Babylonia: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

The history of Ancient Babylonia in ancient Mesopotamia is epic. After playing host to three great empires, the Hammurabic and Kassite empires, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire ruled by Nebuchadnezzar, it was conquered by the Persians. Entered triumphantly by Alexander the Great, it later provided the setting for the Conquerer's deathbed. Squabbled over by his heirs, Babylonia was subsequently dominated by the Parthian and Roman empires.

In this Very Short Introduction, Trevor Bryce takes us on a journey of more than 2,000 years across the history and civilization of ancient Babylonia, from the emergence of its chief city, Babylon, as a modest village on the Euphrates in the 3rd millennium BC through successive phases of triumph, decline, and resurgence until its royal capital faded into obscurity in the Roman imperial era. Exploring key historical events as well as the day-to-day life of an ancient Babylonian, Bryce provides a comprehensive guide to one of history's most profound civilizations.

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Trevor Bryce is a renowned and decorated scholar on ancient civilizations, and is currently an Honorary Professor of the University of Queensland, and an Emeritus Professor of the University of New England. He has held Visiting Fellowships or Scholarships at The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (USA), Wolfson College, Oxford (UK), Australian National University, and Macquarie University (Australia). He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA), and was awarded an Australian Centenary medal for services to History. He has written numerous articles and books on the ancient world, including several for OUP, such as Life and Society in the Hittite World (2005), and Ancient Syria (2014).