Civilizations of the Ancient Near East

The course aims at giving a basic preparation on the ancient Near Eastern cultures from the urbanization in the 4th millennium BCE to the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 539 BCE. Students will be trained to have a general understanding on the historical and cultural developments and on the methods of analysis and interpretation of sources.

Knowledge: achievement of a general understanding of the pre-classic cultures of the Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Iran in their diachronic development through the analysis of textual, iconographic and archaeological sources. Basic knowledge of the methodology of analysis and history of the research, from the beginning of the near eastern studies to the current challenges, also in relation with the geo-political situation of the Middle East.

Applying knowledge and understanding: Applying knowledge of a critical evaluation of the ancient Near Eastern cultures. Understanding of the various cultural aspects in relation to the chronological and geographical framework, recognizing the different paths of the historic development in each macro-regions (Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Iran).