Ancient Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization

Description

When we imagine what life might have been like thousands of years in the past, the images we often conjure are primitive ones: reed and mud huts or plain brick dwellings, cooking pits, villagers, and simple farms. That was indeed what life was like in the earliest settlements, but by 5,000 years ago, life in some places had become much more sophisticated than we might think. Impressive achievements - like stepped temples that towered like mountains, elaborate palaces (some with bathrooms and plumbing), and complex houses - were also a part of life for people who lived in cities that arose thousands of years ago, particularly in the fertile region that emerged along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Welcome to Mesopotamia, the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago. In this 24-lecture course taught by Professor Podany, you'll fill in the blanks of your historical understanding as you witness a whole new world opening before your eyes. Riveting stories about kings and priestesses as well as ordinary people from all walks of life transport you back in time, giving you invaluable insights into the history of a landmark region that has long been known as the cradle of civilization. Review: Interesting - It's an audio book, I listened to it. As a lover of history, Mesopotamia has passed me by, but these fascinating lectures, well delivered, have given me a starting point. Review: Compelling, logically sequenced and tied to great story telling - This work by Dr. Podany brings together the world discovered through archeology and ties it to the world we know, the connection being the Hebrew exiles in Israel. This is the story of the cradle of civilization, like a good civics course, but deeper and more nuanced in detail. It ties the very founding of civilization on earth with the reasons for its founding, its accomplishments and failures. Repeatedly, Podany presents a story on how the modern world found out about Mesopotamia, learned to translate their writings and above all, what we still don't know or understand. The creation myths of the Sumerians and Akkadians is presented, but not with a conspiracy twist, but with a solid slam for provable facts. Also, unlike many authors, Podany tries to help the listener understand these various people from their start to their end, and makes it clear that while they have the same problems we have today, our way of approaching them and seeing the world would be thoroughly alien. You get the sense that these long-dead people were the type that you would like, despite their beliefs and superstitions. The author also gives a nod to events and activities that would never be approved of today, such as tomb sacrifices akin to those in Egypt, and cleverly points that that this literal practice faded quickly. There from the first time that humans lived in villages to the clear absorption of Mesopotamia by the Persian Empire, and thus dilution of its identity, the story is presented. Real meaning is given to the names of various peoples long gone, as well as people who appear still in the news today, i.e, Assyrians. Minor repetitions of ideas and themes throughout the course help to reinforce the lessons from previous lectures and how they set up the world that was carried with the Hebrews and which transitioned from polytheism to monotheism.