The Ancient State: The Rulers and the Ruled

The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley #10

by Hugh Nibley, Stephen D. Ricks (Editor), Donald W. Parry (Editor)

Consists primarily of scholarly essays first published in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. The tenth book in the collected works of Hugh Nibley, this volume deals primarily with issues relating to ancient societies and the political superstructures associated with them.

Genres: Religion, Lds, History, Nonfiction

526 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

Hugh Winder Nibley was one of Mormonism's most celebrated scholars. Nibley is notable for his extensive research and publication on ancient languages and culture, his vigorous defense of doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for frankly discussing what he saw as the shortcomings of the LDS people and culture.

A prolific author and professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, he was fluent in over ten languages, including Classical Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Egyptian, Coptic, Arabic, German, French, English, and Spanish languages. He also studied Dutch and Russian during World War II.

In addition to his efforts as a scholar, Nibley was well known for writings and lectures on LDS scripture and doctrinal topics, many of which were published in LDS Church magazines. His book “An Approach to the Book of Mormon” was used as a lesson manual for the LDS Church in 1957.

Reviews

[Misty Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great intellectual read. It took a chapter or two to see the relevance between Hugh Nibley's examinatation of ancient history and our world today. I finally got it! and was very excited about the book. So often as he described the ancient world I shook my head and thought, that's us today! We are in the same state Rome was before it fell! A great book to read on the "Great Debate," (that necessarily encompases the issue of whether or not this world is all there is). Loved the book.

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although Nibley has a great sense of humor, and is extremely well-read in a number of languages, when he starts talking about proof for Mormon scripture he uses shoddy scholarship.

To understand Nibley's approach to scholarship, see:
Salmon, Douglas F. "Parallelomania and the Study of Latter-day Scripture: Confirmation, Coincidence, or the Collective Subconscious? Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 33, no. 2 (Summer 2000): 129-156.

This good has a couple of interesting sections about the sophist vs. the mantic (i.e., intellectual verses the person of faith).

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, even. Wide ranging studies dealing with ancient civilization from the symbolism of marked arrows, the origin of the hierocentric state (and the attendant ritualism that is still with us today), to the tension in Hellenic civilization between the Mantic and the Sophic impulses. Very interesting and gives more insight to the development of the Western worldview.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for history buffs. Nibley associates things in such a way as to make you view the world of today differently than before you read his words. Truly, we cannot understand where we are if we do not know how we got here- Nibley sheds welcome light!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Joe Atwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the chapters are amazing, but some kind of boring. If the end started out like the beginning, it would be a 5.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend the Chapters "Three Shrines: Mantic, Sophic, and Sophistic" and "Paths That Stray: Some Notes on Sophic and Mantic."

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

some parts I found interesting, some parts were difficult to get through