Empires of Mesopotamia

In this fascinating book, author and historian Don Nardo looks at the three empires that rose and fell in Mesopotamia - the Akkadian Empire, the Assyrian Empire ("empires" really), and the Babylonian Empire. Along the way, he looks at the empires' culture, politics, and accomplishments. Included in this book are many wonderful maps and black-and-white pictures. This is a great book that, though written for younger readers, will give any reader of any age a good understanding of the empires of Mesopotamia. Now, I must admit that I do not entirely agree with everything that Mr. Nardo says in this book. In particular, I disagree with his contention that all of these people, including the Sumerians, are of the same race and culture. But, that said, I did find this to be a fascinating and highly informative read that is also concise and highly readable. If you want an introduction to the empires of Mesopotamia, then this is a good book for you to get. I highly recommend it!

"Empires of Mesopotamia" is rather unique in the Lost Civilizations series in that instead of looking at just one culture such as the Ancient Greeks, the Celts, or the Mayans, it covers a series of cultures that came to dominate the Fertile Crescent between ca. 3300-3000 B.C. when the Sumerians built the first Mesopotamian cities to 539 B.C. when Cyrus the Great of Persia captured the great city of Babylon. In between Don Nardo tells of the rise and fall of the Akkadia, Ur, Assyria, Babylon, the Hittites, the Sargonid dynasty, Chaldea, and Media. The evidence of these ancient civilizations comes from archaeological discovers and methods, which are briefly explained, that have revealed valuable information about important works, daily life, beliefs, and knowledge. As is the case with other volumes in this informative series, "Empires of Mesopotamia" begins and ends with a look at the history of who conquered whom, which the middle deals with the high culture and art, social organizations, and aspects of everyday life. Accompanying the text are black & white illustrations, including photographs of the Vulture Stele, the Ur-Nammu ziggurat, and detailed reliefs. Sidebars scattered throughout the book provide more detailed looks at the deadly chariots of the Assyrians, a Sumerian hymn, and the famous law code of Hammurabi. The back of the book contains a Chronology that extends from when the first people descended from the hills to settle in the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys ca. 5500 B.C. to the discovery of key evidence in the ruins of the Assyrian city of Nimrud in 1958. The key lesson that Nardo draws from the history of the Mesopotamian empires is that the cycle of conquest is a driving force of history, providing a constant infusion of new peoples, cultures, and beliefs, each merging with the older, traditional ones. It was also the Mesopotamians who conceived of civilization as existing separate from nature in an artificial Ultimately, Nardo sees the rich cultural mix of the modern Near East as the main legacy of these ancient civilizations. You have to admit, that is a rather ironic lesson to be learning about that particular region given current events.

The author has produced a first-rate overview of ancient Mesopotamia for non-scholars, including a surprisingly clear and effective explanation of how one culture grew out of or was influenced by those of the past in the area. It's very nice work by a very good researcher and writer.