History 111A
(Ancient Near East)
Professor Spyridakis
Fall 2013

REQUIRED READINGS

J. Oates, Babylon
N. K. Sanders, ed., The Epic of Gilgamesh
J. A. Wilson, The Culture of Ancient Egypt
H. M. Orlinsky, Ancient Israel

Before the midterm, read relevant chapters on the main Mesopotamian cultures in Oates' Babylon as well as the Sanders and Wilson books. Orlinsky's Ancient Israel should be read in the second part of the course, along with relevant materials on Persia in Oates' Babylon. These readings supplement the lectures which offer a personal interpretation of ancient history and emphasize the cultural, religious and intellectual legacy of the Ancient Near East.

Exam questions will be based primarily on themes and materials discussed in class and thoroughly covered in the readings.

GENERAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS

All students will be required to take the midterm and final examinations. Note, however, that the final examination (50% of course grade) is comprehensive, i.e., it covers the material of the entire quarter. The midterm (which is only 25% of your course grade) gives you the opportunity to discuss your exam with the readers and seek ways of improving your performance in the comprehensive final, in case your score is the result of inexperience rather than neglect.

You are also required to write a term paper dealing with any aspect of ancient Near Eastern history and culture that interests you and enhances your knowledge of the ancient world as well as your chosen academic field of study: e.g., an engineer could examine the construction of the pyramids, an agriculturalis...

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