Reviews

Amanda Podany. The Ancient Near East: A Very Short

Introduction. Oxford University Press: Oxford 2014. xix +
148 pp. ISBN 978-0-19-537799-6

Matthew G. Marsh
The Very Short Introduction series is a book series published by Oxford
Sul Ross State University
University Press which spans several academic disciplines and numbers well
[email protected]
over four hundred volumes. Pocket sized volumes, each entry in the Very
Short Introduction series is designed to give the general reader a quick and
accessible introduction to that subject.
Dr. Podany, who is Professor and Chair of History at California State
Polytechnic University, has published previously over topics in the Ancient
Near East, most recent publication was Brotherhood of Kings: How International
Relations Shaped the Ancient Near East (2012). In this slim volume Dr. Podany
ambitiously covers roughly three thousand years of history in the Ancient
Near East, starting with the appearance of cuneiform writing around 3600
B.C. and continuing forward to the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire to the
Achaemenid Iranian Empire in 539 B.C. The near east as a region does not
have hard set boundaries of where it starts and ends. The one constant is
the inclusion of Mesopotamia, the remaining areas included tend to fluctuate
based on the authors interests and the scope of their book. In this volume,
for presumably reasons of space, a conservative delineation of the Near East
is presented. Basing her definition of the Near East on the use of cuneiform
writing, Podany focuses on Mesopotamia, Syria and Anatolia regions.
Canaan, Egypt, Elam and Iran, some or all of whom can be included in longer
surveys of the region, only appear in the text when they interact with the
Mesopotamian culture or polity.
For The Ancient Near East Podany uses a chronological presentation,
as opposed to a thematic presentation. After an introductory chapter,
Archaeology and Environment, each of the following chapters looks a specific
chronological period in Near Eastern History. An abbreviated chronology
of the main periods, references, and a short but well organized selection of
suggestions for further reading round out the book.
In Chapter I: Archaeology and Environment, after a brief introduction
to the sheer chronological scope of three thousand years of Mesopotamian
civilization, Podany begins looking at the evidence available to construct DOI: 0.14795/j.v3i1.149
the history of the Ancient Near East. After noting the paucity of non- ISSN 2360 – 266X
Mesopotamian written sources, she then introduces the importance and
ISSN–L 2360 – 266X
necessity of clay in southern Mesopotamian building, noting that this
building disadvantage to the Mesopotamians is an advantage to historians,
as it has allowed large numbers of artifacts to survive. Podany gives a brief
explanation of how archaeologists investigate a ‘tell’ before detailing the
issues that impede or make it impossible to investigate each site successfully.
From there Podany moves look at which lands in the Near East used cuneiform
writing (Mesopotamia, Syria, Elam and Anatolia) before going into greater
depth the environmental differences between the cuneiform lands. Podany
justly stresses how interconnected by trade these different regions were as
each had natural resources the others might lack.

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 Reviews
In Chapter 2: The Beginning of Cities, 3600-2900 BCE the administrative aspects of the empire. In the process
Podany looks at what is commonly called the Uruk period they would provide the template that several of the Near
and the beginnings of cuneiform writing. Using a fragment Eastern states would follow in the centuries and millennia to
of a proto-cuneiform tablet, found near the temple of Inanna come. Podany focuses on the non-military aspects of the Ur
in Uruk, as an example, Podany explores the difficulties that III empire, first looking at expansion of the administrative
face historians in attempting to translate proto-cuneiform apparatus used to serve the palaces and temples. Emphasis
writing. The tablet fragment is also used a launching point in is placed on the efforts of Ur-Namma and his successor
a wide ranging discussion of architecture and construction of Shulgi in trying to create standardisations of weights and
the temple, along with how the workers were compensated measures that could be used across their empire. Podany
for their work with food rations. Podany notes how proto- also looks at the development of the first written legal
cuneiform continued to evolve as temple offerings and code by Ur-Namma, which expressed its laws conditionally
economic concerns grew over the course of the period. The rather than simply forbidding an action. Also of note is the
last section of this chapter looks at the Uruk culture itself, importance of witnesses in the Ur III legal system, who
and how it was widespread not only in Mesopotamia but had to swear an oath to the gods that their testimony was
other areas of the Near East and the Levant. Podany right true. Podany finishes out the chapter by looking at the large
notes that Uruk colonies however, were not political or and sophisticated system of taxation and redistribution of
military colonies, but cultural colonies usually founded resources which developed in the Ur III period. Thanks to the
in uninhabited areas. As such they should not be taken as 120,000 and more economic cuneiform tablets discovered
evidence of a widespread organised state. dating to the Ur III period archaeologists and historians are
Chapter 3: The Early Dynastic Period, 2900-2334 BCE able to reconstruct much of the workings of this system.
looks at the rise of the Sumerian city states and the conflicts Chapter 6: The Old Assyrian colonies, 1950-1740 BCE
that arose between them. Podany looks at the Mesopotamian moves from Sumer & Akkad to northern Mesopotamia
tradition of kingship, a trait whose emergence she dates to look at the Old Assyrians and the trading network they
to around 2900 BCE. Beginning her discussion with the created in the early 2nd millennium. Here Podany initially
document known to us as the Sumerian Kings List she looks the trade connection between Kanesh (modern
rightly stresses how kingship was considered a divine gift Kultepe in central Turkey) and the city of Assur. This trade
from the gods (when kingship came down from heaven) relationship is attested by the more than 20,000 cuneiform
and part of the natural order of society. After a digression tablets found at Kanesh. Unlike later Assyrian periods, the
on Mesopotamian cosmological beliefs, which stressed the trade networks between Assur and the Anatolian cities were
lowly status of mankind in the world, Podany takes a look at not sponsored by the Assyrian state but by private merchants.
the primary city-states of the timer period, such as Lagash Podany emphasizes that it was not warfare but a need for
and Umma. The evolution of proto-cuneiform to the Early unavailable resources that spurred the contact between
Dynastic cuneiform during the period is noted, as well as the Assur and Kanesh. What a trade treaty between the two
realization by the kings (lugals) of Sumerian city-states of cities would look like is discussed along with the two major
the possibilities inherent in writing. resources, fabric and tin, that traveled between Assur and
With Chapter 4: The Akkadian Empire, 2334-2193 BCE Kanesh. From there Podany uses a cuneiform letter from one
Podany looks at the first large Near Eastern state, the Akkadian Assur-idi, an Assyrian merchant based in Assur, to his son
Empire. After a brief introduction of Sargon, founder of the Assur-nada, who was based in Kanesh as the representative
Empire, Podany looks at the scope of his campaigns. These of the family business, to illustrate the business concerns of
campaigns were very wide ranged as Sargon conquered the the time. Podany also emphasizes that due to widespread
Sumerian city-states, subjugated northern Mesopotamia, illiteracy in Mesopotamia letters were often expected to be
and campaigned in Syria plus possibly in southeastern read aloud. This factor can help explain why many cuneiform
Anatolia. After touching on the regions that traded with letters seem curt or brusque to modern readers. Letters were
the Akkadian Empire, Podany then looks at Sargons shrewd written to communicate important information over long
use of religion to provide support and legitimacy to his rule distances, not to “talk about the weather”.
through the appointment of his daughter Enheduanna as the Chapter 7: The Old Babylonian period, 2004-1595
High Priestess of the Moon Goddess Nanna in Ur. Podany BCE overlaps somewhat with Chapter 6, but puts its focus
also covers the Syrian kingdoms that Sargon campaigned on southern Mesopotamia and the emergence of Babylon
against, Elba and Mari, noting that while earlier historians as a major power in the region. Podany opens by looking
had viewed them as peripheral states and dependent on the at a letter to the King of Mari which lists the number of
Sumerians for their culture they were actually important states in Mesopotamia along with their vassals. She notes
and complex states in their own right. Podany finishes the that many of the rulers of the Mesopotamian city states
chapter by looking at some of the innovations to Sumerian were Amorite in origin, descended from the Amorite tribes
culture by the Akkadian dynasts, Naram-Sins elevation of which had been migrating into the region since the days
himself to godhood stands out for hubris. of the Ur III dynasty. From there Podany looks at the rise
The Akkadian successor in the Near East, the Ur- of Hammurabi of Babylon and how in a very short span of
III Empire is looked at in Chapter 5: The Third Dynasty of years he conquered the majority of Mesopotamia, using year
Ur, 2193-2004BCE. While Sargon and the Akkadian kings names to commemorate his successes. Podany stresses that
had created the concept of the Empire in the Near East it Hammurabi did more than just conquer the region but also
would be the Ur-III state that would refine and transform worked to strengthen the infrastructure of his empire. She

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Reviews
also notes that Hammurabi’s legal code is the accomplishment was as much a scholar as a warrior. She notes that he claimed
that he is most famous for today. From here Podany moves to have mastered omen reading, divination, mathematics
to look at daily life in the Old Babylonian period, noting that and language & literature, which was the core curriculum for
the vast number of cuneiform documents found from this most Assyrian schools. Also touched upon is Assurbanipal’s
period are private documents, unlike the Ur III era when the great library at Nineveh, discovered by Henry Layard in the
majority were from the temples and palaces. Podany uses mid-nineteenth century, in which he stored tens of thousands
excerpts from a contract documenting the purchase of land of cuneiform tablets on a variety of subjects. Podany also
to illustrate different aspects of Babylonian life. Emphasis is discusses how the Epic of Gilgamesh was one of the tablets
placed on the importance of social status in this time period found in Assurbanipal’s library, and the impact the discovery
and a brief explanation of the social hierarchy. Podany also of the flood episode had in nineteenth century Europe. She
notes that the Old Babylonian Empire faced many problems briefly covers the transmission of the Epic of Gilgamesh and
similar to earlier Mesopotamian states, namely rebellion on the role of Sin-leqe-unninni, a Babylonian scribe probably
the periphery and invasion, before falling by surprise to the during the Kassite period, in shaping the narrative and
armies of the King of Hatti Mursili I. overarching theme of the epic. Podany concludes the chapter
With Chapter 8: The Late Bronze Age 1600-1150 BCE by very briefly looking at the reasons for the collapse of the
the focus widens as Mesopotamian, Syrian and Anatolian Assyrian Empire, placing a large degree of responsibility on
states interacted with each other, and with New Kingdom civil war between rival heirs to the throne.
Egypt, on a military and diplomatic level far more complex With Chapter 10: The Neo-Babylonian Empire, 612-
than in earlier periods. Podany looks at how the main powers 539 BCE Podany concludes the book with a view of the final
in the Near East had extensive diplomatic contacts between Mesopotamian state to dominate the region. She notes that
them. This contact was through the form of cuneiform the Neo-Babylonians, unlike the Assyrians, did not have the
letters and also gifts, borne by ambassadors between the same focus on the glorification of warfare. As such their more
different courts. Podany briefly looks at the source of the enduring legacy was their ambitious building programs.
majority of our information on this time period, the Amarna After briefly looking at Nebuchadnezzar II’s role in the
Letters, mentioning the stir the letters caused at the time of restoration of Babylon, and in making it one of the greatest
their discovery in 1898. From there she discusses how the cities of the ancient world, Podany focuses the majority
peace between the Near Eastern nations was reinforced by of the chapter on the last ruler of the Neo-Babylonian
formal peace treaties between the main powers. Noting that Empire, Nabonidus. She looks at his role in the restoration
the formula used by nations for formal treaties would be of the temples of the Neo-Babylonian gods, noting that the
very similar, Podany uses the treaty from 1260 B.C. between maintenance of the temples and assuring the happiness of
Ramesses II of Egypt and Hattusili III of Hatti as an example, the gods was a primary concern of Near Eastern monarchs.
breaking down and briefly analyzing the components of the The New Year’s festival, the Akitu, where Bel-Marduk was
treaty. She stresses that each of the main powers in the beseeched to maintain the order of the universe, is then
Near East in the Late Bronze Age was considered equal to looked at. Podany indicates that the majority of the rituals
the other, and that there was not an international body to associated with the Akitu were done away from the public,
force the nations of follow a peace treaty. However, Podany including a ritual abasment of the king before Marduk for
also stresses that each of the states and their rulers believed his crown and authority. However, there was a public face
that violation of a formal treaty would bring the punishment to the festival in which the king “took the hand of Marduk”
of the gods down not just on the ruler but on the nation and rode through Babylon with the statue of the god. She
itself. Podany then briefly looks at the city Hattusa, capital notes that this aspect of the festival could only be performed
of the Hittite Empire, before quickly discussing the Hittite when the king was present in Babylon, and since Nabonidus
language. She concludes by briefly looking at the chaos years was absent in Tema. Lastly, the conquest of Babylon by the
that ended the Late Bronze Age, touching on some of the Achaemenid Persian Empire is looked at briefly.
main theories as to its fall. When reading The Ancient Near East one has to keep
In the penultimate Chapter 9: The Neo-Assyrian in mind the fact that Podany was working within a strict
Empire, 979-612 BCE, Podany looks at the first of the great page limit and the limitations of the size of the published
territorial, as opposed to a hegemonic, empires to appear. book1. While as a whole this is a strong work the final three
Podany very briefly covers how Assyria, after losing much chapters are, in this reviewer’s opinion, the weakest of the
of its territory at the Late Bronze Age, revived and built an book. Chapter 8, on the Late Bronze Age, does not clearly
empire four times larger than any previously. She notes that give the reader an understanding of who the major players
the Assyrians returned to the brutal imperial model of Sargon were in the region. The Kassite Babylonian state, known as
of Akkad, rather than the Old Babylonian or Ur III model, Kar Durniash, is dismissed with a sentence, despite the role
preferring to be feared by their subjects and embracing the Kassites stablising southern Mesopotamia and giving it
a culture of warfare. Using the topic of “Military tactics a regional Babylonian identity. Coverage of the Hittites is
and technology” Podany touches on some of the aspects superficial at best, with the military consequences of their
of Assyrian conquest including: the use of terror tactics, expansion into Syria unremarked on. Chapter 9, on the Neo-
deportation of entire populations, imperial propaganda, and Assyrian Empire, ultimately oversimplifies the entire period.
their use of the most advanced available military technology. It fails to make clear the fact that the Imperial phase can really
Podany then moves to look at the last great Assyrian King,   Each volume of the Very Short Introduction series measures 11 x 17.3 cm.
1

Assurbanipal, and how unlike other kings of antiquity, he Based on other volumes in this series the page count runs to about 125 pages.

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 Reviews
only be considered to have begun with the rise of Tiglath- disagreement with Podany over her narrow definition of
Pileser III in 745 B.C. Prior to this the goals of the Assyrians the Near East, this is still a very impressive book. Covering
in the Near East were based more upon control of trade routes such a large chronological period is not easy, especially given
and supplies, supported by a system of vassals, than outright the limitations of the Very Short Introduction series. With
conquest. The section of the chapter on Military Tactics and The Ancient Near East Podany has accomplished the nearly
Technology is vague and unfocused, spending more time on impossible task of providing a clear and concise introduction
the role of divination in the Empire rather than the actual to three thousand plus years of history. I would highly
military. Unremarked on also is the civil administration of recommend this for general readers and as one of the main
the Assyrian state and how many aspects of their provincial texts for undergraduate classrooms.
administration would be adapted by the Achaemenians for
their empire. Chapter 10, on the Neo-Babylonian Empire, REFERENCES
while providing excellent coverage of the cultural aspects CHARVÁT 2014
of the Empire practically ignores the political. The balance Charvat, P. The Birth of the State: Ancient Egypt, Mesopo-
of power in this period between Babylonia, Egypt and tamia, India and China. (Prague: Karolinum Press, Charles
University in Prague).
the Median confederation is unremarked on. Nor are the
CLINE 2014
possible political and/or military aspects of Nabonidus’s Cline, E. H. 1177 B.C. The Year Civilization Collapsed. (Prince-
period in Tema discussed. ton: Princeton University Press).
Also the two maps included are wholly inadequate. HALLO/SIMPSON 1998
The larger of the two covers the Near East and surrounding Hallo, W. W. and Simpson, W. K. The Ancient Near East: A
regions, but includes only limited geographic indicators History. 2nd Edition. (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College
with no indication of possible areas of political influence. Publishers).
The second and smaller map, of the major Mesopotamian LIVERANI 2014
city sites, has limited usefulness since a large number of the Liverani, M. The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Econ-
omy. (London: Routledge).
cities are found towards the spine of the book and hard to
NISSEN 1988
see without breaking the text block. There are a number of Nissen, H. The Early History of the Ancient Near East, 9000-
talented historical cartographers, Andras Breznay and Ian 2000 B. C. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).
Mladjov spring to mind, who could have contributed small SACK 2004
but clear maps to aid the reader with geographic and political Sack, R. Images of Neuchadnezzar: The Emergence of a Legend.
locations while reading the text. The inside of the front and 2nd Edition (Selinsgrove: Susquehanna University Press).
back cover, with their pseudo dustjacket flap, would make a SAGGS 1984
more accessible placement site for maps, allowing the reader Saggs, H. W. F. The Might that was Assyria. (London: Sidg-
to see them in their entirety. wick & Jackson).
SAGGS 1988
While, overall, the Further Reading section is
Saggs, H. W. F. The Greatness that was Babylon: A Survey of
outstanding there are a few somewhat surprising omissions. the Ancient Civilization of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. Rev.
In the section on general works the omission of Hallo Edition (London: Sidgwick & Jackson).
& Simpson The Ancient Near East, and H.W.F. Saggs The VANDERHOOFT 1999
Greatness that was Babylon was surprising given their role Vanderhooft, D. S. The Neo-Babylonian Empire and Babylon in
as standard introductory texts for the whole period2. Saggs the Latter Prophets. (Atlanta: Scholars Press).
Babylon in particular provides broad coverage of the socio- WISEMAN 1985
cultural aspects of Babylonian civilization. In the selections Wiseman, D. J. Nebucahdrezzar and Babylon: The Schweich
for Uruk, Early Dynastic and Ur-III periods Hans Nisson’s Lectures of the British Academy 1983. (Oxford: Oxford Uni-
versity Press).
The Early History of the Ancient Near East 9000-2000 B. C.
should be added as a must read3. Perhaps the most puzzling
omissions are in the selection for the Neo-Assyrian and
Neo-Babylonian Empires. Here H.W.F. Saggs The Might that
was Assyria, which is still the only major work in English on
the Assyrian Empire, is unmentioned4. Also unmentioned
are the major works of D. J. Wiseman, Nebuchadnezzar &
Babylon, Ronald Sack, Images of Nebuchadnezzar, and D.
S. Vanderhooft, The Neo-Babylonian Empire and Babylon
in the Later Prophets, on Nebuchadnezzar II and the Neo-
Babylonian state5. Works that most likely appeared after
Podany had submitted her manuscript and can be added to
her selection include: Pitor Charvet The Birth of the State, Eric
Cline 1177B. C., and Mario Livorani The Ancient Near East6.
However, despite the above criticisms, and a
2
  HALLO/SIMPSON 1999; SAGGS 1989.
3
  NISSON 1988.
4
  SAGGS 1984.
5
  SACK 2004; VANDERHOOFT 1999; WISEMAN 1985.
6
  CHARVÁT 2014; CLINE 2014; LIVERANI 2014.

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