Daniel C. Snell graduated from Stanford in 1971, took his PhD in Near Eastern Languages from Yale in 1975, and taught at several universities and colleges throughout his career. Now retired, he was L. J. Semrod Presidential Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma. He has authored several books, including the basic workbook for learning cuneiform signs. Dr. Snell held a Fulbright Fellowship to Syria and a Mellon Fellowship at the City University of New York. His latest book is Ancient Near East: The Basics (Routledge, 2014).

Illustrations List ix
Notes on Contributors xi
Introduction 1
Part I The Big Picture 9
1 A History of the Ancient Near East 11
Mario Liverani
2 From Sedentism to States, 10 000-3000 BCE 27
Augusta McMahon
Part II The Physical World 45
3 Archaeology and the Ancient Near East: Renewing a Culture-Historical Partnership 47
Marie-Henriette Gates
4 The Degradation of the Ancient Near Eastern Environment 65
Carlos E. Cordova
Part III The Social World 85
5 Gender Roles in Ancient Egypt 87
Ann Macy Roth
6 Royal Women and the Exercise of Power in the Ancient Near East 97
Sarah C. Melville
7 The Family in the Ancient Near East 111
John P. Nielsen
8 Pastoralism in the Ancient Near East 125
Anne Porter
9 Money and Traders 145
Christopher M. Monroe
10 Law and Practice 165
Bruce Wells
11 Working 181
David A. Warburton
12 Social Tensions in the Ancient Near East 201
John Robertson
13 Borders and States 225
Steven Grosby
14 Divine and Non-Divine Kingship 243
Philip Jones
Part IV Thought 261
15 Transmission of Knowledge 263
Benjamin Foster
16 Literature of Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East 273
Susan Tower Hollis
17 Ancient Near Eastern Philosophy 293
Marc van de Mieroop
18 Mesopotamian Cosmology 305
Francesca Rochberg
19 Ancient Mesopotamian Religion 321
Nicole Brisch
Part V Culture 339
20 The Languages of the Ancient Near East 341
John Huehnergard
21 Mesopotamian Art 355
Marian H. Feldman
22 Egyptian Medicine 377
Tanja Pommerening
23 Warfare in Mesopotamia 399
Sarah C. Melville
Part VI Inheritances 421
24 The Decipherment of the Ancient Near East 423
Peter T. Daniels
25 Monotheism and Ancient Israelite Religion 439
S. David Sperling
26 The Ancient Near East and Biblical Scholarship: Recently Uncovered Archives from the Cuneiform World 455
Mark Chavalas
27 Pharaonic Heritage in Modern Egypt 471
Donald Malcolm Reid
28 Conclusions 487
Daniel C. Snell
Index 497

The new edition of the popular survey of Near Eastern civilization from the Bronze Age to the era of Alexander the Great
A Companion to the Ancient Near East explores the history of the region from 4400 BCE to the Macedonian conquest of the Persian Empire in 330 BCE. Original and revised essays from a team of distinguished scholars from across disciplines address subjects including the politics, economics, architecture, and heritage of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Part of the Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World series, this acclaimed single-volume reference combines lively writing with engaging and relatable topics to immerse readers in this fascinating period of Near East history.
The new second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to include new developments in relevant fields, particularly archaeology, and expand on themes of interest to contemporary students. Clear, accessible chapters offer fresh discussions on the history of the family and gender roles, the literature, languages, and religions of the region, pastoralism, medicine and philosophy, and borders, states, and warfare. New essays highlight recent discoveries in cuneiform texts, investigate how modern Egyptians came to understand their ancient history, and examine the place of archaeology among the historical disciplines. This volume:
* Provides substantial new and revised content covering topics such as social conflict, kingship, cosmology, work, trade, and law
* Covers the civilizations of the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Israelites, and Persians, emphasizing social and cultural history
* Examines the legacy of the Ancient Near East in the medieval and modern worlds
* Offers a uniquely broad geographical, chronological, and topical range
* Includes a comprehensive bibliographical guide to Ancient Near East studies as well as new and updated references and reading suggestions
Suitable for use as both a primary reference or as a supplement to a chronologically arranged textbook, A Companion to the Ancient Near East, 2nd Edition is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduates, beginning graduate students, instructors in the field, and scholars from other disciplines.