Bachelor
2021/2022
History of Mesopotamia
Category 'Best Course for Career Development'
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Compulsory course (Assyriology)
Area of studies:
Asian and African Studies
Delivered by:
Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
3 year, 1-4 module
Mode of studies:
distance learning
Online hours:
20
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
98
Course Syllabus
Abstract
After completing a brief introduction to the history of the Ancient Near East during the first year, the students are now offered an in-depth training in main subjects of the economic, social, political and cultural history of Mesopotamia, encompassing the periods from the rise of Sumerian city-states in the early 3rd millennium until the Persian invasion in the late 6th century BC. The 3rd millennium section will explore the earliest city-states, the concept of kingship and political power, the arrival of the Semites in Mesopotamia and its impact on society and economy of the region, and finally, the state bureaucracy at its height under the Ur III dynasty. For the Old Babylonian period (ca. 2000-1600 BC), the key issues include the role and structure of the palace economy, the relations between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers, and the system of international relations. The later periods offer subjects such as Middle Babylonian approach to land property, Middle Assyrian law, the organization of the Neo-Assyrian empire, and the life of temple households in 1st millennium Babylonia. The course involves reading primary sources, both original (in Sumerian and Akkadian) and translated.
Learning Objectives
- This course aims to introduce the archaeological and textual evidence for the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations and explore how it can be reconstructed to provide a coherent picture of society, economics and political developments in Mesopotamia throughout its three millenia of history.
- This course aims to introduce the archaeological and textual evidence for the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations and explore how it can be reconstructed to provide a coherent picture of society, economics and political developments in Mesopotamia throughout its three millenia of history. By the end of this course students will be expected to understand the range of evidence for reconstructing an ancient society as well as the general outline of the chronology and cultural and political developments in ancient Mesopotamia. Upon completion of the course the students will be expected to have gained the following skills: critical assessment of different types of evidence and their context; correlation of many threads of evidence to arrive at a narrative interpretation; present clear and rational arguments to defend the interpretation of evidence.
- By the end of this course students will be expected to understand the range of evidence for reconstructing an ancient society as well as the general outline of the chronology and cultural and political developments in ancient Mesopotamia.
- Upon completion of the course the students will be expected to have gained the following skills: critical assessment of different types of evidence and their context; correlation of many threads of evidence to arrive at a narrative interpretation; present clear and rational arguments to defend the interpretation of evidence.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Being able to address the key events of the later phase of the Early Dynastic period. Knowledge of the morden approach to the key historical problems of the period.
- Knowledge of the economic and political structure of the Ur-III state. The ability to explain the bala-system as reflected in Ur-III documents.
- Knowledge of the key events and problems of the Sargonic period and the ability to discuss themusing the most up-to-date research.
- The ability to discuss political, economic and social developments observed in the Early Dynastic period.
- The ability to discuss political, economic and social developments observed in the Hammurabi period.
- The ability to discuss political, economic and social developments observed in the Isin-Larsa period.
- The ability to discuss political, economic and social developments observed in the late Old Babylonian period.
- The awareness of the up-to-date state of research of the Old Assyrian period. Knowledge of the Assyrian trading system and relations between Ashur and Asia Minor.
Course Contents
- The Early Dynastic period: Rivaling City-States of Southern Mesopotamia
- History of Mesopotamia, 1500–1000 BC
- Political Centralization in the early Third Millennium. The Sargonic state.
- History of Mesopotamia, 1st millennium BC
- The years of political fragmentation: Mesopotamia before the Ur-III Dynasty
- The Ur-III Dynasty
- Post-Sargonic political developments in Northern Mesopotamia: the Old Assyrian period.
- The dominance of Isin and Larsa: the Early Old Babylonian period.
- The age of Hammurabi: the Classical Old Babylonian Period
- The return of polycentrism: the Late Old Babylonian Period.
Assessment Elements
- Tests, essay
- Exam
- Работа на семинарах
- Самостоятельные работыПроводятся в среднем один раз за модуль. Оценка за MOOC приравнивается к оценке за одну самостоятельную работу.
- Экзамен
Interim Assessment
- 2020/2021 2nd module0.5 * Exam + 0.5 * Tests, essay
- 2020/2021 4th module0.6 * Tests, essay + 0.4 * 2020/2021 2nd module
- 2021/2022 4th module0.5 * Экзамен + 0.25 * Работа на семинарах + 0.25 * Самостоятельные работы
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Ancient Assyria, Johns, C. H. W., 2012
- Eckart Frahm. (2017). A Companion to Assyria. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Liverani, M. (2013). The Ancient Near East : History, Society and Economy. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=671926
- Potts, D. T. (2012). A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=452228
- The Babylonian world, , 2009
- The great transformation : the political and economic origins of our time, Polanyi, K., 1971
- The invention of enterprise : entrepreneurship from ancient Mesopotamia to modern times, , 2010
- Van de Mieroop, M. (2016). A History of the Ancient Near East, Ca. 3000-323 BC (Vol. Third edition). Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1021678
- Зарождение древнейших классовых обществ и первые очаги рабовладельческой цивилизации. Ч.1: Месопотамия, , 1983
- Месопотамия до Саргона Аккадского. Древнейшие этапы истории, Ковалев, А. А., 2002
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Odette Boivin. (2018). The First Dynasty of the Sealand in Mesopotamia. De Gruyter.
- The great transformation: the political and economic origins of our time, Polanyi, K., 2001
- Trevor Bryce. (2012). The World of The Neo-Hittite Kingdoms : A Political and Military History. OUP Oxford.