in learning more about the ancient near eastern world. fast-paced and straightforward, which stopped it from becoming dry.
March 22, 2021
أتممتُ ليلة البارحة قراءة كتاب "بلاد بابل" للمؤرخ الأسترالي تريفور برايس الصادر عام 2016. الكتاب رائع وثري ويتناول تاريخ بابل بالتفصيل منذ النشأة وعصرها الذهبي الأول في عهد الأموريين وحمورابي وقوانينه والنصوص الأدبية والمعارف الفلكية والرياضية وغيرها ومن ثم العصر الكاشي والعلاقات الدبلوماسية مع الحثيين والخضوع للسيطرة الآشورية ومن ثم قيام بابل الكلدية. يستمر الكتاب بتوضيح تفاصيل وحقائق رائعة عن الحياة والأساطير المرتبطة ببابل ومنها برج بابل والجنائن المعلقة، بالإضافة لحديثٍ مفصل عن التصوير التوراتي لبابل وذكرها في النصوص الكلاسيكية وكتب الرحّالة اللاحقين. لا ينتهي الكتاب بسقوط بابل عام 539 قبل الميلاد ويستمر ليوضح وضعها في ظل الفرس الأخمينيين والهيلينيين والسلوقيين والفرثيين "الفرس" والرومان وحتى اندثارها. الكتاب شيّق للغاية ويورد في خاتمته مصادر لقراءات أكثر بهدف الاستزادة في جوانب محددة.
Quotes:
- Babylon was called Bāb-ilim—‘Gate of God’. Ka-dingirra, the city’s Sumerian name, has the same meaning. We don’t know which name was earlier, but it was the Akkadian one that became firmly established in ancient tradition. From it was derived the Greek name for the city, ‘Babylon’. In Hebrew the city was called Bābel.
- Self-evidently derived from ‘Babylon’, ‘Babylonia’ is not an ancient name. It’s one adopted by modern scholars to refer to southern Mesopotamia from the first time it was dominated by the city of Babylon, particularly from Hammurabi’s reign onwards.
- Medicine was another skilled profession for which Babylonians were well known. This is illustrated by a letter from a Hittite king called Hattusili to his Babylonian royal brother Kadashman-Enlil II. The latter had complained of Hattusili’s failure to return to him two doctors and an incantation priest sent from Babylonia on temporary loan to the Hittite court. In response, Hattusili informed his correspondent that the first doctor had decided to stay in the Hittite capital (he did so after receiving a substantial bribe), the incantation priest had gone missing, and the second doctor had died. Then in what appears to be an extraordinary display of chutzpah, Hattusili added that he would like some statues for his family quarters, and could his royal brother please send him a sculptor to do the job. The Babylonians had an international reputation as skilled artists as well as medical practitioners!
- We should now introduce another group of tribal peoples who were to play an increasingly prominent role in Babylonian history. In Akkadian, they were known by the term kaldu. From the Greek-derived word Chaldaioi, we call them Chaldaeans. Also speaking a west Semitic language, they probably entered Babylonia from the northwest some time in the eleventh or tenth century bc, but subsequently established settlements along the lower Euphrates and in the Sealand marshlands at the head of the Persian Gulf. They seem to have shared a number of features with the Aramaeans, though our ancient sources make a clear distinction between the two groups. These sources identify five Chaldaean tribes, the most important of which were Bit-Dakkuri, Bit-Amukani, and Bit-Yakin (Bit = ‘House of’).
- While many of the Chaldaeans probably continued to live a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle after their arrival in Babylonia, others appear to have taken quickly to an urban existence, building their own towns and cities, and becoming closely involved in Babylonian so-cial and political life. Some of them even adopted Babylonian names. They nonetheless maintained their traditional tribal structures and distinct identity. Some became very wealthy, through income derived from large livestock enterprises and because of the excellent strategic location of many of their settlements on major trade routes. A number of their leaders became prominent in the Babylonian political scene, and several of them actually occupied the Babylonian throne for a time, as we shall see.
- By and large, Babylonia remained a prosperous land under Persian rule, with a number of its cities continuing to be bustling centres of trade and commerce, and maintaining their reputation as major centres of learning. These features helped attract a stream of new settlers from many other lands. From both native and Classical sources, we learn of the great variety of nationalities represented in the capital and other Babylonian cities. Included among the crowds who thronged their thoroughfares were peoples from India, Afghanistan, and Iran in the east, Arabs and Egyptians from the south and south-west, Armenians from the north, and Syrians, Greeks, Carians, Lydians, and Phrygians from the north-west. A veritable babel of languages filled the streets of its cities. Babylonia may have been of only marginal political importance in the era of the Persian empire. But in terms of its cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism, it was now, perhaps more than ever before, one of the great international meetingplaces of the Near Eastern world.
#كلكامش_نبيل
#مراجعات_كتب
Quotes:
- Babylon was called Bāb-ilim—‘Gate of God’. Ka-dingirra, the city’s Sumerian name, has the same meaning. We don’t know which name was earlier, but it was the Akkadian one that became firmly established in ancient tradition. From it was derived the Greek name for the city, ‘Babylon’. In Hebrew the city was called Bābel.
- Self-evidently derived from ‘Babylon’, ‘Babylonia’ is not an ancient name. It’s one adopted by modern scholars to refer to southern Mesopotamia from the first time it was dominated by the city of Babylon, particularly from Hammurabi’s reign onwards.
- Medicine was another skilled profession for which Babylonians were well known. This is illustrated by a letter from a Hittite king called Hattusili to his Babylonian royal brother Kadashman-Enlil II. The latter had complained of Hattusili’s failure to return to him two doctors and an incantation priest sent from Babylonia on temporary loan to the Hittite court. In response, Hattusili informed his correspondent that the first doctor had decided to stay in the Hittite capital (he did so after receiving a substantial bribe), the incantation priest had gone missing, and the second doctor had died. Then in what appears to be an extraordinary display of chutzpah, Hattusili added that he would like some statues for his family quarters, and could his royal brother please send him a sculptor to do the job. The Babylonians had an international reputation as skilled artists as well as medical practitioners!
- We should now introduce another group of tribal peoples who were to play an increasingly prominent role in Babylonian history. In Akkadian, they were known by the term kaldu. From the Greek-derived word Chaldaioi, we call them Chaldaeans. Also speaking a west Semitic language, they probably entered Babylonia from the northwest some time in the eleventh or tenth century bc, but subsequently established settlements along the lower Euphrates and in the Sealand marshlands at the head of the Persian Gulf. They seem to have shared a number of features with the Aramaeans, though our ancient sources make a clear distinction between the two groups. These sources identify five Chaldaean tribes, the most important of which were Bit-Dakkuri, Bit-Amukani, and Bit-Yakin (Bit = ‘House of’).
- While many of the Chaldaeans probably continued to live a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle after their arrival in Babylonia, others appear to have taken quickly to an urban existence, building their own towns and cities, and becoming closely involved in Babylonian so-cial and political life. Some of them even adopted Babylonian names. They nonetheless maintained their traditional tribal structures and distinct identity. Some became very wealthy, through income derived from large livestock enterprises and because of the excellent strategic location of many of their settlements on major trade routes. A number of their leaders became prominent in the Babylonian political scene, and several of them actually occupied the Babylonian throne for a time, as we shall see.
- By and large, Babylonia remained a prosperous land under Persian rule, with a number of its cities continuing to be bustling centres of trade and commerce, and maintaining their reputation as major centres of learning. These features helped attract a stream of new settlers from many other lands. From both native and Classical sources, we learn of the great variety of nationalities represented in the capital and other Babylonian cities. Included among the crowds who thronged their thoroughfares were peoples from India, Afghanistan, and Iran in the east, Arabs and Egyptians from the south and south-west, Armenians from the north, and Syrians, Greeks, Carians, Lydians, and Phrygians from the north-west. A veritable babel of languages filled the streets of its cities. Babylonia may have been of only marginal political importance in the era of the Persian empire. But in terms of its cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism, it was now, perhaps more than ever before, one of the great international meetingplaces of the Near Eastern world.
#كلكامش_نبيل
#مراجعات_كتب
December 19, 2018
Absolutely fantastic - covers everything you need to know. I wish it dealt with their laws more but a whole chapter seems good - and the bibliography gave me several books to check out.
October 31, 2025
Babylon always felt distant to me - half biblical myth, half museum label. I knew fragments: Gilgamesh, the Hanging Gardens, cuneiform, Nebuchadnezzar, astronomy and accounting, between two rivers. It sounded like a single grand civilization sitting quietly in the cradle of civilization.
This book shattered that image. For almost three millennia Babylonia wasn’t a stable kingdom at all but a revolving stage of overlords, city-states, and empires. Every few centuries someone new took power, claimed Marduk’s favor, and tried to inherit Babylon’s prestige. What looked timeless was really a feedback system constantly rebooting itself.
Bryce writes clearly, like someone who actually wants to communicate, not lecture. You follow Mesopotamian politics and its neighbors’ rise and fall. I was fascinated to learn that the southern marshes of modern Iraq once teemed with life, that Hammurabi’s code wasn’t the first, and that debt forgiveness was a recurring survival tactic - every twenty years or so a king hit “reset” to keep society from devouring itself.
Even the law reads like early moral philosophy: if you catch your wife with her lover, both drown or neither - Babylon’s first trolley problem. The Jewish exile under Nebuchadnezzar, stripped of its biblical drama and re-examined through cuneiform evidence, turns into real geopolitics instead of divine punishment.
By the end, Babylonia feels less like ancient history and more like a prototype of civilization itself: bureaucracy, faith, credit, collapse, repeat. It’s a short, elegant book that doesn’t romanticize but reveals the gears turning beneath the myth.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes history written without academic fog, and who enjoys realizing how modern the ancient world actually was.
This book shattered that image. For almost three millennia Babylonia wasn’t a stable kingdom at all but a revolving stage of overlords, city-states, and empires. Every few centuries someone new took power, claimed Marduk’s favor, and tried to inherit Babylon’s prestige. What looked timeless was really a feedback system constantly rebooting itself.
Bryce writes clearly, like someone who actually wants to communicate, not lecture. You follow Mesopotamian politics and its neighbors’ rise and fall. I was fascinated to learn that the southern marshes of modern Iraq once teemed with life, that Hammurabi’s code wasn’t the first, and that debt forgiveness was a recurring survival tactic - every twenty years or so a king hit “reset” to keep society from devouring itself.
Even the law reads like early moral philosophy: if you catch your wife with her lover, both drown or neither - Babylon’s first trolley problem. The Jewish exile under Nebuchadnezzar, stripped of its biblical drama and re-examined through cuneiform evidence, turns into real geopolitics instead of divine punishment.
By the end, Babylonia feels less like ancient history and more like a prototype of civilization itself: bureaucracy, faith, credit, collapse, repeat. It’s a short, elegant book that doesn’t romanticize but reveals the gears turning beneath the myth.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes history written without academic fog, and who enjoys realizing how modern the ancient world actually was.
January 20, 2019
A lucid, readable survey of Babylonian history that covers the rise and fall and fracturing of numerous early empires, from before Hammurabi to after Alexander. I use it to teach, and appreciate how Bryce not only offers a look at scholarly consensus and debate, but the nature of the sources used to form that consensus and debate.
September 7, 2022
Fantastic Intro to this extraordinary civilization. Full of facts and details without being boring.
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February 12, 2023What kind of scribe is one who knows no Sumerian?
April 4, 2022
Babylonia (meaning “gate of god”) is one of the kingdoms in the near-east, the same as Babel in Hebrew scripture.
The most famous Babylonian king is perhaps Hammurabi, whose stele showing him as god’s representative on earth and a long list of laws established the tradition of king-as-chief-justice to protect everyone. In the near-east, he was high on the pecking order, with 10-15 kings following him. His dynasty expanded territory c. 1763 BCE and ended by kings of Hittites in 1595 BCE. Subsequently there is a long interlude with shifting river paths and power of Kingdoms.
A “son of nobody” managed to wrestle the control of Babylonia from the Assyrians and established the Neo-Babylonia. This kingdom is rich and cultured. There is an epic of Gilgamesh. But in the Jude’s-Christian tradition, Babylonia received highly negative portrayal. The most striking building the Ziggurats became the notorious Tower of Babel. This animosity is thanks to Nebuchadnezzar, who laid siege of Jerusalem and because the king there changed allegiance. Nebuchadnezzar installed a puppet regime, but the king rebelled after 9 years. For this reason, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem (c. 587 BCE), ended their First-Temple Period, and took the Jews.
Not much later, Cyrus the Persian king expanded control and conquered Babylonia (539BC) setting free the Jews. In Jewish scripture, “writing on the war” story is attributed to Neb’s son Belshazzar, which is a compound character. After Cyrus, his son Cambyses lived in Babylonia as a representative. His son Darius suppressed local rebels. Darius’s son Xerxes was assassinated. His son Artaxerxes still controlled Babylonia. But then Alexander took over (c. 330BCE). After Alexander’s death, the control fluctuated between Seleucid and Parthian empires. Following that there is mixed report of desolation and abandonment. It may have continued to function until 3rd c. CE.
The most famous Babylonian king is perhaps Hammurabi, whose stele showing him as god’s representative on earth and a long list of laws established the tradition of king-as-chief-justice to protect everyone. In the near-east, he was high on the pecking order, with 10-15 kings following him. His dynasty expanded territory c. 1763 BCE and ended by kings of Hittites in 1595 BCE. Subsequently there is a long interlude with shifting river paths and power of Kingdoms.
A “son of nobody” managed to wrestle the control of Babylonia from the Assyrians and established the Neo-Babylonia. This kingdom is rich and cultured. There is an epic of Gilgamesh. But in the Jude’s-Christian tradition, Babylonia received highly negative portrayal. The most striking building the Ziggurats became the notorious Tower of Babel. This animosity is thanks to Nebuchadnezzar, who laid siege of Jerusalem and because the king there changed allegiance. Nebuchadnezzar installed a puppet regime, but the king rebelled after 9 years. For this reason, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem (c. 587 BCE), ended their First-Temple Period, and took the Jews.
Not much later, Cyrus the Persian king expanded control and conquered Babylonia (539BC) setting free the Jews. In Jewish scripture, “writing on the war” story is attributed to Neb’s son Belshazzar, which is a compound character. After Cyrus, his son Cambyses lived in Babylonia as a representative. His son Darius suppressed local rebels. Darius’s son Xerxes was assassinated. His son Artaxerxes still controlled Babylonia. But then Alexander took over (c. 330BCE). After Alexander’s death, the control fluctuated between Seleucid and Parthian empires. Following that there is mixed report of desolation and abandonment. It may have continued to function until 3rd c. CE.
May 31, 2021
Good introduction. It's fun to read some history from a period you know absolutely nothing about.
May 13, 2018
A short, sweet summary of Babylon and the Babylonian empire and its contributions from the Old Babylonian period until the Seleucid times. Immensely readable and a very fast paced narrative, if you're looking for introductory material on Babylon.Please note that the book is quite small, and is in no way meant to be a comprehensive coverage of the civilization. It can be used as a starter or a teaser course before delving deeper into Babylonian history.
February 22, 2024
Babylon! I like a book that does what it says it does. Babylon, the city and its empire(s) are a part of the mental furniture for an educated westerner. But I had some very serious confusion about where that furniture belonged. This book helped me sort it out. I've always known that Mesopotamia was a big deal, a cradle of civilization, but I couldn't tell you the difference between a Sumerian, a Babylonian & an Assyrian. This book helped me sort the details out a bit.
I was disturbed to find how much history I was telescoping into a single thing under the heading of "Babylon". The three Babylonian data points I was aware of, involve three different empires in three very different historical empires. The Babylon of Hammurabi, and his famous code of laws, dates back to 1792-1750 BCE. The biblical Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar, the captivity of the Jews, and the "writing on the wall" took place over a thousand years later, in the 600s & 500s BCE. The entire Assyrian empire era, based more in Northern Iraq, took place in between Hammurabi's Babylonian empire, and Nebuchadnezzar's Neo-Babylonian empire. Leaving aside the absurdity of calling anything before Jesus Christ "neo-" it was good to have all of this clarified.
Alexander the Great's famous march through the gates of Babylon, and later death there, the main cinematic events I associate with the topic, took place in the 300s BCE, when Babylon was just another subject city of the Persian empire. There is a lot of history out there. And it's easy to lose track of where it all sits, and how it all works. That's one reason why Oxford's Very Short Introductions can be so useful.
I was disturbed to find how much history I was telescoping into a single thing under the heading of "Babylon". The three Babylonian data points I was aware of, involve three different empires in three very different historical empires. The Babylon of Hammurabi, and his famous code of laws, dates back to 1792-1750 BCE. The biblical Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar, the captivity of the Jews, and the "writing on the wall" took place over a thousand years later, in the 600s & 500s BCE. The entire Assyrian empire era, based more in Northern Iraq, took place in between Hammurabi's Babylonian empire, and Nebuchadnezzar's Neo-Babylonian empire. Leaving aside the absurdity of calling anything before Jesus Christ "neo-" it was good to have all of this clarified.
Alexander the Great's famous march through the gates of Babylon, and later death there, the main cinematic events I associate with the topic, took place in the 300s BCE, when Babylon was just another subject city of the Persian empire. There is a lot of history out there. And it's easy to lose track of where it all sits, and how it all works. That's one reason why Oxford's Very Short Introductions can be so useful.
December 4, 2024
he Australian Hittitologist Trevor R. Bryce wrote Babylonia: A Very Short Introduction. I read the edition that was published in 2016. The book has illustrations and maps. The book has a timeline. The book has a “king list” of notable kings of the central part of the history of Babylon (Byce 121-122). The book has a section of reference and index. The book has a section entitled “further reading” (Byce 131-136). Byce writes, “‘Babylonia’ is not an ancient name. It’s adapted by modern scholars to southern Mesopotamia from the first time it was dominated by the city of Babylon from the reign of Hammurabi onwards” (Byce 5). Hammurabi was the ruler of Babylon from 1792 until 1750 BCE. The book is focused on the history of Babylonia between the reign of Hammurabi and Roman Emperor Trajan. The Roman Emperor Trajan visited Babylonia in 116 CE (Bryce 111). The other major king in the book is Nebuchadnezzar II, who reigned from 605 BCE until 562 BCE. The book includes a chapter on “writings, scribes, and literature” (Byrce 52-63). Each chapter examines a different aspect of Babylonia civilization. The book has two chapters on the urban studies of Babylon. The book has a chapter on Hammurabi’s legal code. The book is divided into different phases of Babylonia's history. The book does follow the history of Babylonia chronically. Byce’s book was an excellent introduction to Babylonia.
Works Cited:
The University of Chicago. 2024. “Cuneiform Studies.” Department of Middle Eastern Studies. Cuneiform Studies | Middle Eastern Studies
Works Cited:
The University of Chicago. 2024. “Cuneiform Studies.” Department of Middle Eastern Studies. Cuneiform Studies | Middle Eastern Studies
September 24, 2023
An obligatory cover art analysis: Palette evoking the Ishtar Gate, that wonder of Babel. Thickly laid impasto ochres and oranges, reminiscent of the barren landscape of Mesopotamia and the baked brick witch which its effigies, grand and mundane, were built. Below: wet, fathered, glazed over blank canvas in dark and vibrant ultramarine - here, the waters of the Euphrates, deep and enigmatic. In-between is the narrow green of the floodplain, a reminder of the geographic determinant and made and broke all the realms of the Fertile Crescent, the thin line of agricultural civilisation, the knife's edge upon which kingdoms dance.
The historical short introductions really have it easy, what with the concrete matters of whole eras providing tonnes of material to draw varyingly abstract allusions from.
I give this Very Short Introduction cover 5/5 stars.
... A great brief introduction to Babylonia, that manages to keep near two millennia of historical developments comprehensible and keeps the through line of the cultural influences of Babylon to the forefront - a fitting approach to a civilisation that has laid buried for the majority of centuries past and enjoyed both fame and infamy in the cultural zeitgeist and oeuvre of all the civilisations it touched.
The historical short introductions really have it easy, what with the concrete matters of whole eras providing tonnes of material to draw varyingly abstract allusions from.
I give this Very Short Introduction cover 5/5 stars.
... A great brief introduction to Babylonia, that manages to keep near two millennia of historical developments comprehensible and keeps the through line of the cultural influences of Babylon to the forefront - a fitting approach to a civilisation that has laid buried for the majority of centuries past and enjoyed both fame and infamy in the cultural zeitgeist and oeuvre of all the civilisations it touched.
February 19, 2025
I have of course, heard of Babylon before, due to its mention in the massively popular IP, the Bible. Babylon was depicted in the Bible as kind of a terrible place, like Las Vegas, or an aquarium in Nebraska.
However Mr. Bryce opened my eyes to the amazing society of the Babylonians.
For fans of Survivor, or The Challenge, there are some great passages that talk about the lex talkonis principle, or eye for an eye laws. There was also something called the "River Ordeal" which a woman and her alleged lover were put through in order to determine if they cheated. Why can't this be added to the Bachelor?!
This book also brings the drama. In a "Married at first sight" type arrangement, the Babylonian king sent one of his daughters to the kingdom of Hatti, where her new beau ditched his first wife(and their five kids) for her. In a shocking twist, her new step son accused her of killing his wife, throwing her out of the royal court. Real housewives of New Jersey could never!
I loved the drama, loved the beautiful set( the hanging gardens seemed much better than the villa on love island) A must read for all.
However Mr. Bryce opened my eyes to the amazing society of the Babylonians.
For fans of Survivor, or The Challenge, there are some great passages that talk about the lex talkonis principle, or eye for an eye laws. There was also something called the "River Ordeal" which a woman and her alleged lover were put through in order to determine if they cheated. Why can't this be added to the Bachelor?!
This book also brings the drama. In a "Married at first sight" type arrangement, the Babylonian king sent one of his daughters to the kingdom of Hatti, where her new beau ditched his first wife(and their five kids) for her. In a shocking twist, her new step son accused her of killing his wife, throwing her out of the royal court. Real housewives of New Jersey could never!
I loved the drama, loved the beautiful set( the hanging gardens seemed much better than the villa on love island) A must read for all.
February 7, 2023
This book is very insightful, yet compact for learning about the Babylonians. This book does take in context the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Persians as well, but puts focus on Babylonian history. I love these short introductions by Oxford Press. This book pairs well with Ancient Assyria: A Very Short Introduction in forming a more complete history of early Mesopotamia. There is no end to what we owe these civilizations in terms of the traditions that still appear in our cultures today.
January 18, 2020
Chapter 1: The Old Babylonian period
Chapter 2: Babylonian society through the perspective of Hammurabi's Laws
Chapter 3: Old Babylonian cities
Chapter 4: The Kassites
Chapter 5: Writing, scribes, and literature
Chapter 6: The long interlude
Chapter 7: The Neo-Babylonian empire
Chapter 8: Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Chapter 9: Babylonia in later ages
Chapter 2: Babylonian society through the perspective of Hammurabi's Laws
Chapter 3: Old Babylonian cities
Chapter 4: The Kassites
Chapter 5: Writing, scribes, and literature
Chapter 6: The long interlude
Chapter 7: The Neo-Babylonian empire
Chapter 8: Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Chapter 9: Babylonia in later ages
October 30, 2022
A great read to contextualize the myriad references to Babylonia often encountered in a classic education. Clearly there are many incarnations of this 'lost empire', that turns out to be well-preserved after all, if not physically definitely in the traditions and culture of the near eastern and western civilizations that followed in its footsteps.
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May 15, 2022Livro muito interessante e de agradável leitura sobre a Babilónia, civilização herdeira das antigas civilizações da Mesopotâmia e cujas literatura e ciência vieram depois a influenciar a nossa cultura ocidental. Percorre toda a história da Babilónia desde Hamurabi até ao Império Selêucida.
February 24, 2023
Great overview of very important events and rulers. I would have liked to read more about the role of astrology and astronomy in the Babylonian world as it was very short (which makes sense, it’s a short introduction) but other than that a good read.
August 3, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is exceptional. The author has done splendid work in putting together the information with thoroughness. The book was never boring nor was it overly simple or complex to understand.
March 9, 2019
Engaging and informative.
March 9, 2021
A great little survey of Babylonia, very good for a quick, well researched and easily digestible introduction.
December 18, 2022
A well-researched, very readable introduction to an unfamiliar topic.
October 6, 2024
5/5
Indrukwekkende beschaving. Dit boek was eigenlijk precies wat ik hoopte en ervan verwachtte.
Indrukwekkende beschaving. Dit boek was eigenlijk precies wat ik hoopte en ervan verwachtte.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews